Does your writing cut the mustard?

Earning a journalism degree was one of the best decisions I ever made.  Learning how to communicate effectively through written word has served every area of my life.  To keep my skills sharp, I am an avid reader of Copyblogger and Pro Copy Tips.  Some recent posts on both of these blogs reminded me of some of the most important writing tips that will help you kick your writing up a notch.  Let’s explore:

• Have something to say – Do you have solid news to communicate or are you trying to make something out of nothing?  People see through the latter.  Better to hold off and wait until you have something juicy that will serve your reader rather than bombarding them with fluff.

 

• Plan your writing – Let me repeat…PLAN YOUR WRITING.  Insert a brief bulleted outline at the top of the document that lists the points you want to cover and the order they should follow.  Then, start writing, referring to the outline as needed. Trust me, this simple action will keep your writing organized and on topic.  (For more details on this process, see my post from August 2009)

 

• Write for your audience – It’s not about you; it’s about your reader.  What do they want, need, care about and value?  THAT’s what your writing needs to address.  Put yourself in their shoes.  What do they gain by reading your brochure, press release or Web site?  Have you provided them with knowledge and insight that is going to make them seek you out for more information?  Have you given them a clear call to action to immediately follow?

 

• Be specific – Be descriptive in your writing.  Take the time to punch up a dull sentence (i.e., “The garden is filled with bright flowers.”) with something that really paints a picture for your reader (i.e., “The garden bloomed with peach roses, red tulips and giant sunflowers.”).  Also,   avoid lazy adjectives such as “very.”  They don’t add anything to your writing.

 

• Use active voice – Can’t stress this one enough.  Follow the traditional subject-verb-object structure for strong writing.  Example … The boy (subject) tossed (verb) the ball (object). People often fall prey to passive voice … The ball (object) was tossed (verb) by the boy (subject).

 

• Edit and edit some more – Seth Godin made a statement in a recent blog post that struck me…people like to be done!  Are you being repetitive or rambling in your piece?  If so, edit.  Just because you can write more doesn’t mean you should.  Cut to the chase, and your readers will thank you.

There are tons of additional writing tips, and I hope to share more in the future.  But, if you can follow these few rules, your writing will improve dramatically.  Good luck!

Brooke Crawford, Senior Editor at Griffin Communications Group

My Professional Development Journey

I’m a firm believer in the idea of life-long learning.  Your education shouldn’t end with graduation. 

This is where the concept of professional development comes into play.  Broadly, as Wikipedia explains it, professional development encompasses anything you do to gain skills and knowledge for both personal development and career advancement.

It’s the best of both worlds – the employee is bettering him or herself while the employer reaps the benefits as well.  For job seekers, it’s an all-important part of standing out from the competition in the current market.

There are all types of professional development opportunities out there.  These range from the formal – semester-long courses, advanced degree programs, conferences, etc. – to the informal – mentoring, coaching relationships, Webinars, staying current on industry reading, etc. 

Don’t be intimidated by all the opportunities.  Start small…Keep in mind that you can learn a lot from those around you on a daily basis, and it doesn’t have to be hard or time-consuming.  Just yesterday, my colleague Julie gave a great presentation to the team with tips on online researching.  It took maybe 30 minutes out of everyone’s work day, but we all left with some extremely useful tools that we may have never come across on our own.

I recently decided to take a big step and launch a search to find an organization of some kind in which to become involved.  Since I’m a quiet person, I decided to start with Toastmasters International.  This was a very supportive and dedicated group.  After visiting a couple of meetings, and picking up a few public speaking tips, I decided it wasn’t what I had in mind.

I haven’t given up on my search, though.  Sometimes I find that knowing what I don’t want can help me figure out what I do.  I’m shifting my focus to an organization where I can do some of the same things, but for a cause I’m passionate about, instead of just public speaking.

So, my professional development journey continues.  And, in meantime, I’ve found an American Marketing Association seminar that I’m excited about attending next week.

I hope some of you will take the leap with me, and help yourself while helping a cause close to your heart.  And, if you’re already doing this, please feel free to share your suggestions and experiences.  🙂

Here are a few places I’ve found helpful along the way:

• Public Relation Society of America’s Houston Chapter
• American Marketing Association’s Houston Chapter
• Toastmasters International – Just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it won’t be the right fit for you.

Finally, I’ll leave you with an inspirational quote from Henry Ford:

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.”

 Good luck!

 Jaime Napoli, Account Executive