20

Apr

Apps for More Productive Writing

I’ve been trying out a few writing apps lately and have come across a few great ones worth sharing!

  • Write Space provides a blank screen to write free of any other distractions. This Google Chrome app has the option of using a dark background, which makes it easier on your eyes to write for long periods of time.

    Write Space

  • Just Write also offers a clean, minimalistic space to get your writing done. Like Write Space, it has a full-screen mode that allows you to focus solely on getting everything written down. Best of all, these two apps have similar capabilities of other apps at no cost.

    Just Write

  • Writing every single day is one of the best habits for business writers. Yet, with all the work that needs to be done, this is incredibly difficult. The Google Chrome app Write Reminderhelps you do just this by challenging you to write at least 750 words every day. This tool has great potential for business writers and leaders to journal their ideas, thoughts about projects and practice writing skills every day. It can be completely spontaneous or structured, private or shared with all your colleagues. It makes writing a fun project that you look forward to.

    Write Reminder -- 750 Words

  • I Write Like won’t help you be more productive, but it is a fun app to share with your colleagues. Just paste in a few paragraphs of your writing to find out which famous author you write like, based on your word choice and writing style. It’s fun to see who your friends and colleagues write like — and learn who you write like. I never thought that I wrote like H.P. Lovecraft, but after using this app and reading one of his short stories, I’m happy to say it’s very accurate!

    I Write Like

  • Your Next Readis quickly becoming my new favorite app. By creating a list of books and authors you enjoy, you receive great recommendations quickly. This makes picking out a new book much less daunting, and you’re much more likely to find a great read — or a long list! I especially like how the recommendations span all genres, including professional, fiction and non-fiction.

    Your Next Read

    These are a few of my current favorites. I’m sure I’ve missed many. What do you use? What are some of your favorite apps for writing or reading?

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37 days ago Short URL 3 Comments

Writing

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27

Mar

Long or Short Emails? Part 1

Last week, I posted a poll asking if you prefer long, detailed emails or short, easy-to-read ones. As you would expect, the results were widely varied, with only one more person preferring to receive long, detailed emails over more concise ones.

email envelope

What does this mean? First of all, everyone reads and absorbs information differently, so it makes sense that we all prefer to receive different types of emails.

In essence, you should write with the recipient’s preferences in mind. When you tailor messages for them, they will understand your messages more quickly and, therefore, are more likely to act on them and contribute more effectively.

The first step in doing this is learning your audience, or learning what kind of email they like receiving. If you communicate with certain people people regularly via email simply ask them what’s most convenient for them — a thorough description of all information or simply the “gist” of the project?

When you receive feedback from your colleagues, keep a running list of their preferences. For example, I keep a small note on my computer’s dashboard with clients and co-workers’ preferences, such as:

  • Katherine — Big picture only
  • Jay — Bullet points of all information
  • Meg — Detailed description of all aspects of project
  • Max — Big picture only; set up time to talk on phone to discuss more in-depth information

When I start an email, I simply check to see if the recipient’s name is on the list. If it is, I tailor my message to them accordingly. If not, I write a clear message that accommodates all preferences and, if I know I’ll be communicating via email frequently, I ask them what kind of emails they prefer to receive in the “P.S.”

This may seem like lots of work at first, but by writing emails the way that they prefer to read them shows tremendous consideration and respect for their time. Not only that, it helps get things done faster.

Look out for Part 2 of “Long or Short Emails?” where I share how to write an email that accommodates all preferences — a skill that will help you get things done more quickly when collaborating with lots of people, all of whom read email differently.

61 days ago Short URL 2 Comments

Business Writing

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12

Mar

Procrastination

Procrastination

Procrastination (Photo credit: MrSchuReads)

We all procrastinate. Creative and business writers, along with other professionals, all do this, even though we need to get things done. There’s a constant struggle between procrastination and productivity, no matter what type of work or writing you’re completing.

Why do we procrastinate? What keeps us from getting things done so we can enjoy the end result and our free time?

When it comes to business writing, I find there are three major reasons why we avoid the work:

  1. We’re waiting for the “right” motivation or the “perfect” mood to strike.
    We all have experienced times when we were “in the zone” and the work seemed to flow more easily. It’s understandable to want that feeling when you have a deadline looming. Yet, this can be paralyzing and prevent you from doing any work or writing. When this happens, set a timer for 10 – 15 minutes and force yourself to write something, despite your imperfect mood. When this is over, reward yourself with a short walk or cup of coffee. Then, do it again. Eventually, you’ll be less concerned with getting “in the zone,” and more concerned with writing.
  2. We demand perfectionism, even at the cost of productivity.
    Having high standards is a good thing, but letting them deter you from working isn’t. This type of perfectionism prevents writers from finishing a sentence because every letter isn’t up to their impossibly high expectations. In these situations, I think it helps to reflect on what you really want from the project. Perhaps, you want to produce an innovative way of presenting tired information or create a blog that empowers your employees. Focus on that and trust that you’ll get there, but only after you complete your first draft.
  3. We’re daunted by scope or demands of the task.
    Often, writing projects are simply overwhelming for writers. When faced with a difficult or large assignment, take the time to break it down and create a plan of attack. If you’re still procrastinating afterwards, think about what exactly intimidates you. Is it the size of the project? The amount of time you have to complete it? The pressure to succeed? Once you recognize this, you can take steps to improve your situation, such as delegating.

