I took a break from business writing the other day and walked my dog, Carly, around the neighborhood. As I turned a corner, I was delighted to see pink flowers cascading from a balcony. And just as quickly, I felt disappointment—even disdain—when I realized they were plastic. The color was bright, the flowers looked (almost) real, and yet I felt duped.

And that’s how I feel about all the outsourced blogs and articles people send out today. To me (and I would bet many readers), their submissions seem plastic compared to a passionate comment or a personal reflection.

In my work as a writing coach, I often meet people who have deep-seated fears of writing. I know these are real issues, but I wonder if, when they outsource their writing, they’re doing themselves any favors with prefab postings.

They’re not, according to marketing expert Marcia Yudkin. “Don’t outsource writing. People want to read articles with personality as well as content,” she writes. “Readers respond to your unique set of attitudes and information, which rarely comes across from a hired writer. And definitely don’t post lousy articles that are little more than keywords strung together in minimally interesting sentences. This just clogs the Internet with junk and wastes everyone’s time.” (Read her entire article here.)

Instead of all that plastic writing, I love to see people blossom into their own style and fresh voice. And here’s the irony: When people do take time to craft a personal blog or article, they stand out. And isn’t that what those blogs and articles are all about in the first place?

If this scenario sounds familiar, here are some tips to help you overcome any lingering fears of writing, speed up your writing process, and most importantly, tap into your own amazing creativity:

1. Write your first draft fast. Super fast. Set a timer for just 10 minutes; you’ll be amazed at what you create. That’s a key word—create—because when you write fast, you also tap into more creativity. Now if you’re pressed for time, turn this draft over to someone to fine-tune. Your stamp is on it, your thoughts are captured. The piece will be yours.
2. Quit worrying about the quality of your first draft. Almost everyone writes terrible first drafts. That’s just part of the writing process.
3. Brainstorm every chance you get. Not only when a writing project looms but when you need a boost or want to create something new. Whether you use free-writing, mind-mapping, or list-making, mine your mind to discover the gold just beneath the surface.
4. Stop looking over your shoulder. Write like you and sound like you. Sure, it’s good to improve, and we learn by observing others. But that can paralyze you too. Just be you. It’s a wonderful thing to be.

What makes you want to job out business writing projects? Why have a blog if it’s really not yours?

Need a writing tune-up? Here’s a great opportunity for you and everyone in your office to refresh your GPS: grammar, punctuation, and style. I’ll be teaching two 90-minute webinars for People-OnTheGo. These are lively and informative webinars at a special price–only $19.95 for both sessions. Check out more about the webinar and then register with the special price. I hope to see you there!

1.  E-mail subject lines

Is your skills about to expired?

The fix
Boring subject lines (and sloppy ones like the one above) won’t get your e-mail opened—and they reflect poorly on you. When you write subject lines for your business e-mails, think like a newspaper headline writer. Borrow from the brilliance of journalists who’ve spent years perfecting the art of attracting attention. For more inspiration, head over to your favorite newsstand and check out the cover lines (the teasing headlines on magazine covers). Some tricks of the trade you’ll find include:

1.   How-to: How to write like a pro in six easy steps
2.   Why: Why CEOs fail
3.   Questions: Do you need a tuneup?
4.   Statements: Creative business writing can distinguish you in a crowded marketplace
5.   Numbers: Seven Ways to …; Eight Tips for …; 10 Steps to …
6.   Controversy: Is creative business writing dead—or just on life support?
7.   Alliteration: Businesses borrow to better their bottom line

2.  E-mail sales proposal
If you are looking for articles with 100% original content then you have come to the right place. Here at Article Alliance we have been running an article writing service for the past few months now. Already we have been inundated with orders.  Whatever you need your article wrote about you will get exactly what you want and need with the help of our team.   

