Thanks to editing and writing for two newsletters in my last job, and other occasions, I’ve had several opportunities in the past few months to flex my writing and editing muscles. It occurs to me now that I tried hard, and sometimes succeeded, in following a few indispensable rules in writing. These rules apply when writing business emails, articles and short essays, not short stories or novels, when the writer wishes to evoke a particular atmosphere or flesh out a certain character. I would like to share these rules with you.
- Be concise
Since long emails often go unread, it pays to be direct. Get to the point. The Economist’s Style Guide advises us to prefer ‘A asked B’ to ‘B was asked by A’. This rule seems simple enough, but many a time, I have looked at what I had set down on paper (or monitor), sighed and then have taken a machete to it. It is often not easy to express your ideas in fewer words than the first ones that come to you, but this is good advice – ignore it at the peril of losing your reader. Your readers may even suspect unkindly that you are being paid by the word. - Use simple words
Avoid words like eschew. Is there any earthly reason to say “I am currently experiencing a negative cash flow” when one can say more simply and lucidly, “I spend more than I earn these days”? Almost no one has a dictionary handy or the patience to look up one. Of course, if on the other hand, your real intention is to have no one understand you… - Avoid clichés
This is easier said than done. Expressions such as ‘once bitten twice shy’, ‘many a slip between the cup and the lip’, and ‘between a rock and a hard place’ have become trite through over-usage and your reader will learn nothing new. Using such shopworn phrases indicates a lazy mind. - Avoid jargon
True Norths, paradigm shifts, silver bullets, low hanging fruit, moving the needle and bringing to the table will all serve to alienate your reader, at the end of the day. Are we on the same page? - Take care
In the age of the computer, spelling mistakes are unforgivable. Learn the simple rules of grammar and punctuation. Avoid incorrect usage of case, the plural form of verbs and the wrong word (e.g. revert, would) as they will demonstrate your sloppiness. Don’t mix metaphors: never put down your foot with a firm hand. If you wish to use idiomatic English, know what your words mean. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” is not an advice against stereotyping. - Follow a structure
Setting the context will ensure that your message is understood correctly. Start with an introduction – explain why you are writing the email or article. Then jump right in and say what you want to say. If the communication is large and complex, split the message logically into paragraphs and end with a summary. The conclusion is a good place to recap all that you have said and what it is that you want the reader to do. Action items with owners and target dates leave no doubts. - Never offend
An unjust word can never be taken back. If you must be critical, focus on the deed, not the doer. When irritated by someone’s words, ask for details or clarifications; an explanation will usually reveal a larger picture. Sweeping statements on a race, nation or religion are not just rude; they reveal one’s ignorance and pettiness and have no place in a professional email.
Writing can be a chore but it need not be. Few things will annoy us more than having to repeat ourselves. Get your message across right the first time, and you will have learned to effectively manage your time and save others’ time too.
Best wishes and good luck in all that you write!!
Ravi Bhuthapuri