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In Business Writing, Give Your Readers a Break: Pick One!

September 24, 2019 by Barbara McNichol Leave a Comment

by Barbara McNichol

business writingIn wanting to cover many aspects of a topic, business writers sometimes throw down so many variables that readers have no way to gauge the importance of each. They feel weighed down trying!

Look at these examples in business writing:

  1. The professor included and provided a methodology for continuing the effort.
  2. The state and local leaders developed and drafted numerous statutes.
  3. We need to appreciate and understand the factors affecting the time and place.

The “Pick One” Principle

You can lighten your readers’ load by applying the “pick one” principle. You’ll find it works for all kinds of business writing—emails, reports, manuscripts, and more.

The “pick one” principle asks: “Which word better describes what you want to say—the word before or after the and?” Then pick the one that adds more emphasis and accuracy to your meaning.

In Example 1, which word better conveys the meaning—included or provided? In this context, provided can cover the meaning for both—that is, if something is provided, we can assume it’s included. Pick one: provided.

The professor provided a methodology for continuing the effort.

Example 2 has the word and in two places, making the sentence long-winded. For developed and drafted, the more apt word is drafted because something can’t be drafted without being developed first. Pick one: drafted.

“Pick one” also applies to making a single-word substitution. For example, state and local could be changed to government without altering the meaning in this context.

The government leaders drafted numerous statutes.

In Example 3, because appreciate and understand are so close in meaning, using both is like saying it twice. “Pick one” to streamline the writing. For time and place, we could substitute a single word: situation.

We need to understand the factors affecting the situation.

Rule of Thumb in Business Writing

When you reread anything you’ve written, find all the places you’ve used and, then apply the “pick one” principle wherever possible. That way, you won’t dilute the meaning of your message or needlessly weigh down your readers.

Give them a break. Pick one!

better writing coverWant more tips like this to hone your writing skills? You’ll find 18 Days to Become a Better Writer an easy-to-use e-guide. Start your journey today by clicking here. Use code 18DAYS at checkout for a discount.

 

Share examples of “pick one” from your own writing here.

Filed Under: Business Writing Tagged With: better writing, business writing, clear writing, correct writing, nonfction book editing, nonfiction authors, nonfiction book editor

Celebrate World Gratitude Day This September 21st

September 17, 2019 by Barbara McNichol Leave a Comment

gratitude dayIn the ’60s, a movement started to encourage people to share in conscious expressions of Gratitude on one day of the year. World Gratitude Day was born. How can you celebrate World Gratitude Day this September 21st?

I suggest setting aside time to express appreciation for your family, your community, your friends, your business associates, and anyone or anything that makes your life better—even animals and technologies.

Express gratitude to people who source, prepare, and serve your food and deliver your mail. Thank community leaders and employees who imagined, built, and continue to provide the systems that serve you. Thank those customers who put money in your pocket so you can live well. What would you add that’s specific to your life?

I am grateful for opportunities to spread light, love, and kindness every day. And I’m especially grateful to you for allowing me to help you make your dreams stronger through better writing.

Happy Gratitude Day.

P.S. Don’t forget to celebrate National Punctuation Day on September 24th!

Filed Under: Compelling Special Tagged With: authors and editors, better writing, gratitude day, nonficiton books, nonfiction book editor

3 Mistakes People Make in Writing Customers

August 21, 2019 by Barbara McNichol Leave a Comment

By Dianna Booher (used with permission)

In today’s world, we work, live, and die by email. Okay, I exaggerate. But it’s hard to get through a week without weeding your way through an overflowing inbox. How do you make your emails stand out—positively rather than negatively—from competitors?

For starters, correct these problems…

3 Common Email Mistakes

Vague Subject Lines

Subject lines should be a condensed version of your message and the action you want. They should be informative, not mysterious—unless you’re an email marketer. And even then, marketers often find that vague headlines don’t always intrigue buyers.

A quick scan of a week’s inbox reveals subject lines like these:

A Quick Question (About what?)

Following Up (On what?)

Last-Minute Details (Is the reader asking for them or giving them?)

Can you imagine reading newspaper headlines as vague as these: “Stock Market.” “Taxes.” “Blizzard Conditions.” You wouldn’t know where to begin reading. Unless you’re a novelist—a mystery writer at that!—turn your subject lines into informative headlines.