The fix
1. Nothing sounds worse than the wrong verb tense or subject/verb disagreement.
2. If you’re going to brag, make it sound more convincing than “we have been running an article writing service for the past few months.” Wow! In business since 2012!
3. Punctuation:
- 100 percent (spell out unless working on a financial or scientific document).
- “article-writing service” is a compound adjective that needs a hyphen to help readers understand.
- Introductory phrases usually require a comma after them.
4. Concise: Lots of extra words in this paragraph.
5. Cliché: “you have come to the right place.”

Are you looking for articles with 100 percent original content? At Article Alliance, we help you enjoy the benefits of professionally written articles without having to write them! Our team works with you to deliver exactly what you need.

3.  Sales proposal
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”  This is a very common remark from many who have the responsibility of maintaining a company’s reliance on wireless technology. With a primary focus on maintaining functionality while keeping costs down, many times the importance of new software technology is overlooked.

The fix
This starts with a cliché, but it works here because the writer is lamenting how often she hears this worn-out phrase. But the next sentence is passive and convoluted. And in the third sentence, the introductory phrase is left dangling without anyone or anything modifying it. The benefit of investing in new software needs to be clearly stated.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” That familiar expression sums up the IT policy at many companies today. They think they’re keeping costs down, but are they? Too often, they overlook the importance of new software technology that can save them money in the long term.

Do you think it’s OK to use clichés? What about passive voice? When do you prefer passive to active?

Refresh your memory about hundreds of grammar and punctuation issues with The Writer’s Companion: Quick answers to common questions to help your writing—and career—soar. This easy-to-use e-book covers the most-common errors I see every day. It also includes tips and tools that help you write faster, stronger, better so you get the results you want.

The busiest time in the workplace? The eleventh hour. No matter what time of day, it rolls around just before business writing projects are due.

Many of my business writing coaching clients work at the eleventh hour. They tell me they wish they could change that. They know that writing at the last minute is a bad idea, but they say it’s a lifelong habit.

Well, I remind them, lots of people have quit smoking, and I don’t think writing at, say, the eighth hour—or, hey, even the second hour—is anywhere near as difficult as that. The key is to start, even mechanically—set a timer, write fast for 10 minutes, reward yourself with a break afterwards; use whatever trick of the trade works for you.

Look at it this way: If you went to physical therapy because you had trouble walking, you’d start with awkward, mechanical steps. Eventually, though, you’d get good at it and might even start running. Same with writing. Start mechanically, break the bond of inertia (a body at rest stays at rest), and get to work. Pretty soon you’ll enjoy the boost of inertia (a body in motion stays in motion), and you’re off and running.

Of course, not starting writing projects has more bad juju than just procrastination. There’s the boogeyman of nothing to say. (Not true. More on that in a minute.) Or a lack of confidence. (More next time.) These are real issues that plague writers. If I could, I’d tell every parent, teacher, and boss to knock off the criticisms, already. Harsh comments seem to damage people for life. Sure, show them how to make something more concise or clear up punctuation and grammar errors, but do it in a way that encourages, not excoriates.

As for what to do when you’re stumped about what to write (or when you’ve got spaghetti head, i.e., too many ideas), try brainstorming. Set a timer (it quiets your ornery editor) and write and write. There, you’ve got a terrible first draft (which is what 99 percent of us write, anyway). Now you’ve started, tricking the body-at-rest inertia into becoming body-in-motion inertia. Speedwriting not your style? Try a different brainstorming technique—mind-mapping, listing, devil’s advocate, who-what-why-where-when-how, to name a few.

Just do it. Just start.

What’s keeping you from starting before the eleventh hour? What helps you get started sooner?

Need to kick-start your writing? We’ve got lots of ways to help: 1. Brainstorming Grab ‘N’ Go Webinar 2. Award-winning Words at Work 3. The Writer’s Companion e-book 4. Creativity @ Work e-book and 5. Membership newsletters and support to get you off to a good start and keep you moving forward.

I recently found myself high atop my soapbox. I was teaching a class in business writing, and we were deep into a discussion about whether friendly e-mails were professional or not. I said yes. Many in the class said no.

