Write for Business - Blog

As a child, I read a fairy tale about a boy who wanted to be a wizard. The current court wizard gave him three tasks to accomplish.

First, the boy had to show him something no one else had ever seen. Cleverly, the boy brought an egg just as it hatched, revealing a brand new chick.

The second task I don't recall; I suspect it wasn't that important to the story.

But the third task was truly amazing. Pointing toward a tall tower in the distance, the mage said, "Jump to the top of that tower." The boy started hopping, all the way to the tower, then up the steps one by one. What had seemed impossible merely took some time.

One mistake many writers make is wishing to get a project over with in one quick leap. Consequently, the project seems more daunting than it really is. They avoid the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing), thinking it too time consuming, thinking it unnecessarily focused on polish. They miss the fact that the process can actually save time and effort by breaking things down into easily manageable stages.

Of course, it's also about polish, producing writing that makes you seem like a wizard. For example, as writing trainer Lynn Gaertner-Johnston points out in "Editors: Here Is Data to Support Your Job," a recent IBM study revealed a 30-percent higher click rate on edited Web text.

What's your writing process like? Do you plan an e-mail message before sending it? Do you write more than one draft of a memo? For that matter, what are your most common writing challenges? Click the link below to add a comment.

- Lester Smith

Photo by Swami Stream

With the rise of social media, requests to write a "letter of recommendation" are ever more common. I put those words in quotation marks because the requested recommendations are often less formal than a traditional letter - more of a note. Still, the effect can be far-reaching for everyone involved. It's important, then, to do it right, while keeping time, and words, to a minimum. I recommend the following two-step approach.

1. What features do you admire most?
Ask yourself what honest praise springs to mind concerning the requester. If you can't think of something quickly, do everyone a favor and decline the request. The old adage "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all" finds a new application here. It's better to avoid wasting your time and a potential reader's, avoid damning the requester with faint praise, and avoid filling the Web with more pointless text. Your response to the requester doesn't have to be cruel; you can simply say you don't have time to give the request the attention it deserves, and wish the person well.

2. What does the reader want to know?
If you do have something nice to say about the requester, next ask yourself what a reader really wants to know. Is the recommendation for employment? Acceptance to school? An award or grant? Each of these readers will be looking for slightly different details, whether work ethic, potential for growth, or applicable accomplishments. Consider how the nice things you have to say match up with what the reader needs, and start writing.

Remember, though, to keep it brief. People on the Web are scanning for a quick sense of things. If they need more details, they will investigate further (and may contact you for that reason).

If you have any other suggestions for writing online recommendations, we would love to hear them. Either add a comment below, or send us an e-mail. Thanks.

- Lester Smith

Photo by PinkMoose

If you've ever done a Web search for "business writing," you know just how many "business plan" results occur. Obviously, writing a business plan is an important topic. From the content of those search results, it's just as obviously a daunting one. Most people launching a small business seem more comfortable just jumping in and adapting to whatever happens than writing a business plan to prepare first.

If only they realized that a business plan can be approached the same way: Jump in, get started, and adapt as you discover what's needed.

A business plan is not a marriage contract. Instead it is a guide - merely a guide - pointing out the direction you want to head, what you predict will be encountered along the way, and what resources you have for those encounters. Think of it as a vacation itinerary. Few people set out on a road trip without mapping a route and setting aside some funds. Although they know the route may change (whether due to road work or an unexpected side attraction) and expenditures won't exactly match what's forecast (usually costing more), the itinerary provides a yardstick for measuring reality versus predictions, so that intelligent adaptations can be made.

Certainly if you're applying for a bank loan or courting investors, you'll need to prepare a business-like document. The US Small Business Administration provides a great business-plan outline. Just remember that its purpose is to make your task easier. Use it like a tourist guide to make sure you visit all the significant spots. Don't worry about formality till the end, as we often state in this blog.

Writing a business plan doesn't have to be a frightening or laborious task. Think of it as an adventure, an exploration of your own hopes and dreams, dressed up respectably for presentation to other people (like a good vacation slide show). There's no reason not to enjoy yourself along the way.

- Lester Smith

Photo by Elven*Nicky

Chances are you recognize in the title above a reference to the 2002 movie. (If not, definitely go rent My Big Fat Greek Wedding and watch it with someone you love.) What I'd like to point out here is that the adjectives in that title follow a particular order. You can't rearrange them: "Fat Blog Greek Big My Post," for example, just doesn't make any sense. "My Greek Fat Big Blog Post" comes closer, but it still doesn't feel right to native English speakers.

Order of adjectives isn't something we study in school. It isn't even a common topic among grammarians. Instead, it's something native speakers learn by immersion - just absorbing it into our brains throughout childhood - and so come to use without any conscious thought. Imagine having to recall opinion, size, age, shape, color, origin, material, purpose every time you wanted to use more than one adjective.

