If you work in corporate communications or public relations, chances are writing is one of the things you do most. Like anything, becoming a good writer involves a lot of practice, a deep knowledge of the topic, and a strong understanding of the audience. Before you start your next writing project, here are five tips I’ve received throughout my career that will help you create clear, concise and engaging copy.
1) Write as if your 90-year-old grandmother is going to read it
Understanding your audience is key to creating clear and concise content. When writing for a general audience, try to keep the text as simple as possible. Your goal is to make sure anyone who reads your work will be able to understand it. That means leaving out the jargon and other industry-specific language that only a handful of people will understand. If you’re going to use acronyms, make sure to spell it out in first use. And if the acronym stands for a process or organization that is not widely known, consider providing some context to help the reader understand what it is. Also, make sure to use the correct spelling of words. For example, if you are writing for a Canadian audience, it is best to use Canadian English.
2) Edit your work
Great writers are also ruthless editors. Make time to review your text to remove unnecessary words and to check for flow. Your readers will thank you for this. Editing is a tough skill to develop, but it is necessary for any writer wanting to improve her writing. As you become a better editor, changing or deleting certain sections will become second nature.
3) Your first draft probably sucks
One of the most important steps in writing is rewriting. Your first draft is most likely something you wouldn’t want to share with people and that’s okay. Try using your first draft to jot down all your thoughts and ideas and then go back to clean it up. As you go through your work, revise sections that are not clear or change up the words to improve the flow. Don’t be flustered if you end up doing a few drafts. It’s totally normal.
4) Do your research
You can usually tell when the author has little knowledge of the topic they are writing about. The language is vague or very generic and the text is often difficult to follow. Before writing about something, do your research. This could include reading articles about the topic you are going to write about. If you have access to a subject-matter expert, I’d recommend sitting down with them over coffee to ask them questions about the topic you’re writing about. A phone call would be a great option too. If the topic is very technical, try explaining the technical parts in layman terms to the subject matter expert to see if you understood it correctly. I usually voice-record my conversations so I can refer to them while I am writing. Before recording your conversation, please make sure it is alright with the person you’re speaking with.
5) Be mindful of the tone
The tone you’ll use to launch a new product versus announcing the departure of a key member of your team will be very different. Understanding the audience and the purpose of the text will help you select the tone that is most appropriate for the content you are creating. Having the wrong tone can lead to the opposite outcome you hope to achieve through your writing. Before marking it as final and hitting send, take a moment to review the text and ask yourself a few questions:
Is this the right message?
Is it being communicated in the best possible way?