Subject lines should be specific, useful, brief:

How to Register for the Upcoming RW Conference & Expo

New Dates for Denver New Product Orientation: Aug 12-13

Stopping Work on FTD Coding: Glitch in Step 7

Available Friday for Call About Licensing Extension?

Unclear Actions and Timeframes

Don’t hint or imply. State exactly what you want the reader to do and when. You can soften a request by stating the action as a question or by adding a courtesy word. For example: “Would you please send me your feedback on the demo equipment by Friday, May 6?” Such a statement sounds friendly, yet still sets expectations.

Never equate courtesy with vagueness. Phrases such as “at your earliest convenience” or “as soon as possible” simply leave your reader guessing. You can be both pleasant and precise.

Openings That Close Doors

In the classic movie Jerry Maguire, Tom Cruise barges into his home after an argument and long separation from his wife, starts an explanation meant as an apology, and makes a romantic plea: “You complete me…  You…”

She interrupts, “You had me at hello.”

In case you don’t recall the movie plot, let me just say the similarity to email greetings stops there:  Your email readers are not in love with you. (Okay, maybe your family members love you. Possibly a few favorite customers love you.) But even if emailing best friends, chances are they already have an overflowing inbox and may not want another email from you.

So your email greetings should warm clients and prospects up—not put them off.

Another thing about greetings: Stand out by “mixing It up.” My colleague Bill Lampton has mastered this principle well. Every email from him sounds as though he has just walked into my office with a fresh comment of the morning. Here are some recent greetings from his emails:

Dianna, hi—

Very good, Dianna. The next thing….

How about Tuesday, Dianna?

Good morning, Dianna!

For sure, Dianna…  Mid- to late-May fits my schedule…

I totally agree, Dianna, about the need to …

See how these greetings pull you right into the email as if we’re in a relationship and the conversation is just continuing?

That’s exactly the feeling you want your customers to have as they see your email in the preview window—that they’re in an ongoing relationship with you and should respond as if face to face.

So how to break through the email barrier and get quicker responses? Be specific. Say it in the subject line. Make sure your greeting warms buyers up—not puts them off.

email mistakesLearn more ways to improve your email communication in Faster, Fewer, Better Emails: Manage the Volume, Reduce the Stress, Love the Results by Dianna Booher. Click here for details.

 

Filed Under: Business Writing, Writing Tips Tagged With: better emails, better writing, Dianna Booher, email mistakes, faster, fewer, nonfiction book editor professionals, write better emails

Word Clutter Makes Me Feel like I’m Swimming in Jell-O

April 25, 2019 by Barbara McNichol Leave a Comment

by Barbara McNichol

Reading through a book or report or email with lots of word clutter makes me feel like I’m swimming in Jell-O. My mind goes into slow motion. I lose attention. I start thinking about picking dead leaves off plants.

I’m sure you know what I mean by “word clutter.” It’s those long-winded phrases that the writer didn’t take the time to pare down.

Well, I have a magic trick for cutting out dead words and leaving my plants for another day.

Word Clutter Pop Quiz

What is the #1 way to make sentences less verbose and more direct?

Answer: Change long noun phrases to short verbs.

Consider the differences in these 3 examples:

  1. “They remain in contradiction with themselves” vs. “They contradict themselves.” (“Contradiction” is the noun; “contradict” is the verb.)
  2. “He made an acknowledgement of her success” vs. “He acknowledged her success.” (“Acknowledgement” is the noun; “acknowledged” is the verb.)
  3. “She initiated an implementation of the plan.” vs. “She implemented the plan.” (“Implementation” is the noun; “implemented” is the verb.)

See how less wordy and more direct the second version is in each sentence?

And Here’s Another Cagey Trick

If you’re not sure whether you can turn a long-winded noun into an active, lively verb, a dead giveaway is nouns ending in “ion” and “ment.” Notice in these examples the words contradiction, acknowledgement, and implementation. All those nouns have been successfully turned into shorter, more action-oriented verbs.

So the next time you edit your own work, use this magic trick and add more BAM! to your writing.

What writing tricks do you use to reduce word clutter?

Filed Under: Writing Tips Tagged With: #betterwriting, better writing, book writing tips, editing tips, long-windedness, magic writing trick, word clutter

When to Use an Apostrophe with Numbers and Dates

February 13, 2019 by Barbara McNichol Leave a Comment

Nothing highlights the importance of when to use an apostrophe like a weather report.

by Barbara McNichol

When to use an apostrophe…

Sometimes, “apostrophe confusion” is more apparent than reading weather reports during an extreme cold snap. 

