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"Business Writing Checklist"
 Category |
: Writing |
 Times Read |
: 47 |
 Date |
: 20 April 2008 07:00 |
Youre ready to do it. Youve accepted an assignment from yourboss, agreed to put together a sales presentation, or were askedto write a report about last weeks meeting results. Where doyou begin? Before you venture off into the land of writing foryour job, be prepared with the items on this checklist.1. Adjust your attitude. Writing doesnt have to be like drawingblood. In fact, many times in business writing, much of the workis already done for you. Your job may be as simple as rewordingor organizing information that you already have.2. Quiet. No matter how much you like your music or AM radiotalk show it is best to work in a quiet spot. Even if you workin a noisy place like a newsroom or a cube farm, reduce theamount of noise around you so you can concentrate better. Wearearplugs if it helps you!3. Your thinking cap! Colored markers, pencils, or a large easelpad may help you with brainstorming. Or, you may find it easierto work with a team first to generate ideas and then have oneperson write the first draft. Whatever works for you, make sureyour brain is in creative mode, not editing/criticism mode.Creativity comes first; editing and refining later.4. Eliminate distractions.Turn off the phone, close your office door, and dont check youremail every 10 seconds. Have your assistant tell everyone yourein a meeting and you cant see him or her unless theyre dying.For at least 1 hour, work with no interruptions.5. Computer, pen, scratchpad, or other tools you like.You may prefer writing longhand; it can help you connect withyour thoughts and emotions. Or, you may be quicker at typingdirectly on the computer. Either way, dont expect a perfectdraft the first time. You will be scribbling a lot (or cuttingand pasting) at first.6. Contact names and phone numbers, etc.Be sure you have handy a list of people you might need to talkwith to verify information. For example, if you are writing anarticle for your company newsletter, you may need quotes fromthe CEO.7. Dictionary and Thesaurus. The ones that come with the wordprocessor are not sufficient. Get yourself some good oldfashioned books, or a dictionary hesaurus on CD.8. Company style guide. Some companies are very strict abouttheir internal or external communications. They may have rulesabout style (different accepted spellings, for example) so thateverybody who reads your companys literature or correspondencereceives a consistent message about your company. You may losecredibility with your readers if everything sounds like it camefrom XYZ Corporation, except the letter you are writing.9. The right atmosphere. If your office doesnt cut it, find abetter place. The library may work. A conference room mightprovide more space for you to pace as youre dictating yourmasterpiece. If youre writing about your companysmanufacturing plant, it might help you to actually be therewhile youre writing.10. Writing is rewriting. Remember that nobody, evenShakespeare, gets it on the first try. Your first draft isexactly that - a rough copy, a sketch. Think of it as theequivalent of a doodle when artists paint. They dont start withthe canvas - and neither should you. Unlike many other jobs, inwriting, its okay to make mistakes as you go along. Your finaldraft will be vastly different from the few sentence fragmentsyou begin with.Using the checklist items will set you up for a successfulwriting session. Have on hand as many of these items as you caneach and every time you sit down to write something -- whetherits a letter to your customers or an annual report. By keepingall the tools you need in one place, your writing session willgo smoother and will be easier on your stress level than withoutthem.
About the Author
Linda Elizabeth Alexander is a business writer and marketingconsultant based in Longmont, Colorado, USA. Improve yourwriting skills at work! Subscribe to her FREE ezine. Write tothe Point at lalexander@write2thepointcom.com or visit http://www.write2thepointcom.com/articles.html.
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When stressed or blocked, it is wise to make a change so thatwe dont stay in that place. Yet, many times we forget someof the simple things that we can do for ourselves, quicklyand easily to bring our inspiration back and increase ourcreativity.1. If you usually type your first drafts, hand write th
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