While there are many more specific reasons for procrastinating, I think most business writing-related procrastination falls under these categories. No matter why you procrastinate, it’s important to remember that writing is difficult. It’s challenging and you can only rely on yourself to get it done. Remind yourself that this is normal, take a deep breath — and get back at it!

What are your strategies for busting procrastination? Do you have any tips for preventing it?

76 days ago Short URL Comments

Business Writing

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06

Mar

Poll: New Ideas

Literary writer, Anais Nin, once said, “My ideas usually come not at my desk writing but in the midst of living.”

Ideas for business writing can come about in the same way. Sometimes you think of great ideas while working on another project, taking a break or when you’re outside of the office all together. Other times, however, sitting down and writing is the best way to develop and test new strategies, concepts, topics or ideas.

Pursuing fresh ideas is vital for producing engaging and vibrant writing, whether a novel, email or power point presentation. Do you find yourself thinking up new ideas outside work? Or are you struck by them while writing?

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81 days ago Short URL Comments

Writing

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01

Mar

5 Ways to Jump-Start Creativity

Unlike other skills — such as organization or logical thinking — creativity comes and goes. Sometimes, you’re brain seems to be firing off one great idea after another. Other times, however, you’re stuck.

This may be the reality, but there’s lots you can do to enhance and grow your creativity — and even eliminate the “ruts.” All jobs require creative thinking and writing, from marketing tasks to entrepreneurial strategies, to coming up with dynamic and fresh ways to present information.

With a few simple strategies, you can get your creative juices flowing:

1. Benchmark new sources.

When benchmarking a current or upcoming project, try to find new and interesting sources. Instead of looking at similar projects, businesses or companies that correspond well to yours, challenge yourself to research many projects that differ greatly.

For example, if you’re examining creative ways to improve your business-to-business internet marketing campaign, look at business-to-business examples in highly different companies, business-to-consumer examples, and examples in the military, non-profit and higher education sectors. You may be surprised to find useful techniques when benchmarking these sources.

2. Follow interesting people in your field (and a few who aren’t).

When you follow people with creative perspectives on your work — through their books, blogs and twitter feeds — you benefit from a consistent stream of new ideas. Follow people who are outside your field to stretch your mind and challenge yourself to think about different issues.

3. Arrange informal meetings with creative people.

We all know (and admire) creative people. Nurture your relationships with them by asking for their valuable input on your current projects. Ask someone creative out to lunch to discuss their projects, new strategies and bounce ideas off one another. Collaboration, in any form, breeds creativity.

4. Vary your tasks as much as possible.

Don’t allow yourself to act or think monotonously. Instead, vary tasks as much as possible. When you find yourself becoming “stuck” on one project or tasks, switch to a different one. This will help you stay mentally active and more open to new ideas.

5. Clear your head.

Take the time to step back from your projects to exercise, socialize or learn about something entirely new. This is one of the best ways to refresh creative thinking.

Some people find that more frequent, shorter breaks help jump-start their creativity. I’m one of those people, so the pomodoro technique — where one works for 25 minutes, then takes a 5 minute break — works very well for me. Others prefer to work continuously for a longer period of time and take fewer, longer breaks. No matter what you prefer, try to set a time or use software that reminds you to take regular breaks and clear your head.

How about you? Do you have any other tips for getting out of a creative rut? Are there other ways to enhance your creativity?

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87 days ago Short URL Comments

Writing

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21

Feb

Subject Verb Agreement

Lacking subject-verb agreement is a common grammatical error, especially in business writing where we write and re-write sentences frequently. Most mistakes arise when you edit sentences and forget to change the verb or when you don’t identify the sentence’s subject correctly.

For any sentence to be correct, the verb must agree with the subject in number and person. Take a look at these examples:

1. Each of these communications supports the new brand strategy.

Subject: “Each,” not “communications”

Verb: “Supports,” not “support”

2. There are two topics that we need to address in today’s meeting.

Subject: “Topics,” not “we”

Verb:”Are,” not “is”

3. Marie shares her progress with me every day.

Subject:”Marie,” not “me”

Verb: “Shares,” not “share”

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96 days ago Short URL 1 Comment

Writing

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08

Feb

5 ways to Write Faster

Italiano: Autore: Francesco Cirillo rilasciata...

