MeMag June 2014.pdf Jun. 2014 | Page 15

TIPS AND TRICKS TO BUSINESS WRITING by Gladtime Okoronkwo Before we go into tips or tricks of business writing, it is important to note that writing like every other form of communication has a purpose and intent. Communication is complete only when the other party totally understands what is sought to be communicated. It is not just enough to write a thing; be it a letter, a memo or whatever form of writing, it must be able to communicate the intent of the author such that even in his absence the contents of the writing cannot be subject to various interpretations. Another important point to note is that there is a form of writing in the corporate world that is different from any other form of writing. Business or corporate writing will include examples like Memoranda, formal letters, reports, keynote addresses, emails, etc. Formal writing conforms to certain rules that informal writing is not necessarily subject to. Now that we have established that, we can go on to list a few guidelines or pointers when communicating in the corporate world. The purpose of any writing whether formal or informal is communication; you must always seek to achieve this. One way to achieving this is constantly putting yourself in the shoes of the person on the other side; read it like you are the recipient and ask yourself if you would have understood the intent of the writer. • Your writing is you speaking as if you were physically present; use every such opportunity to sell yourself well. This means that your writing gives the reader J U N E 2 0 1 4 MeMag | a certain insight into the way you think. Make sure your writing is communicating the right message. • Writing like everything in life is dynamic, it changes constantly and therefore we must seek to keep up with these changes. • Keep it short as much as possible and it is important you go straight to the point before you lose the interest of the reader. This is especially true when you are writing to busy people or people who have to handle a lot of correspondence daily. Time for them is of the essence and they’d rather spend it on something else than trying to figure out what you are trying to say. • Avoid writing in Caps as much as possible. Use only where necessary. This is because when a letter or memo is written completely in caps, the impression on your reader is almost as though you are shouting. • Check and re-check use of grammar and spellings before you send. You can also give to someone else to cross check. Chances are that they will always pick up errors you didn’t notice. • Always date your letters and memos. • Write as you speak. Do not use shorthand or expect your reader to decipher what you are trying to communicate. • Finally writing like everything else in life gets better with practice. Keep writing, you will definitely get better at it. I sure did. *wink* facebook.com/memagazine09 @memagtwits 12