“Younger employees just aren’t into writing well.”

As a business writing coach, I hear this a lot from employers. When they talk about the state of business writing, they often shake their heads, wring their hands, and then shrug. In the parlance of their young staff, they’re essentially saying, “Whatever.”

This may be the easiest way to deal with such a complex problem, but it’s a dangerous one. When we defer to their wants instead of attending to their needs, we fail everyone. Here’s why:

Writing is the portal to our thoughts. Writing is how we get in touch with creative ideas. It’s how we learn about what we truly believe, rather than simply absorbing the latest media misinformation or tolerating status quo.

Writing is not just about communicating what we know. Writing plumbs our minds and develops deeper concepts. And that’s why it’s dangerous to overlook lousy business writing. As I write in Words at Work: “Every invention, every good idea was first pondered and perfected through writing. When you write only short email and text messages, your ability to develop your thoughts shrivels, along with your ability to persuade, sell, teach, improve, guide, change, contribute, and create.”

And William Zinsser, author of the classic “On Writing Well,” adds this important notion: “For ultimately the product that any writer has to sell is not his subject, but who he is. … This is the personal transaction that’s at the heart of good nonfiction writing. Out of it come two of the most important qualities: … humanity and warmth.”

So the next time you excuse sloppy writing, egregious grammar, boring content—whatever!—think about the future. Think about the innovation we need to get us out of our economic mess. Think about the creativity we need to solve so many other problems. Even more importantly, think about the tragedy it would be to waste so much potential in the “whatever” generation.

Why does good writing matter to you? What have you discovered about yourself through your writing?

If you or your staff could use a tune-up in grammar or a jolt to your creativity, contact the Association for Creative Business Writing. We offer economical webinars, on-site seminars, and one-on-one writing coaching to take your writing—and career—to the next level.

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.

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?

Do you ever put off business writing because you feel intimidated by the process? You’re in good company. Not long ago, I received the following comment to one of my blogs: “I really appreciate your laid-back attitude to getting punctuation perfect. For those of us working on improving our writing, your approach takes a lot of the pressure off.”

The key words here are “pressure off.” It’s not that I’m advocating higgledy-piggledy punctuation. But given the fact that four different style books state four different ways to use commas, for example, I wanted people to know that there isn’t always just one correct way.

Now I’d like to take a little more pressure off:

Don’t panic if you find a typo after you hit “Send.”

Do you need to proof like crazy and find a proof buddy to proof even crazier? You bet. But when the inevitable happens, accept it. I proof my work; I pay people to proof my work, and still typos sneak by. Newspapers and magazines have many levels of writers and editors reviewing content, and still typos hide out. Ad agencies make staff members read content backwards and out loud, and still typos stow away. It happens.

I finally embraced this “laid-back attitude” about typos when I was talking with Kathy Goughenour (www.ExpertVATraining.com), who was way ahead of me on this topic. I told her about someone we both admired who was ranting about typos and how he’d never hire anyone who had a typo in a cover letter or resume. I thought Kathy, who’s a consummate professional and trains virtual assistants to be just as professional, would agree. To my surprise, she scoffed. She told me that was absurd, especially since an excellent candidate simply could have had – gasp! – a human moment.

And just like that the silly notions I held about perfection flew away. That kind of bad business-writing advice makes people quiver and quake when they face a writing project. Thank you, Kathy, for bringing me to my senses.

And in case you need a little more validation, check out Seth Godin’s blog post about the inevitability of disappointing yourself and others. Typos are a disappointment for sure, but they shouldn’t stop you from bringing your “magic into the world.”

How do you feel about typos? Would you really nix a qualified applicant just because of a typo? What other bad business-writing advice do you hear?

Butchered business writing. I’ve got a million of ‘em. Examples of terrible business writing stream into my inbox, and I save them as often-amusing, sometimes-disturbing writing training examples.

One article-writing company is a wellspring of examples. (You’d think these e-mail gaffes couldn’t be good for business, but this company has been around for years. Go figure.)

Victim #1
Regardless of the type or scale of business you operate in, you need the help of marketing if you are going to make said business a success, but the question that remains now is do you know how to effectively do this?