I was bereft. I actually felt a sharp pang in the center of my chest. How did we get to a place where friendly had no place in professional writing? What did it say about our business culture that these two attributes couldn’t coexist?

I tried to offer a nuance. Perhaps, I asked, they meant “too familiar” instead of “friendly.”  That made sense to me. Writing “How’re you doing?” to someone you don’t know or popping off a “Thanks, Joe!” to a client before he’s signed an e-mail with his first name—that might be too familiar even in our increasingly casual culture.

No, they said, that was different. They continued to try to convince me. “It was nice to see you yesterday,” “Have a great weekend,” or “It would be great if you could send that by this afternoon”—instead of “Please send by this afternoon”—were unprofessional.

Where does this come from? Some people have trouble expressing their feelings, so maybe they were in charge when our so-called professional standards were set. And, of course, some people abuse their power, which leads us to the same sorry state of affairs.

As I felt my voice rise and my face burn, I told myself to climb down from the soapbox. I’d made my case, and they would follow whatever path felt right for their business writing. But I hope they’ll think about this important issue in the future.

There’s a question floating around the media in the wake of our financial meltdown: What is the economy for? I’d like to add the question: What is business communication for? It’s not just to bark orders and demand action—it’s to communicate, which comes from the Latin for “to share.” And that sounds pretty friendly to me.

Where do you draw the line with friendly and professional business writing? Why can’t we be both?

Learn how to write attention-grabbing, traffic-building business communication of all kinds. We’ve got on-demand webinars and books about writing professional (and friendly!) blogs, articles, proposals, sales materials, books, to name a few.

Ouch! Check out these sloppy examples of business writing. Nowadays, it seems this kind of writing clogs everyone’s in-boxes. I’ve tried to clean them up (assuming I understood what they meant in the first place!).

Victim #1

A sales industry survey produced by XYZ Research brought to light that 3 out of 4 sales leads will eventually become paying customers at some point in the next 18-24 months. In other words, the frequently expressed complaints about their marketing generated leads not paying off are at least somewhat exaggerated. Many opportunities aren’t going to convert immediately, or even during the rep’s desired timetable. But even if it’s not going to take place tomorrow, serious buyers really are looking for solutions.

1. Edit, edit, edit to be more concise. Readers today are an impatient lot, and you’ll lose them with this much blathering.

2. The compound adjective (e.g., sales-industry) seems to have dropped off our radar.  Sometimes certain industries don’t use it (e.g., health care industry skips the hyphen between health and care), but in general, the hyphen can make your writing clearer to your readers. And that’s the whole reason we have grammar and punctuation—not to annoy you with a litany of rules, but to make your messages easier for readers to understand (and more importantly, to respond the way you want).

3. Numbers one through nine are spelled out. At least most of the time. Not surprisingly, there are a lot of exceptions, so check what style your company follows. For example, AP style spells out one through nine except for money, time, fractions, ages; numbers 10 and above are numerals.  Chicago style, however, varies. Another exception: casual usages such “Thanks a million!”  (Arrgh! No wonder people feel frustrated over these niggling usage issues—so many style books and exceptions.  Review the rules and then just give it your best shot.)

An XYZ Research sales-industry survey states that three out of four sales leads will eventually become paying customers within 18 to 24 months. That runs counter to common complaints from sales reps that marketing-generated leads aren’t productive. While they may take longer than the reps want, leads from marketing do pay off.

Victim #2

The english language is undoubtedly our most influential way of communicating in the modern age. Struggling writers everywhere can now take advantage of a lot of headway in the very specialized and growing study of english writing. You’re no doubt used to investing hard work in your writing, but i have discovered a one-of-a-kind utility that is capable of automatically repairing your english errors. Take a moment to visualize a program that plainly and accurately signals your mistakes in grammar and spelling while you write. Surely you’d be disappointed if you encountered a preventable (if you’d been careful) mistake just before delivering your Cover letter to a possible future boss.

