Career Marketing

Effective Writing

Apart from the general principles given in the last article, there are special considerations for written communication. The main advantages of writing are that the recipient can retain and study information for as long as necessary, and that many people in different places can read the same message. The disadvantages are that it lacks immediacy and that there is no chance for instant feedback

When to use the written word

to supply information that would otherwise take too long to reach all who need it
if you wish to remove the need for personal contact
if materials need to be kept for future reference
if you need proof that you have taken action
to register or emphasise you views

Use a structure

put your name at the start, and contents
reduce information to manageable chunks
present your ideas in an ordered sequence
organise your facts and arguments before thinking about how to express them
use headings and titles to enable the recipient to read quickly and efficiently
the structure depends on the document, but may include summary, findings, conclusions

Keep it short

"Never use a long word when a short word will do" (George Orwell)
"If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out" (George Orwell)
"Set out the main points in short, crisp paragraphs" (Winston Churchill)
"Let us not shrink from using the short, expressive phrase, even if it is conversational" (Winston Churchill)
you should be able to justify every word, sentence and paragraph
short memos are read
short sentences are understood
get it on one sheet of paper if possible.

Make it readable

"Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent" (George Orwell)
"Break any of these rules rather than say anything outright barbarous" (George Orwell)

Put yourself in the place of the receiver

tell them only what they need to know
categorise the document at the start (e.g. "discussion paper", "action sheet")
leave wide margins and spaces for them to make notes
provide a summary of conclusions at the beginning (or pointed to at the beginning by the contents list)