by D. P. Noe

Created on: January 23, 2009   Last Updated: May 03, 2009

When you are writing in the business remember that individuals that are reading your document will not have the time or patience to read pages of unnecessary details. State you facts to the point with clarity and purpose. This is not the time to impress people with a large array of big words in your vocabulary.

It is a lot easier to influence someone face to face versus influencing an individual or group of individuals on paper. The hardest part about writing is that you cannot see the facial response of the individual or individuals reading what you have written. Always include only relevant facts when you write, irreverent facts will weaken what message you are trying to communicate. Investigate the business culture that you work in, do they like formal or informal writing style? Will adding a little humor help or hinder your article?

In the business world it is all about meeting deadlines. Writing to meet deadlines adds to the stress of writing effectively. My best piece of advice when you are under pressure for time, is to find a room and shut the door so you will not be interrupted. You need a space where you can concentrate and set time limits on yourself. You need to get started and do not procrastinate. The more time you spend delaying the task, the harder it will be.

Your writing affects your ability to shape ideas, build your case, influence others and gain the support needed. In the fast pace of the business world, many individuals do not have time or patience looking through piles of documents, they are looking for pertinent facts. If you are thinking you do not need to improve your writing at work, think again! There is e-mail, evaluations, proposals, memos, newsletters, policies, procedures,resumes and the list goes on.

The very first thing is to look at your topic. You need to communicate a purpose and pinpoint precisely what message you are trying to get across. Write your purpose in a complete sentence, Many times when an individual puts a thought on paper it comes off as vague and their ideas lack a specificity. If you do not communicate clearly, it will not be clear to anyone who reads your document.

It is more difficult to motivate individuals through writing than it is face to face. You lose the advantage of seeing the response to what you are saying. You will probably make several drafts before you come up with the final version. Include only relevant facts with supporting material because irrelevant material will just weaken what you are tring

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