GrammarPhile Blog

Most writers want to believe their writing will be read, understood, liked, and shared with others simply because it’s well written. They believe the essence and content of their writing and its message is what really matters. But that’s not always the case. Many times documents and posts will go unread simply because they’re not properly formatted, regardless of their content.

Use the tips below to format your writing in a way that will make it stand out, and make it easier for your audience to read. 

Formality in the workplace has waned, but don’t let that affect your sense of professionalism, especially when you’re writing something on a digital device. Once you type something on your computer, there is a permanent record of it. Quickly typed emails can be saved and shared. Even deleted documents and posts can be recovered. So you should be cautious of writing mistakes you’re prone to make, and avoid them before they damage your reputation.

Here’s a list of writing errors that can damage your reputation, and what you can do to avoid making them.

Businesses spend millions of dollars on advertising, day-to-day operations, research and development, personnel, and acquisitions. But they seldom focus on how they will develop and manage a successful writing culture. Yet building and maintaining a successful writing culture for a business is essential to all its operations. It establishes effective and clear communication, and fosters a collaborative and positive environment. 

Cognitive science research shows that reading fiction makes you a more well-rounded person and will improve your quality of life both personally and professionally.

Organizations of every type rely on email more than any other communication channel because it’s cost effective, (generally) private, personal, easy, quick, and versatile.

Remember when all formal correspondence started with To Whom It May Concern? These days, if you receive an email with that as the opener, you’re more likely to send it straight to the trash. The days of proper letters have come to an end, but that doesn’t mean you should use loose, casual language and expect to get what you want. A formal email is not the same as an effective email, but combining the power of the two gives you a better chance of getting the reply you desire.

Most of us think that a story is fictional, something that doesn’t belong within the same realm as business deals and communications. We have multiple emails to send, meetings to attend, events to host, and reports to analyze. There isn’t time for fairytales!

With the overwhelming content requirements marketers face in today’s digital society, it’s more important than ever to make sure your content attracts your target audience. But you must also keep the search engines happy.

How do you accomplish this and turn your writing into reader-friendly business communications? Do your research and understand your readers’ needs.

In Parts 1 and 2 of this series, we talked about ways you can improve the content of your writing. This final installment offers guidance on fine-tuning what you’ve written.