Ernest Hemingway once bragged that he could write a compelling story in only six words. It would have a beginning, a middle and an ending. And it would sing. His friends scoffed. They each bet $10 he couldn’t do it. Here’s what Hemingway wrote:
Write more clearly and persuasively with this strategy, advises Lynn Gaertner-Johnston: Remember the “power of one idea.” That is, one idea for each message, one idea for each paragraph, and one idea for each sentence. Here’s how to remake sentences using the “one idea” strategy.
One of the most common reader questions we receive is about the serial comma—that is, the comma that comes before the “and” when you’re listing a series of things. The question is, “Should I use it or not use it?” The answer is, it’s up to you. The serial comma is used by some publications and dismissed by others, which makes it a matter of style.
If you’re writing an e-newsletter or promotional e-mail for your company, remember: That “free” e-newsletter costs your readers time. And that could be the most valuable thing they possess. Persuading readers to click and read is more challenging than you might think. Heed these tips and tricks from the experts for writing more effective marketing e-mail:
When choosing when you should use “these” or “those,” the decisive factor is whether the things you’re talking about are near or far. In some cases, it’s a psychological distance: Are you referring to something that you just mentioned or something that you mentioned a sentence or two ago?
Every résumé should contain strong action verbs that kick off most bullet points and accomplishment-based statements, says Jessica Holbrook Hernandez, CEO of Great Resumes Fast. Could your résumé use sprucing up? Take a look at Hernandez’s favorite action words—and give your résumé a makeover:
A reader recently wrote: What gives with everybody using the words “to myself” instead of “to me”? The administrative people around me always write things like: “Please send your response to my secretary or myself.” That makes no sense … Did someone make this grammatically correct and forget to tell me?
Say you’re an office manager, and you’ve heard from several employees about a problem with the way people use the break rooms. You need to write an e-mail that helps resolve the problem. What’s the most effective way to write it? A few decades ago, a formal tone was proper for memos. Today that same tone sounds cold to most ears.
A reader recently wrote asking about the usage of “per.” It’s common to see sentences such as: “I’ve attached a copy of the contract, per your request.” Some reference books point out that “per” is correctly used to mean “by the,” as in “per hour.” And other guides recommend using more familiar English words.
Make your e-mail easy to read and respond to with these four tips: 1. Limit your e-mail messages to one topic. 2. Make sure your headline is clear, strong and descriptive. 3. Include all contact information within every e-mail. 4. Encompass all relevant information the person might need to answer the e-mail.
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