Depending on the time of day, you’ve probably written hundreds of words already. Yes, it’s true.
Think about all the emails, reports, shopping lists, purchase orders, and notes to colleagues you’ve put out into the world today - all those words add up pretty quickly!
Modern business thrives on written communication. The power of the written word is so immense, it forms the entire basis of our society - think about our Constitution, laws, ordinances.
Though we may not be using words to trade sheep stations (or perhaps we are?) you can use these five copywriter habits to improve your own writing - and be more well understood and effective at work.
Writing For An Audience of One
The great American novelist and writer Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. once said:
“Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.
In most cases, emails are one to one communication. In business, we may be writing reports to many stakeholders. Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffett says that he writes his annual reports as if he was writing directly to his sisters. This will inform your style - as Buffett directed his copywriters: “safe, bland, and reassuring.”
Writing with one person in mind will keep your style consistent. You’ll feel less worried about how you say things and more focused on getting your message out there.
Takeaway: write to please one person, not many. Because you can’t please everyone.
All Writing Is a Story
Every piece of writing in business - in the world to date - has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Though I might cringe at the term “storytellers” in business, I do so because everyone is a storyteller.
In business, this narrative form may look like:
The current problem
What needs to be done about it
What the resolved situation will look like
Make sure all your communications have a definite beginning, middle, and an end. Just like in high school, you need to introduce the topic of conversation to the reader. Don’t assume your reader knows everything there is to know - communication is the act of scooping out your brain into the brains of an unsuspecting and naive passer-by.
Takeaway: Structure your writing as stories with definite beginnings, middles, and endings.
Concise and Clear Language
You’ve likely read emails or reports that had you reaching for the dictionary at one point - I have, and I’m supposed to know “all the words.” Truth be told, I don’t. (The horror!) The point of good communication is clarity and concision. That means saying what you mean and making it as simple as possible to understand.
Doesn’t matter if your audience has three degrees in engineering or didn’t even finish high school - your writing should be equally accessible to both people. Would you rather be known as pretentious for trying to show off your brainiac vocabulary, or a business genius for explaining a difficult concept like you’re talking to a five year old? (That’s the old trick of “Explain Like I’m Five.”) Substitute long, difficult words for simpler alternatives. Utilize? Just say “use.”
Takeaway: Making your writing simple means it is easier to understand.
Editing Yourself
Everybody has time for editing. Doesn’t matter if it took you thirty seconds to compose, you can spend another thirty seconds proofing and editing. Editing is the art of cutting redundant words from your writing to achieve that concision and clarity. A sentence shouldn’t have extra words in it, much like a clock shouldn’t have extra hands on the dial. If you’re unsure on how to edit yourself, you can use Hemingway Editor or buy a book on editing, such as the aptly titled Edit Yourself.
Takeaway: Editing yourself is as crucial to the writing process as composition.
Using Verbs
Verbs power writing. Verbs, or “doing” words are the momentum your writing rides along. In business, almost everything is verbs. Buying, selling, ordering, drafting, syngergizing - some don’t seem like words at all, but they are at the very least passing themselves off as verbs. If your writing is trying to persuade or will something into being, verbs will get you there. Using too many nouns and adjectives bog the reader down - they will start wondering when you will get to the point very quickly. If you can write verbs into every sentence, you’re off to a flying start.
Takeaway: Verbs are the engine of writing, so the more verbs, the more horsepower your writing has.
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