Top 10 Tips for Business Writing

Before you start writing, consider your mindset.

1. Be committed. Care about your writing. It is a clear reflection of both you and your company.

2. Be conversational. Write as if you were speaking to your reader. Test your writing for effective tone by reading it out loud.

3. Be considerate. Know your readers and their needs in order to make recommendations or referrals.

4. Be connected. Understand your subject well by consulting customers, coworkers, and company records to gather information.

5. Be consistent. Make your point and stick to it. Keep your thoughts organized, and don’t wander off the subject.

6. Be clear. Think clearly and write using plain language, avoiding jargon and inflated rhetoric.

7. Be concrete. Always use specific names, numbers, and examples. (Eight is concrete; some is abstract.)

8. Be concise. Get to the point. You need not cover everything or try to include every detail.

9. Be complete. Tell the reader how to respond. Include all the names, dates, and numbers the reader might need.

10. Be correct. Check your facts for accuracy and your language for appropriateness. Always double-check names of people and companies for correct spelling.

“Good planning helps to make elusive dreams come true.”

—Lester R. Bittel

Using a Planner

Consider using a planner similar to the one below to help you clarify your message, reader, and context. Planners can be especially helpful for longer projects such as reports or proposals.

Copy this template.

Freewriting

Writing whatever comes to mind on a particular topic is called freewriting. Freewriting is really brainstorming on the page. It helps you record, develop, and understand your thinking.

1. Write nonstop about your subject or project, following rather than directing your thoughts.

2. Resist the temptation to stop and judge or edit what you write.

3. If you get stuck, switch directions and follow a different line of thinking.

4. When you finish, reread your material and highlight passages you think might be useful.

Clustering

Clustering creates a web of connections between a general topic and specific subtopics. A cluster allows you to see the structure of your topic and plan your writing.

1. Write a key word or phrase in the middle of your page.

2. Record or “cluster” related words and phrases around this key word.

3. Circle each idea and link it to related ideas in your cluster.

4. Continue recording related ideas until you have covered the topic.

Sample Cluster

Diagramming

Diagrams can be used to help you record and organize information graphically. The diagrams below are two of the most useful.

1. Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast two things.

2. Use a problem/solution diagram to analyze a problem, break it into parts, specify its causes, list its effects, and develop solutions.

Venn Diagram

Problem/Solution Diagram

Outlining

One way to organize the information you’ve collected is to construct an outline or a detailed list. Follow the guidelines below to get started.

1. Find your focus. Clarify the main point or controlling idea of your writing project.

2. Develop your outline. A good outline provides a plan for developing your main point:

   • Highlight the key ideas you’ll want to use to develop your main point.

   • Connect your supporting details to these key ideas. Add ideas and details as needed, and number them appropriately.

   • Arrange your information into the best possible order. Consider your reader’s likely response, and select a sequence that best advances your main point. You may use your own method of development or one of these approaches:

     cause/effect	question/answer
     chronological order	classification
     compare/contrast	order of importance
     partitioning	problem/solution

Outline

“Why do writers write? Because it isn’t there.”

—Thomas Berger

Drafting Openings

Your opening should quickly set a clear direction for your writing. Use the guidelines and models below to help you do that.

An effective opening should . . .

• indicate the document type (report, proposal, instructions);

• state your topic, your reason for writing, and your main point (if appropriate);

• get the reader’s attention and interest;

• establish a tone or voice;

• provide background and context;

• preview the content; and

• provide a summary (if appropriate).

Simple Opening (letter)

Complex Opening (report, proposal)

Drafting the Middle

In the middle part of your message, you need to develop strong, clear paragraphs that advance the main idea presented in your subject line and introduction. Follow your outline and tackle one paragraph at a time. If necessary, go back to your planning materials or rework your outline.

An effective middle should . . .

• link back to the opening through a clear transition,

• provide readers with necessary information, and

• include well-written paragraphs that have strong opening sentences.

To achieve the goals above, follow these guidelines:

• Develop each main point in a separate paragraph.

• Keep each paragraph fairly short, 3 to 8 lines in length.

• Use a topic sentence to signal each paragraph’s direction.

• Expand and connect ideas, always keeping your reader in mind.

• Incorporate headings, lists, and graphics when appropriate.

• Maintain the tone established in the opening.

• Prepare readers for the closing.

Sample Middle Paragraphs (Letter)

“The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair.”

—Mary Heaton Vorse

Drafting Closings

Close your writing logically and naturally by recalling your goal and main point. Your closing should help the reader understand and act on the message.

An effective closing should . . .

• restate your main point and offer conclusions;

• provide recommendations, propose the next step, or offer help;

• focus on appreciation, cooperation, and future contact;

• include all details needed for follow-up and action; and

• end with energy by using clear, strong verbs.

Note: Avoid stating the obvious in your closing, or rambling on and on.

Simple Closing (memo, email, letter)

Complex Closing (report, proposal)

“Saint, noun. A dead sinner revised and edited.”

—Ambrose Bierce

Revise Ideas

If your first draft lacks focus, substance, or clarity, you need to revise your ideas.

“A synonym is a word you use when you can’t spell the word you first thought of.”

—Burt Bacharach

Edit for Correctness

In addition to spelling errors and typos, the issues listed below commonly plague business documents. When editing your writing, use this list to find and correct the problems. See the chapter on correctness and consult your “Proofreader’s Guide.”

• Fix Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

  To help each new employees learn our day-to-day procedures, please lead them through the orientation program.

• Eliminate Shifts in Person

  When new employees go through this orientation, you they learn your their jobs more quickly.

• Fix Subject-Verb Agreement

  The procedure, as well as the attached checklist of steps and items, cover covers key orientation topics.

• Connect Dangling Modifiers

  After filling in the review form for the new employee, the form should be sent you should send the form to the Human Resources Department.

• Make Construction Parallel

  The form describes issues at each stage of the evaluation process: after one day, one week later, then two weeks after starting, and when one month.

• Fix Sentence Fragments

  The form will streamline orientation for new employees. They will require m Much less time to learn their new assignments.

• Fix Comma Splices

  The new checklist contains more information than the old one, so the new one will take longer to complete.

• Use a Comma After an Introductory Phrase or Clause

  After the final review, the supervisor and the employee will sign the form.

• Use a Comma in a Compound Sentence

  Reviewers should use the form for 30 days, and the manager should sign off on it.

• Use Commas Around Nonrestrictive Information

  For each new employee, Human Resources, which must complete the initial evaluation, will prepare a checklist with the employee's name on it.

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