Ouch! That sentence runs 42 words and rambles like a 3-year-old at the circus. Writing concisely is essential in today’s impatient e-world.  How about:

Do you know how to effectively market your business?

Ah. Nine words, same message.

Victim #2
Now for a one off payment of $39 you will have access to all of the knowledge you could possibly need to successfully market your business and gain a flood of new traffic to your website, which has the potential of turning into a flood of new customers and clients.

Same company, only now we’re up to 50 words. I guess this flood of words goes with the tortured theme of this sentence. And what is a “ one off payment”? The missing hyphen makes me stumble. But even “one-off” seems bloated; “only $39” tells me all I need to know.

For only $39, you’ll learn how to drive traffic to your website, where you can convert visitors into new customers and clients.

Only 22 words, and I’m more inclined to 1) read this and 2) respond.

Get concise later
Don’t worry about extra words in your first drafts. That’s when you want to let it rip to save time and tap into your creativity. But by the third or fourth drafts, take time to cut extra words and all those redundant words that say the same thing. (Just kidding. I know I don’t need “that say the same thing.”)  Delete adjectives that are virtually synonymous, e.g., active and energetic; exceptional and unique. Concise is only one step in the editing process. Get your free copy of my “Editing for Success Checklist” to help you edit like a pro.

Victim #3
We offer money back guarantees on all of the products that we sell.  If you are not completely satisfied with the product for any reason, simply return the unused and used portion for a refund.

I recently bought an herbal capsule from this company. When I read the fine print, I was astonished to find that in order to get my refund, I needed to produce not only the capsules left in the bottle, but the ones I’d ingested!  I don’t know whether this is simply bad writing or a legal loophole that means they don’t have to refund my money. On the other hand, I suppose I could substitute some of those regurgitated turkey vulture pellets mentioned in last week’s blog post!

Do you have any questions about writing more concisely? What are your thoughts about the other extreme so popular today: writing with terse bulleted phrases? Do you have any examples of outrageously bad offers?

Last week, I read an amusing essay in the New York Times about the increasingly popular use of exclamation points in business writing, especially e-mail and texts. BE—before e-mail—any serious writer wouldn’t consider using them unless the comments were truly, well, exclamatory: “I never!” or “Goodness gracious!”

But AE—after e-mail—we’ve naturally gravitated toward using this happy-looking slash + period. I say naturally because after you’ve received your first 1,000 e-mails (which, sadly, can take less than a week), you can’t help but sense the cold, flatness of the medium. It drains the life out of the most animated prose. Back in writing school, they teach that if you need to use exclamation points, you probably need to rewrite and make your copy livelier. But, frankly, who’s got that much time? Today, my students balk at proper grammar and punctuation; I can’t imagine suggesting that they take the time to make each word s-i-n-g. In an ideal world, that would be grand. In our real world, one or two exclamation points seem to work just fine. (Emphasis on “one or two.” More on that in a minute.)

Reluctantly, as though they were confessing to a dark secret, several famous authors cited in the essay shared their predilection for exclamation points. Some did suggest restraint, however, and that’s what I teach as well. “More than one or two in an e-mail,” I often say, “and your e-mail looks more like a teenager’s diary than a business document. It won’t be taken seriously.”

The essay also quotes the co-author of one of the best books on the subject, Send: Why People Email So Badly and How to Do It Better, by David Shipley and Will Schwalbe. “The exclamation point is the quickest and easiest way to kick things up a notch,” Schwalbe says, “but not if you’re angry. Only happy exclamation points.”

Good point!

When do you use exclamation points? Are you a binger or is restraint more your style?

I recently posted a tip about creative business writing on a popular newsletter site. The gist of the tip was to study writers you love in the same way that Edgar Degas and Mary Cassatt studied the Great Masters. (You’ll take away fresh ideas about structure and style.)

A few days later, I got an anonymous note from a reader telling me that great masters is redundant.  Okay. Never mind that it’s a coined phrase—technically, I suppose, the writer is right.