1. Verbose doesn’t begin to describe this paragraph.
2. Surely this person knows to capitalize “English.” Sloppy habits from texting have a way of infiltrating business writing.
3. Indiscriminate use of capital letters, as in “Cover.” Ask yourself if the word is a proper noun, i.e, the name of specific people, places, organizations, and things. In this case, “cover letter” is generic and doesn’t require capitalization. The same is usually true with “marketing department,” for example. I often see this with initial capital letters, but unless it’s the Acme Marketing Department, for example, no caps.

In today’s global economy, English is a powerful and influential language. Struggling writers will benefit from a one-of-a-kind utility I’ve discovered that automatically repairs grammar and spelling errors. No more mistakes in your important documents, such as your cover letter to a potential boss.  

Whew!  Now 110 words are chiseled down to 44. In business writing, less is definitely more.

What are your pet peeves in business writing? What common business-writing errors bug you?

Storytelling in business writing is a hot topic, in part because we now know how powerful stories are. MRI tests, for instance, have proven that our brains light up more creatively when we hear or read stories. And we’ve learned that stories make our messages stick because they tap into our emotions, where we buy and buy in.

Of course, journalists have known this for decades. It’s in our DNA that stories make information more interesting and memorable. So, I’m excited that stories are increasingly welcomed in the workplace. Goodness knows we need to make our business writing more creative. Now that we’re writing more than ever (so many texts, e-mails, tweets, blogs, articles!), we need to make our messages stand out.

Stories can do that.

One of the best ways to develop your storytelling skills is to read the New York Times. Last week, I read an essay by Dan Barry about growing up a Yankees fan when, hard as it is to imagine, they hovered around the cellar. Barry’s essay is a work of art that made me involuntarily clutch it to my heart when I finished reading. Check it out: The Damned Yankees.

When you’ve read it a few times (once just isn’t enough), explore why this piece is so powerful. Deconstruct it from every angle: how does he start, how does he finish, how does he keep his middle from sagging? You’ll learn a lot about storytelling simply by poring over his genius.

When you tell stories in your business writing, you’ll set yourself apart. Most business writers still overlook this easy and fun way to engage their readers. And when you tell more stories, your business writing becomes more effective. You’ll not only increase your results, respect, and revenues, you’ll make your business writing more creative. And for that, I salute you!

What stories do you tell at work? How do you incorporate them into your business writing? What results have you enjoyed?

This winter, sunny California has lived up to its name, which means spring fever arrived early. After a recent business-writing meeting, I couldn’t resist strolling Oakland’s College Avenue to check out the colorful shops. In one of my favorites, I got a good laugh from a pack of sticky notes featuring a woman holding up a file folder with the headline: “File under ‘Who cares?’”

On the way home, though, I wasn’t laughing when I thought about how fat that file would be today. About 80 percent of all business writing could be filed under that category.

What a waste of time, effort, and most of all, potential.

Time: Even 10 minutes spent on writing filed under “Who cares?” is a waste for the writer and the reader.

Effort: I’m sure that most of the people turning out “Who cares?” documents want their business writing to be more effective, but they honestly don’t know how. They’re already discouraged by their results, and their motivation takes another hit with every “Who cares?” reaction.

Potential: Here’s the real kicker—lost sales, missed opportunities, and flagging spirits. They all happen when our business writing doesn’t generate the interest it should.

OK, so what’s the antidote? What can you do to make your readers care? Try the one-two punch:

1. Write to them not at them.

-   Share stories, benefits, and results through your readers’ eyes. What do they care about? Use that as your focus rather than what you want to tell them. You’ll still get your points across—but they’ll be framed from your readers’ perspective.

-   Engage them. Use the word “you” often. It’s a proven magnet that keeps people reading.