If we can trust Punxsutawney Phil, the end of these sub-zero temperatures should be near…but in case a groundhog isn’t your first choice for meteorological – or grammatical – advice, let’s cover the basics with examples inspired by fellow grammar-guru Kathleen Watson.

Adding an “s” to numbers…

If you’re pluralizing a number, don’t add an apostrophe.

  • Temperatures will drop into the 30s tonight.
  • There were four 747s waiting on the tarmac.Nothing highlights the importance of when to use an apostrophe like a weather report.
  • She said both size 8s were too loose.

Adding an “s” to decades…

If you’re writing about years as decades, don’t add an apostrophe.

  • He teaches a class on rock bands of the 1960s and ’70s.*
  • They worked together to refurbish a vintage car from the 1940s.
  • This is the most snowfall the region has seen since the 1980s.

When writing about a trend in a year or decade…

When a year or decade defines something that could be replaced by another proper noun, use an apostrophe to indicate possession.

  • During Germany’s Olympic Games in Berlin, Jesse Owens won four gold medals.
    During 1936’s Olympic Games in Berlin, Jesse Owens won four gold medals.
  • Funds raise by Mary Holmes in 2018 surpassed Jane Smith’s efforts in 2017.
    Funds raised in 2018 surpassed 2017’s efforts.
  • The Chicago White Sox were World Series Champions in 2005.
    The Chicago White Sox were 2005’s World Series Champions.

When starting a sentence with a number…

Whenever possible, avoid using a number at the beginning of a sentence unless it’s a year. And be sure to add an apostrophe according to the rules above.

  • 1929’s stock market crash marked the beginning of the Great Depression.
  • 2019 was the most robust year for new car sales in our region.
  • Seventy percent of my day is consumed by responding to emails.

In summary…

Don’t use an apostrophe to pluralize numbers:

Incorrect: “The airline owns a fleet of 747’s.”

Correct: “The airline owns a fleet of 747s.”

Don’t use an apostrophe with a number that indicates a decade:

Incorrect: “The 1960’s were marked by advances in civil rights and space travel.”

Correct: “The 1960s were marked by advances in civil rights and space travel.”

Do use an apostrophe to designate possession.

Incorrect: “Funds raised this year surpassed 2019s target.”

Correct: “Funds raised this year surpassed 2019’s target.”

*Bonus: Use an apostrophe to indicate missing digits.

Incorrect: “Most people look back at the 60s with fondness.”

Correct: “Most people look back at the ’60s with fondness.”

Following the guidelines of good grammar is always important. Why? When you communicate in a clear, correct  manner, your message carries more resonance and credibility.

What are some of the grammar rules that trip you up in your everyday communication? I’d love to know.

Did you find this article helpful? Here are a few more gems.

Poor Writing Means Your Credibility is at Stake!
Active Verbs Motivate Your Reader to Take Action When the Time is Right

Thanks to Kathy Watson for her input to this post. I highly recommend her reference guide Grammar for People Who Hate Rules to help you get over the grammar hump with ease.

Filed Under: Grammar Tips Tagged With: better writing, better writing for admins, better writing for authors book editing, book editing services, Grammar for People Who Hate Rules: Killer Tips from The Ruthless Editor, Kathleen Watson, nonfiction book editor, numbers, percentages, professional, professional business book editing, use apostrophe

Chiasmus: When Words Mirror Each Other in a Sentence

December 18, 2018 by Barbara McNichol Leave a Comment

by Barbara McNichol

Using figures of speech in our writing make it fun. Truly my favorite figure of speech is the chiasmus­ (ky-AZ-mus). That’s when words in a sentence mirror each other.

Politicians have made them famous (e.g., Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country. – John F. Kennedy). Experts have made them accessible and even fun (e.g., Dr. Mardy Grothe’s book: Never Let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You: Chiasmus and a World of Quotations That Say What They Mean and Mean What They Say)

My contribution to the joy of words is a 4-page Chiasmus Collection I’d like to share. Simply email me with Chiasmus Collection in the subject line.

The ones I’ve included come from years of gleaning them from authors, clients, and subscribers in my daily editing work.