Image via Wikipedia

If you’re like most business writers, you enjoy writing. You probably don’t enjoy feeling rushed or under pressure to finish a project. The thought that you missed the opportunity to create a stellar project, just because you needed a few more hours to work on it, can be disheartening.

Writing faster at work is a huge advantage. Some people naturally write faster than others, but we can all take a few steps to improve.  Here are a few strategies for writing faster:

  1.  Create an outline: You may think that you don’t have the time to create an outline, but that’s often a big mistake. Take 5-10 minutes to outline each of the project’s sections and information. In the long run, this saves lots of time because you know exactly what you’re writing and what you’re leading up to.
  2. Cut down on the distractions: It’s almost impossible to write quickly while multi-tasking. Take the time to clear your desk of clutter, send a message to your colleagues that you want to focus on a project, close your browser and email notifications. This helps you concentrate and really dig into the task at hand.
  3. Set a timer for writing: Carve out a few blocks of time to focus solely on writing. Don’t spend any time editing or reviewing your work – just write until your time’s up. I like using the pomodoro technique of working for 25 minutes straight on one task, then taking a 5-minute break.
  4. Don’t rack your brain: When you get stuck, don’t spend time searching for the perfect word or sentence. Instead, note what is missing and come back to it later. For instance, add [insert transition sentence] or [insert title]. Write until the timer goes off, then return and fill in the blanks now that your brain is clearer. Not only does this method usually take less time, it also prevents writer’s block.
  5. Take a break before editing: The slowest way to write is to stare at the screen without direction or ideas for improvements. If you find yourself loosing momentum, take a short break. Once you’ve finished the project, take a longer break – ideally one full day – and edit it with fresh eyes.

How about you? Do you have any strategies for writing faster?

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109 days ago Short URL Comments

Writing

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31

Jan

Why worry about good writing for your website?

When creating (or redesigning) your business’ website, design and code are vital. You want to immediately impress and draw in visitors with your site’s punchy and professional appeal. But by focusing only on the site’s development, color scheme and fonts, the site won’t achieve the success you want. You must take the time to create  high-quality copy for every page.

Writing matters to website design and, ultimately, its success. Great copy makes your site better by:

1. Dividing information logically and intuitively

If the site’s information isn’t organized, it’s difficult to read. This means that visitors will leave before they are persuaded to buy your product or service. When the information is divided and distilled intuitively, visitors will want to read every page — and return again and again. These visitors are most likely to share your ideas with others or purchase what you’re selling.

2. Determining search engine optimization

Your copy influences its search engine optimization — and whether or not searchers can find the site. Without properly placed keywords, your site may be beautiful, but will not show up in search results.

3. Showing the reader who you are and how you do business

With great writing, you demonstrate to readers that you have a great attention to detail, know your business and have a professional attitude. Also, clear descriptions of your business’ services, products and mission will attract the best prospective clients.

4. Selling your products and ideas 

The site’s design and useability attract the visitor initially. The words are what seal the deal. With excellent, benefit-orientated writing, visitors will become promoters of your blog posts and business. Ultimately, the writing turns visitors into customers.

Good writing is vital for your site’s success. Make sure you are putting the time and effort into creating great copy. If you aren’t sure where to start or need help creating insightful content, be sure to hire an expert.

117 days ago Short URL Comments

Business Writing

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27

Jan

When something can be read without effort, great effort has gone into its writing. 

- Enrique Jardiel Poncela

Best wishes for an enjoyable day of writing!

121 days ago Short URL Comments

Writing

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26

Jan

What Makes Your Writing Professional?

In business writing, I find that “formal” and “professional” styles often become confused, or even believed to be interchangeable. Often, people feel they need to write with a large vocabulary and formal phrases so that they “sound” professional.

Journalists must follow the Associated Press‘ rules and academics rely on The Modern Language Association or The Chicago Manual of Style. Business writers, however, have no set standard to follow. Perhaps this is because all organizations do business a little differently.

So let’s take a moment to consider what professionalism means, regardless of the type of business you work for:

  1. Responding to situations in a timely, skillful and respectful manner
  2. Acting with integrity, honesty and transparency
  3. Making decisions with sensitivity to the context and audience
  4. Shaping actions and decisions to support the organization’s larger objectives

The last two elements really speak to writing style; the organization’s unique objectives, context and audience should sculpt your writing style. Many organizations today want to be perceived as contemporary, personable and moving with the times, so a straightforward and conversational writing style makes sense. Many formal phrases — that came about when business was conducted via telegrams and letters — are no longer needed.

That’s not to say that formality doesn’t have it’s place, but it’s not always necessary for effective and professional business writing. What matters most is that you are clear, cogent and contribute to your organization’s image and productivity goals.

122 days ago Short URL Comments

Business Writing

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