---

Guest post by: Jim Schakenbach Become an Author

Tweet

---

---

Not everyone is comfortable writing. Email, blogs, and other digital media have forced many non-writers into the unenviable position of having to crank out prose on a regular basis. If you'd rather have a root canal than face a blank text screen, here are some tips that will have you writing like a pro in no time: 1. Short sentences are your friend.

Anyone can string together a lengthy, unclear, and ineffective sentence. Many people are afraid that short sentences make them look stupid. But the more you struggle to add phrases, lengthen a sentence, and try to look smart, the worse it gets. Instead, relax and write as simply as possible. Once you embrace brevity, it is remarkable how much clearer you can write.

2. Banish the exclamation point.

Many people mistake the use of an exclamation point as a way to express the importance of something. In reality, it just makes you sound shrill. Avoid it. Exclamation points - especially in business documents - look amateurish, over-excited, and irritating.

3. Use quotation marks correctly.

Quotation marks are used by many for emphasis or to identify a statement or phrase, such as a tagline or slogan in business. Both are wrong. Quotation marks are for identifying the exact words spoken by someone; for example: "This year's fourth quarter sales figures are significantly better than last year's," stated Acme Corporation's vice president of corporate sales. It's simple - if the specific words did not come from a person's mouth (or keyboard), do not stick them between quotation marks.

4. Stop random capitalization.

Nothing is more distracting or confusing than random capitalization - the irrational sprinkling of capital letters throughout an article, white paper, sales report, or news release. The only time initial capital letters should be employed is to abbreviate a longer name or phrase or to identify proper nouns such as the name of a person, place or thing (John, Texas, General Electric, Congress) or someone's title (Senator Mary Smith). Do not capitalize a job function (vice president of corporate sales, technical manager, senior engineer) unless it precedes a person's name as their specific title and do not capitalize generic products. An electronics company might manufacture circuit boards, but not Circuit Boards.

5. Avoid obfuscation.

Huh? I'll bet some of you Googled for a definition, right? My point exactly. Stop needlessly torturing the English language. If you're reaching for a twenty-five cent word when a five-cent word will do just fine, you're unnecessarily complicating things (which, of course, is the definition of obfuscation). Even worse, you're probably just confusing your audience. Is that what you really want to do?

I'll let you in on one final little secret to good writing. If you haven't noticed it already, all five points above have one thing in common: simplicity. Good writing is simple - that's what makes it both hard and easy at the same time. If you strive to simplify your writing, you'll be well on your way to becoming a better writer.

Related Articles

  How to Develop the Writing Habit-Even if You Don’t Have Time to Write
  Writing Business Articles
  Top 7 Steps to Increase Article Writing Speed if Internet Marketing Is A Key Marketing Strategy
  Writing and Publishing eBooks Made Easy #02 - The Creative Writing Process
  What You Need To Get Paid To Write Articles Online
  5 Tips To Writing Better Copy
  Memoir: How to Write about What Troubles You the Most
  Five Keys to Book Writing Success
  Five Easy Ways to Improve Everything You Write
  The Art of Copywriting Tips - What it Can Do For You
  Writers: Do You Procrastinate? Make it a Priority to Write Your Book
  Five Tips to Set and Achieve Your Writing Goals
  Make Writing a Priority, Not a Pain
  5 Ways to Add Your Personality to Your Writing
  Writing for Blogs - 5 Tips
  How to Create a Writing Portfolio Before You Have Writing Clients
  Writing Tips and Articles rules:
  3 Easy Steps to Content Research
  How to Write Short Articles Fast - The Right Way
  5 Article Marketing Tips To Take To The Bank

Related Forum Posts

Business Tips
Re: Quote of the Day - "Have the courage to follow your heart an
Re: What Do You Outsource Mostly?
Re: Will 2009 be the year you write your book?
Can a biz website help?

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Necessary skills for Data Entry Workers

Trust Your SEO Company With Open Eyes

What’s the Real Key to Success? It’s Failure

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.