Hi there,
Writing is tough. Writing well? Even tougher. How many times have you sat in front of your computer, a blank document or email on the screen and just… waited? It’s like watching for a pot of water to boil or sitting in traffic. We have a general understanding of what we’re doing, but also why must it be so bleh?
That said, writing is so (so!) important to our work lives. Writing is critical in marketing. (Marketing is, after all, “getting the word out.”) Even all those little convos that used to be the hallmark of office life are shifting to writing as more jobs go remote.
That’s why we’re nominating this August as the month of writing better. Writing, like any skill, takes practice. That (unfortunately) means lots of staring at the computer screen. Lots of reading as well. On the flip side, there’s a wealth of great resources for honing your writing skills available online. Here are few we like. We’ll be sharing more writing resources over the next few weeks.
- A Writing Lab for Workplace Writers. Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab is a treasure trove of information on how to boost your writing game at work. Check out strategies for prewriting, tips for email etiquette and how to use tone in business writing.
- Writing So That People Understand You. This helpful guide from Conversation Rate Experts provides a great explanation of why clarity is king when it comes to business writing. We like this tip for clear writing: Record yourself saying what you are trying to write, then transcribe what you say.
- Nobody Likes a Passive Writer. Watch writer Alexa Donne explain how to avoid passive voice in your writing. Her video is geared toward fiction writers, but there’s plenty for business writers to learn as well.
- The Power of Simple Words. In this TED-Ed video, Tirin Izil explains why punchy words do a better job at getting your point across. A quotable: “Ten dollar words are rendered worthless if they’re not understood.”
- And, for good measure, we like this piece on how metaphors stretch how we think. (Shoutout to Ann Handley’s fantastic Total Annarchy email newsletter for this piece of writing inspiration. We’re big fans.)
Until next week!
Team rasa.io
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