How to Write ____ Archives

I Am Not the President

Lately I have been invited by several professional groups to present to them on business writing. I have also traveled across the country to present to important people in large companies (we are all important: sales managers, engineers, customer service reps, etc.). For me, one… continue reading

Sunk by a Typographical Error

I am glad that Raymond Ward of The (New) Legal Writer wrote about an Office Team survey on typos (typographical errors). The survey showed that typos do affect our job prospects. When 150 executives were asked, "How many typos in a resume does it take… continue reading

5 Tips to Sound More Professional

People who attend writing classes often say they want their writing to sound more professional. Sometimes they believe that big words are more impressive, and they are looking for ways to choose bigger and better words. But big words are simply bigger–not better. Here are… continue reading

dear friends and coworkers how to express gratitude

Thanking a Group for Condolences

A reader wrote to ask for help on writing a thank you to her coworkers, who were extremely supportive when her son died tragically in an accident. I am very sorry for her and her family’s terrible loss, and I know that writing such a… continue reading

Beware of 3-Headed Documents

Policies, procedures, processes–these are three distinct types of documents. Unfortunately, their apparent similarities tempt many writers to lump policy, process, and procedure together in one document. When they do, the reader who wants to follow the procedure gets stuck in the policy. The reader who… continue reading

A Quick Editing Contest

I just received an email with a sentence long enough to reach from Seattle to Sydney. It’s 139 words–a stringy list of job requirements that test the reader’s endurance. If the writer had formatted the content clearly and simply, this excerpt from a job announcement… continue reading

Writing to Young Teens

My daughter, who is nearly 12, received a notice about a summer camp. It said: Become immersed in a week of adventure, peer bonding, and community building. Challenges include orienteering, rock climbing, sea kayaking, and camping. Mobile camps–every day is a field day! Small group… continue reading

Proposals–Where to Focus

Let’s talk about what to focus on in proposals. Should the focus be on your products and services? Should it be on your reasonable fees? On your client satisfaction rates? On your expertise in the industry? On your uniqueness? The answer to all the questions… continue reading

It’s About Time: Clock Time

In a recent Keys to Error-Free Writing class, participants wanted to know how to render clock time. A.M. or a.m.? PM or pm? 24-hour clock? 12-hour clock? Mention time zones or leave them out? Refer to GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)? These questions rarely came up… continue reading

How to Turn Off an Audience

A good speech or presentation starts out as a good piece of writing. Speakers who rouse us to action and thought do not just pour forth brilliant, well-spoken sentences. They write them first–or they have someone else write them. Sometimes when I have spoken briefly… continue reading