2. Get [a little] creative.

I added that “little” qualifier because people freeze at the word “creative.” Don’t. There are so many easy ways to be more creative. And besides, since most people are slapping together their business writing, you can stand out with just a few creative touches. (Don’t worry about these in your early drafts. Add them in your editing phase.)

Here are four easy ways to be more creative:

-  Paint pictures with similes: Introduce new ideas in your business writing by comparing them to something familiar; use like and as to connect the new with the familiar. For example: Our services are like an a la carte menu—you get to choose exactly what you want.  Or: Lumping our software packages into one category is like saying pasta is just spaghetti. Your readers will be on your wavelength in a fraction of the time.

-  Add a lyrical lilt with alliteration: The repetition of initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables (“Paint pictures” and “lyrical lilt with alliteration”). The effect is engaging and memorable, which makes your message stand out.

-  Create mystery with foreshadowing: Mention a point early on but save the explanation until later. You’ll create drama and tension by withholding key information—which keeps your readers reading.

-  Incorporate dialogue: Introduce other voices into your article and have them talk to one another. Dialogue also makes the page look less dense—and more appealing to your readers’ eye.

When you give these creative techniques a try, your articles and blogs, reports and proposals will be filed under “Important Ideas!”

What creative techniques do you use to add interest to your business writing? What successes have you had that you can attribute to a well-crafted proposal, report, blog—even e-mail?

Journalists are the Casanovas of nonfiction writing. They flirt with their readers with come-hither headlines, lure with their leads (first paragraphs), and court with the lyrical lilt of alliteration, creative wordplay, and robust calls to action.

I’ve been both a journalist and business writer, and I know how much journalists taught me about engaging my readers. Their tricks of the trade make your business writing more fun to write—and read—because it’s more conversational, creative, and compelling. That’s what it takes to rise above the onslaught of reports, e-mails, blogs, articles, and white papers flooding our inbox every day.

David Oglivy, the “father of advertising,” warned, “You cannot bore someone into buying your product.” In my business writing training and coaching, I paraphrase that as: “You cannot bore someone into reading your business letters, reports, proposals, newsletters, articles, blogs—even your e-mail.” (You wouldn’t believe how quickly people delete something they don’t like the looks of!)

Let’s take a look at how you can copy journalists to make your content more powerful and creative:

1. First, spend time in the magazine section of your local bookstore. Study the cover lines—those provocative headlines on the front cover of any publication from Cosmo to Inc. That will show you how to grab people’s attention. Back at your desk, use the same technique when writing e-mail subject lines and headlines for blogs, reports, articles, newsletters. “Get more out of your sales” becomes “Five ways to increase your revenue” and “Reorganize your office” becomes “Drowning in paper? Try our SOS (Simple Office System).”
2. Now, grab a cup of coffee and read an article or two. Notice the tone of the articles? Today’s journalism is conversational and approachable. You won’t find much jargon or convoluted phrasing here. (Hint: They get rid of that in the editing phase.)
3. Next, see all those subheads in bold?  They’re like mini-headlines every two or three paragraphs, and you want to make them as interesting as you would a headline. Add those to your documents to break up the content, make it easier on the eye, and attract skimmers. (We’re all skimmers these days, and subheads help draw us in.)
4. Finally, consider sidebars, a journalist’s best friend for tedious lists. Don’t clog your content—and your readers’ minds—with laundry lists of details. Put them in sidebars, those boxes that often accompany magazine and newspaper stories.  Studies show they are often more read than the body copy.

You too can woo with words—and make your readers fall in love with your content.

How do you attract readers? What tricks of the trade are your favorites?

One of my favorite creative business writing techniques is to ask “What if?” First, those two words draw me in like Vegas to a gambler. I immediately want to know how this imaginary scene will play out. Second, “what if” sets up scenarios that enliven the delivery of ho-hum facts and technical information.

In your business writing, you can literally use the words “what if,” or you can simply imply them. That’s what Joanie Smith, the owner of my local bird-supply store, did in her story exploring the fantastic situation of “what if birds could talk?”

