Don't Attempt To Write Without Them!

Written by Linda Elizabeth Alexander


Continued from page 1

7. Dictionary and Thesaurus. The ones that come withrepparttar word processor are not sufficient. Get yourself some good old fashioned books, or a dictionary hesaurus on CD.

8. Company style guide. Some companies are very strict about their internal or external communications. They may have rules about style (different accepted spellings, for example) so that everybody who reads your company's literature or correspondence receives a consistent message about your company. You may lose credibility with your readers if everything sounds like it came from XYZ Corporation, exceptrepparttar 129469 letter you are writing.

9. The right atmosphere. If your office doesn't cut it, find a better place. The library may work. A conference room might provide more space for you to pace as you're dictating your masterpiece. If you're writing about your company's manufacturing plant, it might help you to actually be there while you're writing.

10. Writing is rewriting. Remember that nobody, even Shakespeare, gets it onrepparttar 129470 first try. Your first draft is exactly that - a rough copy, a sketch. Think of it asrepparttar 129471 equivalent of a doodle when artists paint. They don't start withrepparttar 129472 canvas - and neither should you. Unlike many other jobs, in writing, it's okay to make mistakes as you go along. Your final draft will be vastly different fromrepparttar 129473 few sentence fragments you begin with.

Usingrepparttar 129474 checklist items will set you up for a successful writing session. Have on hand as many of these items as you can each and every time you sit down to write something -- whether it's a letter to your customers or an annual report. By keeping allrepparttar 129475 tools you need in one place, your writing session will go smoother and will be easier on your stress level than without them.



Linda Elizabeth Alexander is a business writer and marketing consultant based in Longmont, Colorado, USA. Improve your writing skills at work! Subscribe to her FREE ezine. Write to the Point at lalexander@write2thepointcom.com or visit http://www.write2thepointcom.com/articles.html.


Business Writing Skills II - A Web Writing Primer

Written by Linda Elizabeth Alexander


Continued from page 1

Remember to use bold and italics to emphasize important pieces of information. Avoid underlining, though, so your readers don't confuse underlined words with linked text.

Userepparttar inverted pyramid. Journalists have long been aware ofrepparttar 129467 need to catch readers' attention immediately. Like newspaper readers, web surfers are also pressed for time and want to getrepparttar 129468 story right away.

The first paragraph should containrepparttar 129469 most important information and tell whatrepparttar 129470 rest ofrepparttar 129471 site/page/story is about. That way, readers can scanrepparttar 129472 beginning to getrepparttar 129473 gist ofrepparttar 129474 story.

Start with a short conclusion; gradually get intorepparttar 129475 full story and provide more details below or on another page.

Proofread. There is no better way to make your company look incompetent than to have mistakes all over your site. I've seen it over and over and over again. Proof read time and time again, and then let someone else take a look at it too. Your spell-checker is not enough! It helps to print out allrepparttar 129476 pages and editrepparttar 129477 hard copy, since reading offrepparttar 129478 screen is tedious.

Don't be afraid to be entertaining. Fortunately, we've gotten smarter overrepparttar 129479 last several years since plopping your company brochure ontorepparttar 129480 screen went out of style. Nowadays, web surfers want to be entertained. Use humor. Use personality. Use a conversational style. The web is no place for flat, boring, unenergetic cure-for-insomnia stuff. Be enthusiastic about your product -- if you're into it, your customers will be, too! Confidence shows!

Linda Elizabeth Alexander is a business writer and marketing consultant based in Longmont, Colorado, USA. Improve your writing skills at work! Subscribe to her FREE ezine. Write to the Point at lalexander@write2thepointcom.com or visit http://www.write2thepointcom.com/articles.html.


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