I also occasionally hear from people stating that I needed a comma here or there in my writing. Maybe, maybe not. Just as our language changes every day, punctuation styles seem to change just as fast. No wonder people are confused—pick up six style books, and you’ll see six different ways to punctuate. Some have so few commas I have to reread sentences to understand their meaning. Other times, the writer uses so many commas, I feel as though I’ve got the hiccups. I don’t know if publishers are lapsing on their knowledge of punctuation rules, or if everything is changing so fast, but it’s getting wild out there.

So, what about my pen pals who like to focus on these issues? Part of me applauds them for paying such close attention to writing rules. Goodness knows we’ve gotten sloppy (if we ever learned the rules in the first place!). Yes, by all means, let’s be exacting and orderly in our writing; punctuation and redundancies are important.

But a stronger voice within wants to shout, “What about creativity? What about the message?” What I’d really love to receive is an e-mail challenging me to be more creative. Maybe to better develop an idea or to come up with something so fresh, so revolutionary it could be scrawled on a brown-paper bag and the whole world would still embrace it.

Our country is facing huge challenges now, and we need to come up with creative solutions and ideas. So, marshal your energy—proofread and find a proof buddy to help you find those ugly typos and omissions—then spend your time on crafting the most creative business writing you can. Write something so full of stories and similes, alliteration and anecdotes that no one notices the occasional goof in punctuation. (Though try to do better next time!)

Go forth and create business articles people want to read, business blogs that make us think, and business books that are worth reading and rereading. That’s the real business writing challenge facing us today. Tap into that marvelous brain of yours and innovate, innovate, innovate.  (Or is that redundant?)

Last night, as I was reading a new book from the library, I noticed a faint mark in the margin of Page 30. I saw another one on Page 45, this time above a word. And again on Page 70. It seemed some phantom editor thought she could make the book better.

Well, she didn’t.

I say “she” because the pencil markings were a delicate, spidery script that seemed to say, “Gee, I don’t mean to be obtrusive.” But they were. They took me away from the book and violated my precious time away from the business of the day.

I wondered what kind of person needed to make her opinions known like that. Maybe an editor who couldn’t let her work go at day’s end. Or a wannabe author who feels more comfortable finding fault than finding her own voice.

What were her biggest worries?

1. She penciled in “who” above “that” in this sentence: As the employee turned, John saw he was the man that bumped into him in the break room.

Okay, she’s right.  We use “who” as the pronoun for people and “that” for just about everything else.

2. On Page 95, she picked up her pencil again and put “he” over the word “him” in this paragraph: “I don’t care what Oscar did,” the lawyer yelled. “I somehow believed you were better than him.”

Technically, she’s right. The correct pronoun would be “he” since this comparison is really shorthand for “I somehow believe you were better than he (is).”  But this is dialogue. Nobody talks like that. We speak—and increasingly write—more conversationally. In fact, conversational writing is one of the best things that’s happened to business writing today. (It makes up, in part, for all the abuses we’ve visited upon our language.)

3. On Page 106, she expressed her concern about a similar issue—“who” and “whom.”  And again, she’s right—the author used “who” when he should have written “whom.” But frankly (and this drives some of my clients and readers crazy), I wish we’d do away with the word “whom.” It sounds so stuffy. For the record, here’s the rule:

Who is always the subject of the sentence.
I asked who would be attending the class.

Whom is always the object of the sentence.
The attendees, whom I met just this morning, are very bright.

4. Surprisingly, she completely skipped a few typos. (By now, I’m anticipating her edits!) Perhaps she drew the line here—the occasional typo represents human foibles, those occasional missteps that could happen to anyone. Grammar, on the other hand, is something we need to learn and perfect.

I hate to admit it, but I agree with her again. The occasional typo really isn’t the end of the world. I know, I know, in a resume or cover letter, a typo could cost you an interview. But we need to try our best and then let it go. A proof buddy can help. We’re too close to our business writing to catch and correct careless errors. Find someone in your office or online to swap proofing gigs with.

When I return the book to the library, I hope they don’t think I made all those marks. It’s not that I don’t recommend getting the grammar right, just that we need to relax more. Pick up a book, enjoy it, and leave those editing pencils in the desk drawer.