Writing skills come naturally to some: they just put pen to paper or fingertips to keyboard. For others, writing a memo, report, or department communication is easier said than done. Even best-selling authors suffer from writer’s block, but they learn to overcome their hang-ups with specific techniques.
If your team struggles to write effective messages, share these workplace writing tips to make communication less burdensome and more effective.
- Stick to the point: Encourage employees to construct a theme before they begin writing. They would then refer to the theme throughout the writing process to ensure they stay on topic.
- Allow time and space to write: All work and no play makes for dull writing. Have your employees take breaks while writing long reports and return later; this “incubation” helps them see the document with fresh eyes and view the writing as their reader would. You can also encourage collaborative writing sessions.
- Practice: Any craft takes practice to master, and writing is no exception. Keep your employees’ juices flowing by having different team members tackle different writing assignments so no one becomes rusty.
- Just write: Discourage self-editing and instead promote the idea that editing as they will write will disturb their thought process. This free-flow writing technique is like cruising at 60 miles per hour as opposed to slamming on the brakes and revving the engine back up to speed over and over. The stopping and starting caused by mid-sentence self-editing causes a mental engine blowout.
Let our team of experts help your company succeed by improving writing skills in the workplace. Contact Hurley Write, Inc. for customized writing classes designed to increase efficiency and productivity at work.
