A case for clarity in business writing
With email being such a huge part of business communication, it’s essential to know how to write well. Forbes staff writer Susan Adams has gathered advice to help you improve the clarity of your writing.
Category: Writing/Editing
Nail reports with these formatting tips
Adopt these rules that professional writers and editors follow to make your reports and presentations more compelling and easy to read.
5 words and phrases to avoid
Languages are living things that evolve over time, with new words created and old ones falling out of common use. Still, just because a lot of people use a word, or use it in a new way, doesn’t make it correct. Veteran copy editor and “word nerd” Tom Stern offers words and phrases to watch out for.
Appositives and the comma conundrum
Plenty of people find themselves wondering if they’re using commas correctly, or worse, unknowingly using them incorrectly. No need to fear, though. “Grammar Girl” Mignon Fogarty has some grammar reminders to help you become more comma-savvy.
50 verbs to spice up your writing
If you find yourself repeating the same words over and over when you take minutes, Executive Assistant Nickey Christmas, who blogs all things PA, EA and VA related on her Practically Perfect PA blog, offers a good list of verbs “that you can slot into the minutes as and when you need them.”
Can you decode these terms?
FYI, the CEO wants the HR and IT reports ASAP. We rely on thousands of acronyms and initialisms, and in many cases, one set of letters can have a wide variety of meanings. Here’s a test of some of the most common office terms.
Limit replies
Word your email message to discourage recipients from sending replies to the entire distribution list. Example: Instead of saying “Can everyone meet Thursday at 1 p.m.?” send this direction: “If you can’t meet Thursday at 1 p.m., reply directly to me.”
5 ways to improve your writing skills
Like it or not, people judge you by how you write. Strong writing skills will help you get noticed, earn your colleagues’ trust and move you up in your career, says author and writing coach Roger C. Parker. Five suggestions to help you improve your writing:
1-Minute Strategies: Feb ’13
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Write so everyone can comprehend it
Many among us battle vision impairment, dyslexia and other obstacles that affect reading comprehension. Writers can take simple steps to make their work more accessible to such readers, writes Erika Enigk.