Did you know that bad grammar can ruin a good message? You could be missing opportunities to get your point across because your readers have to wade through awkward sentences that set their teeth on edge. Common grammar mistakes can be avoided if you take the time to learn the rules and then apply them.…
Do You Find Yourself Rambling?
More words don’t always translate into more meaning. That’s why it’s important to avoid wordiness in your writing, especially in a business setting. Your colleagues’ and customers’ time is precious. They need to know what you offer, need, or suggest quickly and concisely. If you find yourself rambling, it might be due to a lack…
Common Grammar Mistakes that Undermine Your Credibility
Now more than ever, clarity in communication is important. We’re all adapting to more virtual meetings and a great deal more email communication. Documents that were discussed around a meeting table and then edited by a single person now make their way to multiple colleagues via email. We’ve become accustomed to common abbreviations in text…
Whacking Word Clutter in Your Writing
In The Elements of Style, iconic authors William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White called word clutter “the leeches that infest the pond of prose, sucking the blood out of words.” Yes, the same E.B. White who gave us beloved children’s stories like Stuart Little, The Trumpet of the Swan and Charlotte’s Web also gave us…
5 Ways Better Writing Can Boost Your Credibility at Work
Because your writing reflects your credibility, you want to craft your messages as effectively as possible. You can immediately improve it by applying these five points. 1. Make your opening sentence compelling. It starts with knowing your reader—a boss, a coworker, a customer. Rambling thoughts about the weather won’t interest them. Stick to directly addressing…
Does Word Order Matter? Think “Short to Long”
When polishing your sentences, pay attention to the nuances of word order. To my eye (and ear), placing “short” before “long” works best. This applies to both sentences and lists. Here’s a simple example: “He was well respected and loved in the academic community.” I changed it to: “He was loved and well respected in…