By
Anita Bruzzese, Gannett News Service
You might think that your personal appearance and the way you
conduct yourself in a meeting with the boss goes a long way
toward making a good impression, but there's one critical aspect
of your career that lingers long after you've left the room.
The written word.
It's hard to imagine Thomas Jefferson or Emily Dickinson
writing prose that would make even the most patient reader
scream, since their written words still resonate with us generations
later.
But today, we often find ourselves reading reports from co-workers
or management that make us want to hurl them out the window
-- the report, that is, not the writers.
How and why people become lousy writers often has to do with
the lack of exercise -- the exercise of the writing muscle
that can happen only through constant use. It's not just the
physical aspect of putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard,
but rather the use of our mind and senses.
For example, let's look at e-mail messages. When was the
last time you pulled out a thesaurus to compose a cyber message?
This is not to say you should write flowing missives about
the shortage of toilet paper in the company restrooms, but
look at e-mail as a chance to perhaps use one or two creative
words. Taking small steps such as this will help you begin
to stretch the writing muscle, to become comfortable with
using words that are a bit different or more descriptive.
The thesaurus, along with the dictionary, are critical tools
for anyone wishing to improve his or her writing. Words are
often used incorrectly, and nothing can frustrate a reader
more. Further, any message that has words misspelled puts
you in a bad light, as there is no excuse for being too lazy
to look it up.
What other ways can you become a better writer at work? How
about:
- Reading. It can be a magazine or newspaper or a book. By
becoming more familiar with the "flow" of writing
and the use of various words and writing styles, you will
find it easier to write.
- Do word puzzles. This is a fun way to learn word definitions,
and will stretch your knowledge of synonyms.
- Use outlines. Before you sit down to write a report, outline
what you want to say and in what order it needs to be said.
This will keep you from getting lost in the middle of your
report, and allow you to work on using clear, descriptive
words.
- Edit. There isn't a writer in the world who can't use a
little revision. Look for repetitive thoughts, the use of
the same word over and over again (instead of "meaning,"
try "intent," "message," or "significance.")
- Use transitions. Writing can seem jerky or uneven when
the writer doesn't transition between subjects. "Further,"
"at the same time," and "in addition"
keep the reader going with the flow.
- Tell it straight. Close your eyes and pretend you're with
a friend. You've got some important news. Do you say, "In
regard to the pursuance of the contract, we have been assured
success that the musician, Sting, will conduct a performance
in the coming year at our corporate sessions," or would
you say, "Sting is going to play at the corporate meeting!"
Which do you think will grab someone's attention? That's what
you want to do with the opening of any written communication.
This isn't the great American novel, where you set the scene
like Virginia Woolf. People at work are busy, and you're going
to have to grab their attention and keep it.
- Show respect. If you don't have respect for the written
word, then the reader will quickly catch on that you don't
have respect for them. Ask for feedback from those writers
you admire. Only by using your writing muscle continually
will you make it stronger.
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