A few choice examples:

It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old; they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams. – Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Write only what you love, and love what you write. – Ray Bradbury

New York is the perfect model of a city, not the model of a perfect city. – Sir Lewis Mumford

What is your favorite chiasmus? Share it here!

Request my 4-page Chiasmus Collection.

 

Filed Under: Editors and Authors, Writing Tips Tagged With: #betterwriting #businesswriting, better business writing, better writing, better writing for authors, Dr. Mardy Grothe, figures of speech, nonfiction authors, nonfiction book edictor, words as mirrors

7 Essential Ways to Become a Great Proofreader

September 4, 2018 by Barbara McNichol Leave a Comment

By Howard Robson, Guest Blogger

Great bloggers neither leave their content unpolished nor do they publish before their work is wholly refined. To bring traffic to your website and enlarge your targeted audience, it is essential to respect the proofreading process.

Whether you’re working on a paper, blog, article, e-mail, or other essential document, always be sure to proofread it and make sure it delivers the proper message. Here are seven ideas you can apply.

  1. Change Your Mindset

If you are always grumpy about revising your work and find no fun in it, your results will show it. You might lose readers, which won’t help in the long run. Here’s how to adopt a growth mindset:

  • After you’ve created your piece, take time to reflect on your work. Is there anything you don’t feel unsatisfied about? Are you content with delivering this message to your niche? Is your grammar correct?
  • If you have unanswered questions, write down ideas to address them. What would you like to improve, how, and in what time frame? Set goals and deadlines, then start working on them.
  • Treat yourself kindly and take regular breaks. Nobody can work non-stop! Work 50 minutes, then take a 10-minute break. During your free time, meditate, dance, read, listen to classical music, or do something that loosens you up. Avoid getting sidetracked into social media.
  1. Practice Makes Perfect

Become a better proofreader through practice. When you don’t have any assigned tasks, write! Yes, simply write down your thoughts using the best language you can.

Dan Creed, content writer at AustralianEssays, shares this opinion: “You could write about your day, your plans, your goals, or anything else that goes through your mind. Search for synonyms for words you are displeased with. Rock that learning curve!”

  1. Reading Is Essential

To improve your writing skills, allocate at least 15 minutes a day or more to reading a well-written article. Sign up for The Economist, HuffPost, The New York Times, or any magazine that’s attractive to you. Pay attention to the writer’s approach and style. That will inspire you to progress—in both your proofreading and your writing.

  1. Find a Proofreading Buddy

Identify a colleague you can reach out to. Work with a person who’s specialized in your area of interest. You can trade tips, exchange ideas, and do each other’s proofreading projects. Help that person help you.

  1. Write Down Your Common Errors

Design a “mistake list” and go through it every time you’ve finished writing an article. For instance, I know that “affective” and “effective” are two words I always mix up, so I include them in my list. Every time I use these words in my articles, I check twice to see if I got them right. Use your mistakes as learning tools. (Excellent resource: Word Trippers Tips)

  1. Be Patient

Take things step by step, and don’t rush when you write, polish, or proofread your piece. Remember, you are not done until you’ve revised your content to your satisfaction. Be patient with your learning process. Read and write daily, and you’ll make fewer mistakes, write better (and faster!), and have more free time.

  1. Ask for Help

Don’t hesitate to get help if you need it. Ask your colleague or even a professional editor to re-read your piece after you’ve polished it and proofread it yourself. Take the feedback you receive into consideration and learn from your errors.

To become a great proofreader, I suggest you set a positive mindset, practice reading and writing daily, find a proofreading buddy, ask for help when needed, and be patient and kind with yourself.

Howard Robson is a blogger from Melbourne, Australia. He enjoys traveling, photography, computer games, and meeting new people. Join him on Twitter and Facebook.

What additional ideas do you have that would improve the proofreading process? Share them here.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Business Writing Tagged With: better proofreading, better writing, book editing, book editing services, business writing techniques, how to proofreader, Howard Robson, nonfiction book editor, proofread articles, proofreader, proofreading, Word Trippers

Don’t Make Me Get Out the Red Pen!

August 1, 2018 by Barbara McNichol Leave a Comment

by Lynne Franklin (used with permission)

Here’s the truth. No one wants to read what you write. Everyone is time-starved. For many, the best moments in the day are when we see an email we don’t have to read and can hit “delete.”

