Writing: 3 more ideas

The last several Learning Links have been dealing with the subject of writing and how to improve your business writing. This time let's look at formatting, clearer sentences, and adding some "action" to your written document.

Most of us do not think about the visual impact of our writing as we are drafting a document. But formatting makes a huge difference for the reader. For one thing, large blocks of text are not inviting and encourage the reader to skim over them and possibly miss the meaning. In a business document this is not good because we often tend to bury the important part of our communication deep inside a long paragraph.

Formatting Is Key

After you have completed your document and you are so proud of it, it is time to have a critical look for formatting concerns. Here are three suggestions:

• Use lots of subheads
• Separate lists with bullets
• Make liberal use of white space

Use lots of subheads
Subheads and another formatting techniques are "road signs" which give the reader some idea as to where the document is going. If our document is organized well, these road signs make it easy for the reader to grasp key points. Subheads separate out important information and make it easily accessible.

Separate lists with bullets
One of the nice things about word processors is that they give us lots of flexibility with formatting. Bullets help the reader absorb lists of related information and put that information in perspective.

Make liberal use of white space
Visual impact really matters to the reader! When faced with a series of pages of block text and no formatting, it seems a major undertaking just to get started. Break up the text with formatting techniques such as those referenced above and expand the amount of white space between paragraphs and key points. This makes the document much more interesting visually.

How Long Is Your Sentence?
This is not a reference to a prison term, but to the length of sentences we write in business documents. After you have written, it's a good idea to go back and break up those long sentences. Strive for a maximum of 15 to 20 words per sentence--and while you are at it, avoid semicolons since they really serve no purpose in a typical business document. (If the two clauses can stand alone, simply separate them with a period.)

Using Action Verbs
Passive tense is boring! Sometimes it is necessary but typically not in a business document.
Example: "The annual report produced a disappointed reaction among the board of directors. "
Revision: "The annual report disappointed the board of directors."
Example: "It is our expectation that we will see productivity improvement when the workers learn the new system."
Revision: "We expect workers to produce more when they learn the new system."
The revisions show action and produce a sense of excitement about the subject matter that is missing in passive tense. (Sometimes we try to diffuse responsibility with phrases like "mistakes were made" and maybe there are times when that is helpful, but for the most part you should avoid these types of sentences.)

What to do this week
Review your documents for formatting, use of white space, simple, clean communication and active verbs. Take a few minutes to make editorial changes and then ask someone you trust to review the document before you send it. Most of us have to do a fair amount of writing as part of our job, but our readers really appreciate it when we take them into consideration as we draft and format the document.