3 tips to write better instantly

Regardless of your job title, you probably have to write something every day (email, memo, documentation).

Improve your writing instantly with my three top tips:

1. Read it out loud to see how it will “sound” to the reader. Fix anything that trips you up. (I call these hiccups.)

2. Examine each individual word. Can you delete it? If not, can you substitute a short, simple word? (One of my favorites is swapping “use” for “utilize.”)

3. Vary sentence length. Some should be short. Some long. Still other sentences should be longer, since they create a rhythm that’s more interesting to the reader.

By JanO on 1/27/10, In productivity tips and time management, writing, writing help, Tags document, email, Improve, memo, sentence, sentence length, sentences, Write, writing