Because we’re overwhelmed, we write something, give it a quick look, and then hit “send.” We forget that we’re writing to persuade people to do something – not noticing that what we’ve created just made it harder for them to agree with us. One of our chief sins is …

Being Boring

Kill the Clichés. When you use these, you scream, “I have no original thoughts! I’m doing this on autopilot.” Why would anyone want to read further – let alone care what you think?

Make a better choice. Switch “at this time” to “now.” Change “attached please find” to “here is.” Drop “it has come to our attention” for “we understand.” You’ll notice this already makes your writing more succinct, which you’ll need to …

Stop Droning On. It’s neuroscience. Once a sentence passes the 25-word mark, you can’t remember the subject. (Or maybe you just no longer want to.) Aim for an average of 10- to 12-word sentences in reports and speeches, and eight-to-10 words in emails.

Don’t think that commas, dashes and semicolons can save you. It’s true: the first two give your readers a place to take a breath in their minds. But don’t abuse this tactic. Cut that longer sentence into two. And generally avoid using semicolons. They mostly confuse people – and could lead to arguments with English majors (who will be happy to tell you when you’ve used them incorrectly).

Watch the length of your paragraphs. Few things are as discouraging as seeing one that goes on for 20 lines. I once reviewed a document with a 265-word sentence, in a paragraph that lasted a page (single-spaced). I was the only person who read it. While I forgot the subject 10 times, I remembered the ire it engendered.

Get to the Good Stuff Fast. Before you begin, consider what your readers know. If you must, reference important shared knowledge quickly. But spend most of your time on new ideas. Telling people what they already know – at length – bores them or makes them think you’re talking down to them. They’ll either stop reading (because they’re not learning anything) or get angry with you.

A colleague once explained it this way: “Reading his writing was like taking the local versus the express bus.” Most non-engineers don’t need to get into the weeds on the hows or whys of something. Focus on what’s in it for your reader, then decide what to keep or junk.

It’s a Conversation

Read Your Writing Out Loud. Watch for the words that stumble off your lips – or when this is language you’d never ordinarily use. (“Pursuant” anyone?) Change those kinds of words.

Often your writing is the conversation you have with someone on screen or paper before you have the conversation on the phone or in person. Don’t bore them. You’ll miss the chance at that second conversation – and getting what you want.

Lynne Franklin teaches you how to be the most persuasive person in the room. She is the author of Getting Others To Do What You Want. You can reach her through her website at www.lynnefranklin.com

What ways do you avoid boring your readers?

Filed Under: Business Writing Tagged With: better writing, clear writing, good writing techniques, In Communicado, Lynne Franklin, nonfiction book edictor, persuasive communication, persuasive writing, red pen, red pen editor

For Variety, Replace These 22 Common Nouns with Synonyms

July 31, 2018 by Barbara McNichol Leave a Comment

22 Common Nouns & What You Can Use Instead (Infographic)
Source: www.grammarcheck.net

Filed Under: Writing Tips Tagged With: #business book editing, better writing, common nouns, nonfiction book editor, professional business book editing, use of synonyms

Be a Better Writer and See Your Career Soar

June 23, 2018 by Barbara McNichol Leave a Comment

Do you want to be More Valuable to your company or your clients? Your writing qualifies you for hiring, for retaining, and for getting promoted. But writing is the gateway to rejection, too. 

People judge your abilities by the quality of your writing.

It’s a harsh fact. In business, people who don’t write well to communicate—who don’t  select the right words to express complex ideas—are perceived as lacking credibility … professionalism … accuracy in their work.

On the flip side, those who master the written word are remembered as influential … reputable … successful.

My name is Barbara McNichol, chief architect of Word Trippers Tips. After years of editing nonfiction manuscripts and proofreading hundreds of thousands of lines of copy, I realized that everyone makes mistakes … everyone mixes up similar words … and everyone loses credibility the moment readers recognize the errors.

I have turned those common errors into a program professionals use to improve their writing instantly: Word Trippers Tips. It includes a 38-minute WEBINAR on its own and/or 12 MONTHS Word Tripper of the Week plus bonuses.

How can you learn to be a better writer and make your career soar?

Go to www.WordTrippers.com  and/or listen to this teleclass 5 Nuggets Successful People Know and Use on better writing.

http://wordtrippers.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/2018-06-13-2-5-Nuggets-recording.mp3

Please share you comments and questions here.

Filed Under: Business Writing Tagged With: better business writer, better writing, business writing, improve writing, nonfiction book editor, professional writer, writing skills

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