Seven Tips for Typo-Free Text
Speaking of mistakes, have you ever written something, sent it out to hundreds of people, and found out that it had a typo? Even though I’m a writer, I still struggle with getting my copy typo-free before it goes to a client (and before they – eek! – spend thousands of dollars getting it professionally printed). Although it’s traditional for me to have Before/After samples in each issue, I’m going to deviate from that with Before/After scenarios: Scenario #1: Before Receiving Mary’s Tips for Typo-Free Text Day Before Delivery, 11 p.m. Write the document after a long...
Read MoreWhy Write From Scratch When You Can Rewrite (or Vice Versa)?
Something has been bothering me about the Monthly Makeovers – specifically the “After” examples that I use to illustrate a point. Often times, I improved the “After” example as much as I could, but I still wasn’t happy with it. Although it was better than the “Before” sample, it looked like (and sounded like) a makeover with Band-Aids. Maybe you’ve struggled with this before: How to decide if you should rewrite your marketing copy or start over completely from scratch. Four Points to Consider If you’re pressed for time, it may seem faster to rewrite the existing...
Read MoreTransform Vague Business Jargon Into Crystal-Clear Benefits
Have you ever disdained business jargon, but found yourself using it soon afterwards? I’ve done that, and one of the guilty words is “leverage.” You see it everywhere. Actually, this word isn’t as bad as most – at least it’s an action word, a shortcut for saying you’re using your current investment in or knowledge of something to gain more power. Even better, it’s a word that most business people understand. The problem with using business jargon is that it can be vague – sneakily vague because you don’t realize it. Take the word “user-friendly,” for example. What does...
Read MoreA Reading Level Reality Check
This is the last issue in a four-part series on writing more clearly. Just to recap: Part 1 – To Write More Clearly, First Focus on the Words. Whenever possible, substitute multisyllabic words for shorter words. Part 2 – The Art of Writing One-Breath Sentences. Break up long sentences into shorter ones. Part 3 – Long Paragraphs: The Scourge of Tired Eyes. Break up long paragraphs into shorter ones to increase white space and reader’s attention span. If you’ve followed the previous three suggestions as much as possible, then your writing should fall between an 8th grade and 11th...
Read MoreLong Paragraphs: The Scourge of Tired Eyes
If you’ve been following this 4-part series on writing more clearly, you’ll understand this quote and why I chose it: “I believe more in the scissors than I do in the pencil.” Truman Capote, an American author, wrote that before the commonplace use of computers for writing. (If he wrote it today, it would be more like, “I believe more in the Backspace key than I do in the Space key.” But somehow, that just doesn’t have the original quote’s elegance.) This month’s issue – Part 3 in the series – is about writing more clearly with shorter paragraphs....
Read MoreThe Art of Writing One-Breath Sentences
Please do me a favor and read this out loud: “As companies are looking to provide accountability for all electronic messaging in increasingly regulated times when business processes extend beyond a company’s boundaries, our server software manages all electronic messaging to ensure compliant and streamlined information flow.” Can you read it without drawing a breath? I can’t. (If you can, then I congratulate you on your excellent lung capacity!) In case you haven’t figured it out yet, the subject for this Monthly Makeover is sentence length, and the sentence I had you read above...
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Mary brought a critical eye to the manufacturing process and was able to translate what she saw on the production floor into a cohesive and comprehensive document.
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