I'm reminded of the story of the ant and the centipede. The ant asked, "How do you keep track of all those legs?" The centipede considered for a moment, tripped over its own feet, and fell into a ditch.

What does this order-of-adjectives lesson have to teach us about writing? It reminds us that language is primarily a natural, unconscious activity. It is about communication. Focusing on grammar and other mechanics too early in the process can trip us up, make us feel foolish, and stifle our expression.

So write something, and let yourself enjoy it. You can always ask an ant to proofread later.

- Lester Smith

Photo by Andrew

Business writing is a craft, not an art form. Like all other crafts, it can be broken down into teachable steps that can be practiced and mastered. What follows are nine steps for writing any sort of business document, from start to finish. These are the steps that every professional incorporates into writing, and that every writing student should be taught. Follow these steps, and you will find steadily improved results with steadily decreasing labor.

1. Establish your goal. In one sentence, state what you hope to accomplish with this piece of writing. The more clearly you state your goal, the easier the rest of your work in this writing will be, so take time to get it right.
   Tip: Sometimes before writing, I actually walk back and forth, imagining I'm explaining my goal to a colleague. Explaining to a friend (even imaginary) is a great way to get past any cloudiness and to the heart of the matter.
2. List details to include. With your goal in mind, jot down every detail you can think of that must be covered in your final document. These may be arguments for or against the main point, features to be explained, resources a project will need, and so on. Don't worry about accuracy or order; this step is a brainstorming session. The point is to include everything that might be needed.
   Tip: While I like to make a list for this step, some people prefer to cluster or to free write. Choose an option that best suits you and your writing task.
3. Organize your details. At this point, you should have a clear enough vision of your writing's emerging shape to recognize what details you can cut, what missing details you will need to research, and in what order your details would best be presented. This is often an exciting point in the process, like viewing a landscape from the air, with its checkerboard of fields and lines of highways.
   Tip: If you've made a list on computer, it's simple enough to drag items into the proper order, cut pieces, and add details from your research. You can even turn it into a formal outline, if needed.
4. Write the body. Once your list of details is organized, it's time to get to the business of writing. Basically, this means turning your details into complete sentences, with supporting sentences to introduce and explain them. Each main point will most likely need its own paragraph, perhaps more. Minor details may be better suited for a list of bullet points. The length of the overall writing, the depth of details, and your audience's familiarity with the subject will determine how much "meat" you'll need to add to the bare bones of your list. Clear transitions will serve as the ligaments holding all this muscle together.
   Tip: Again, imagining that you're explaining things to a friend or colleague can help you decide exactly what to say and how to say it.
5. Add a conclusion. With the body finished, bring your writing to a close, focusing again on what you originally set out to accomplish. Now that your reader has all the necessary information, you can make a call to action regarding that purpose.
   Tip: There is no need to "beat a dead horse" in your conclusion. If the body of your writing has effectively made its case, the conclusion is just a formal request to act upon it.
6. Add an introduction. Once the body of your writing is finished, you can most effectively go back and write an introduction. Think of something that will catch your reader's interest, tell that reader what to expect from the writing, and make her or him want to read onward. Think of it as shaking hands and welcoming the reader in.
   Tip: It may seem odd to write the introduction last, but writers often flounder otherwise, uncertain of how to start. Writing this part last avoids that problem.
7. Take a break. Once you've finished drafting a piece of writing, stop and take a break. Your brain needs time to switch from writing mode to editing mode.
   Tip: Notice that up to this point, your brain should not have been allowed to edit. Just as it's difficult to write and erase at the same time, it's tough to generate text while second-guessing it all.
8. Reread and revise. If possible, ask a colleague to read your draft and point out problems with clarity and organization. Professional writers have copyeditors for just this purpose, and it definitely improves the final product while also shortening production time.
   Tip: As much as possible, ignore spelling, grammar, and punctuation for now. Concentrate on missing details, unclear arguments, improvements to order, and so on.
9. Edit and proofread. Once everything else is in great shape, check for spelling, grammar, correct word usage, punctuation, and other such niceties. If these are not your strengths, ask for help. Again, professional writers have proofreaders for this purpose, as do most important businesspeople.
   Tip: Many people make the mistake of editing and proofreading before a piece of writing is really finished. That's sort of like trying to sand and stain a tabletop before it has been planed smooth. You just can't sell a piece of furniture like that.

Some writers may quibble about the exact points above, suggesting that steps 2 and 3 should actually be joined, or that step 7 isn't really part of the writing process. Some may tell you they never do step 1. The fact remains, however, that every successful piece of writing goes through this stepwise process in one way or another (with step 1 prepared mentally, for instance), and if you follow these steps, you'll find your own writing both easier and more successful.

- Lester Smith

Photo: JPO2, Mr. Muddy Suitman