Sunday, October 18, 2009

How to Keep Your Writing Short

Concise writing is important. I often observe folks writing 1000+ word emails! Several courses in Graduate School required a maximum of two pages in an essay exam. Why be "wordy" when you can make the point in a paragraph or less.


by Jane Sumerset

The writing economy is crucial for many applications. In emails, for instance, would you really read anything that went over three paragraphs on a busy day? Most likely, you'll file it somewhere for later reading -- sometimes, eventually forgetting all about it.

With most types of emails, memos and blog posts, keeping your writing short is often key to holding the reader's attention. If you pay enough attention, you might be surprised by how much information you can convey without putting down so many lines.

If you'd like to write shorter and tighter, here's what you should be doing:

1. Write down your core message before beginning to put down the piece. State it in four to eight words as concisely as you can. Chances are, this will be your ideal title for the material.

2. Meet the reader's needs. Even when you're trying to minimize the length of your writing, you'll need to ensure that you're providing exactly what the readers need. Some folks can go overboard with the writing economy, ending up with content that barely touches on all the information that the readers need to learn.

3. Skip the small talk. Naturally, you'll have to skip the small talk and the inconsequential fodder. Even a witty line here and there should all tie into the readers' understanding of the piece, instead of just being random entertainment. Get the point early, stay on course and conclude it.

4. Edit with a good writing software. Writing software not only corrects mistakes in grammar, but often manages to identify words and phrases that you can eliminate without consequences. Use it ruthlessly and get great results.

Watch how innovative Writing Software instantly can improve your writing on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology can help you to write perfect emails, essays, letters or reports. Read more

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jane_Sumerset

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