Tips for Better Writing
Return to main page
Digital Library > Building and Inspiring an Organization > Written communication
"Tips for Better Writing"
Clear and effective writing is vital to entrepreneurs. If your company's literature is well-crafted, readers will see you and your company as focused and efficient. Poorly thought out and hastily written messages, on the other, could cost you business and confuse your staff.
OVERVIEW [top]Writing tops the list of skills that many entrepreneurs take for granted. They treat each memo, report or letter as one more item on their to-do lists. As a result, they rush through the process rather than thoughtfully working out the best way to compose their messages.
In fast-growth companies and in this e-mail-driven world, clear and effective writing is particularly crucial. You can explain a decision, reduce misunderstandings and convey priorities in a short, well-crafted memo. If you organize your ideas and strike a confident tone, your memo can reinforce readers' positive perceptions of you and your company.
Conversely, a muddled or dense memo can divert attention from your message. If you force readers to decipher your rambling prose, they may give up and conclude you're equally confused.
In this Quick-Read you will find:
Article Contributors Writer: Morey Stettner
- How to edit your writing effectively.
- Ways to increase the persuasive power of your memos.
- Tips to help you write clear e-mails.
- Keep a business dictionary, general dictionary, and thesaurus at hand for when you need to find exactly the right words in formal communications.
- Replace starched, overly formal phrases, such as "in accordance with" and "as per our discussion," with more original, straightforward wording — or cut to the chase and eliminate such verbal segues entirely.
- Include a verb in an e-mail subject line to identify your purpose in writing. Examples: request data, confirm plans, share results.
- Be blunt. Avoid roundabout sentences, such as, "I'd like to propose a recommendation that.…" Instead, use "I recommend.…"
- Stick to the facts. Find other ways to express negative emotions. If you lash out in print, readers may dwell on your angry tone and overlook the message itself. If possible, let your response sit overnight so you can review it with a cooler head before sending it.
- Get to the point in a short opening paragraph. Don't make readers wade through introductory matter before they understand your purpose.
- Don't overdose on fancy fonts, punctuation or formatting. Use italics, underline or boldface sparingly — and avoid using all three on the same page.
- Before sending a persuasive memo, isolate each assertion and say to yourself, "Prove it." Confirm you have evidence, experience or other proof to support your claims.
- Eliminate redundancies, such as "large in size" and "past experience." Also cut meaningless words, such as "very," "extremely" or "quite."
- To ensure you don't write overly long, complex sentences, read them aloud. If you're short of breath after completing a sentence, break it in two.
Article Contributors Writer: Morey Stettner
Related Articles
How to Buy a Business
How to Create a Long-Range Plan
If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em
Selling Your Company? Get to Know the Players
CEO Confidential: Shotgun Weddings: Partnering on Government Contracts

Articles in our Entrepreneur’s Resource Center appeared in print and online newsletters published previously by the foundation. More than 1,000 articles can be found in the categories below, addressing timeless challenges faced by entrepreneurs of all types.