A few months back I was working outside in the hot sun. I was getting sweaty and tired, not paying much attention to anything other than getting the job done when I noticed a dark figure on the ground not further than 15 feet away.

Wondering why I didn’t notice it before, I moved a little closer. I was surprised to find that I was being watched by a turkey vulture. “Oh, hi,” I said nervously. “I don’t smell that bad, do I”  “Not yet,” he said matter-of-factly. “Things are kind of slow today, so I thought I’d glide down for a look-see.”

“So,” I said, trying to keep the conversation going. “How do you like being called a turkey vulture?”
“DON’T like it,” he replied. “We’re not related to turkeys. Not related to hawks or eagles either…”

Thanks to “what if?” Joanie successfully grabs my attention and holds it as I learn more about turkey vultures than I ever thought I wanted to know. In fact, I’m spellbound. She tells this story so masterfully that I find I actually do want to know about turkey vulture diets, their regurgitated pellets, and even their feces!

To close, she gives the turkey vulture a whiff of something irresistible.

“Whoa! Wait a second. I’m getting something here.” He waved his wing feathers in front of his beak… “Well, gotta go. It’s not every day you get a chance to gorge on a putrid cow carcass. See ya!” He and his offspring took off. Then, he quickly flew back around and called, “Hey, care to join us for lunch?”

“No thanks,” I said, “I think I’ll have a salad.”

Do you see how “what if?” allowed Joanie great freedom to create and inform? Give it a try in your business writing when you’re facing a litany of facts that need a spark or when you want to grab your readers’ attention. What if you do something? What if you don’t do something? What if pigs fly?

How can you use “what if?” to engage your readers?

P.S. If you’re lucky enough to live in San Francisco’s East Bay, stop by East Bay Nature at 1270A Newell Avenue, Walnut Creek. And sign up for Joanie Smith’s newsletters. They’re always this creative.

Lately, I’ve been teaching a lot of grammar, and goodness knows we need the help. I see lots of gaffes and typos every day. My two favorites from last week:

1. “I’m looking Howard your recording.”  Huh?  Who’s Howard? Oh, “forward.”  

2. “Our audience is composted of listeners who…”  Oh dear, composted audiences?  I think that presentation ran entirely too long! 

But I’m not going to rant about bad business writing. Enough people are doing that. I want to get beyond grammar and into creativity. Out of the weeds and into wide open spaces. 

Grammar is like a pile of bricks. Both are just building blocks. In the case of bricks, they lay the foundation for everything from a forbidding prison to a fabulous palace. Same with grammar. A dull blog and an exciting article can both be composed with perfect grammar. We can futz over this comma and that hyphen, but we also need to understand that without great ideas and creative ways of delivering them, no matter where we put that comma or hyphen, our writing will likely bore the socks off our readers! 

That’s where creative business writing comes in. Consider these three easy ways to write with more wow! 

1. Write to your readers, not at them. Offer benefits they’ll enjoy from your products/services instead of dumping a bunch of features on them. Be nice to your readers. Make their lives easier. Talk to them as though they’re your best friends. Use the word “you” a lot to engage them.  

2. Tell stories. I read recently where storytelling is now a “must-have competency for leaders.”  First, it probably always has been. Second, if those leaders tell stories with words like “must-have competency for leaders,” I bet their audiences start composting too. Tell real stories to engage people—and leave the corporate buzzwords behind.

3. Have fun! What? Fun with business writing? Yes, especially when you add creative touches such as dialogue, foreshadowing, similes, and alliteration. Your writing will stand out, which means you’ll get the respect you deserve. And your readers will read (and act on) your copy, which is why you wrote to them in the first place. 

What’s your experience with creative business writing? What do you like to do to make your writing stand out? 

P.S. Grammar is an essential element of good writing, and I encourage everyone to get one of these excellent books—Elements of Style; Eats, Shoots & Leaves; and The Well-Tempered Sentence—to bone up on basics.