Many bright people, perhaps you’re one of them, go to great lengths to avoid writing business documents. The threat of facing a blank page or a bare computer screen can be more powerful than the desire to write. Just the thought of getting started can induce writers block! Can you relate? Let’s take Key Steps this week to…
Help you ‘WRITE’ more effective right now!
1.W – WWW: What is your main point? Who will be reading the document? What do you want your readers to say, think, do or feel after reading your document? Once you have decided, get planning!
2.R – Relevance: Keep asking “Do I really need to include this to get my point across?” Only include relevant and absolutely necessary information.
3.I – Interest: Keep your readers interest by writing at least 80% of your document in the active voice. And reserving the passive voice for times where you cannot avoid it or need to make something sound less hostile.
4.T – Trim: Keep sentence length down about 15 words. Most documents can be trimmed by at least a third when they are reviewed critically.
5.E – Evaluate: It’s critical to build in time to proofread your document. Some simple strategies include reading out loud (even a whisper will do) and reading a printed copy. Evidence suggests that on screen reviewing often leaves documents less formal, digressive, lengthy and poorly focussed. If you are not happy with what you already have, how can you expect to become happy by getting more? Instead of expecting that happiness will come to you from the outside, choose to send it out from the inside. If you’ve been waiting for some thing or event or condition before choosing to be happy, there is no need to wait any longer. Go ahead, choose to be happy, and then you’ll move more effectively toward whatever you desire. Having the good and valuable things you desire is not a cause of happiness. It is an expression of happiness. Happiness is not yours when you chase it or put conditions on it. Happiness is yours when you allow it.
