Do you ever struggle with writing? Do you find it difficult to generate compelling written content for your blog, website, or social media page?
If you said yes, you’re certainly not alone. Plenty of people are quick to say, “I can’t write,” but that’s simply not true. Though not everyone is born with the literary prowess of Ernest Hemingway, anyone can write, and they can learn to write well.
In our latest WideNet U presentation, we discussed the six secrets behind great writing, as well as some tips on proper, professional email etiquette.
The Six Secrets
1. Read and Write Every Day
Like any other skill, the only way to become an effective writer is to practice, practice, practice—meaning you should be writing every day. It doesn’t matter what you write, you just need to be doing it. Write a story, a poem, a blog, a journal entry, or just sit down with pen and paper and brainstorm ideas.
If you’re not writing, you should be reading. Reading keeps your brain in the writing mode. It inspires you, expands your vocabulary, and opens you up to different styles and techniques, which you can use to influence your own writing. And don’t just go for the fiction novels. Read blogs, articles, and eBooks, especially if they pertain to your business.
2. Write Honestly and Simply
Hemingway said, “Write the best story you can, and write it as straight as you can.” That means just tell the story. Don’t embellish. Don’t over complicate the task. Say exactly what needs to be said.
Avoid complex words and sentence structures. You’re not writing a Master’s Thesis, you’re communicating with an audience. Keeping it simple not only ensures you get your message across, but also makes the writing process easier.
At the same time, don’t waste space with the overuse of adverbs, adjectives, and descriptors. There’s no need to tell your audience that an elephant is large or that a cheetah is fast. Something cannot be fairly unique or over exaggerated. Write only what is necessary, and stop.
3. Less Is Best
If someone is looking for a good, long read, they’ll pick up a John Grisham novel. People don’t go to the Internet to read your 5,000 word blog. They want information, results, and answers. Give it to them. Keep your writing short, concise, and to the point. Never say in two sentences what can be said in one.
For the most part, online readers will scan over a website or article in search of specific information to hook them. You need to cater to those readers and make your writing scannable. Break up your paragraphs, and make use of headers when you change subjects (like the blog you’re reading now). The easier it is for people to find what they’re looking for, the better chance they’ll read the entire article, blog, or page.
4. Grammar
In 2011, the BBC reported that spelling errors were costing businesses millions of dollars every year. That’s a lot of money to lose over a few mixed up homophones.
Bad grammar ruins credibility. This cannot be stressed enough. Your content should go through a rigorous proofing process before going live, and you should always have at least two others read it over as well.
And if you struggle remembering grammar rules, make use of available resources. Websites like grammarbook.com or gammerly.com are fantastic online hubs for any and all grammar questions.
5. Write It, and Leave It
When you sit down to start writing, your number one goal is not to create a great piece of work. Instead, your sole focus should be on finishing a first draft. Just start writing. Write yourself silly. Don’t stop to correct your grammar. Don’t re-work sentences or paragraphs. Just get the words out.
Your first draft will probably be terrible, and that’s okay. You’ll fix that later in the editing process. It’s easier to work from something than nothing. And by simply finishing something, you give yourself a sense of accomplishment, which boosts your motivation.
But don’t start editing immediately. Step away for a while, at least a couple of hours, but preferably a day or two. Clear your head of the material and return to it with fresh eyes. This will make the proofing process easier, and will give you a better perspective on structure and syntax.
6. Learn to Take Criticism
No one likes to be criticized. No one enjoys rejection. However, these things are part of the writing process, and it’s important you become acquainted with them. There will always be someone who doesn’t like your writing. You have to ignore the negative criticism, and learn from the positive.
Though it’s never fun, criticism is actually a good thing. It helps us see things from a different perspective, which in turn helps us grow and improve as writers. The best practice is to seek it yourself. Find someone who will be honest about your work and have them critique it. This will help you get over the fear of being criticized and make you a stronger writer.
Email Etiquette
The last part of our presentation dealt with proper email etiquette in the workplace. It’s important that communications with employees, partners, and clients remain as professional as possible in order to establish a mature, consistent tone.
Always begin your email with the name of the individual being addressed, and be sure to use proper titles when necessary (Mr., Mrs., Ms.).
Keep the body of text extremely brief. Say nothing more than exactly what needs to be communicated (remember, less is best), and never use slang, emoticons, or shorthand. End with a neutral, proper closing such “Sincerely,” or “Regards,” and sign off with your full name.
Following these simple steps ensure that everyone in communication is always on the same page. It significantly lessens the chance for something to be taken out of context, and it ensures that messages are communicated properly.
If you want to watch the full presentation, you can do so here, and don’t forget to stay up to date with our upcoming WideNet U classes. Also, leave us some feedback, and let us know how WideNet U is helping you and your business.
