Write and Edit like a Proin three easy steps

Elizabeth Carter

Why do writing skills matter?

It matters to

you

2/3 of salaried employees have

writing responsibilities.

-- College Board 2004 survey

Employers rank

communication skills most important.

-- College Board 2004 survey

50% of employers look at

writing skills when hiring and

promoting.-- NACE 2008 Job Outlook Survey

It matters to

yourreader

DoFeel

Learn

You want your reader to…

Good writing helps

• You

• Your reader

• Your bosses, your colleagues, and your organization

How to write

How to edit

Be Brief.

Be Bold.

Be Clear.

To be effective…

Be Brief.Which would you rather read?

Fixing loose and overhanging skin with an abdominoplasty or “tummy tuck”

A common sequelae of child-rearing, weight gain, or previous abdominal surgeries is loose and overhanging skin and fat in the mid and lower abdomen. Many women who have had children have experienced a significant weakening of the abdominal wall as well as seeing the physical signs of skin stretching (striae) and loose skin. An abdominoplasty or “tummy-tuck” is a surgical procedure designed to correct and reverse the physical signs of previous pregnancies, weight loss/gain, or previous abdominal surgery. This procedure takes approximately two and a half hours and is performed under anesthesia and patients go home the same day. Down-time is approximately 2-3 weeks and most patients are back doing their usual activities in approximately eight weeks. Often times liposuction may be performed concurrently. Patients who have undergone this surgery regain the contour of their abdomen and may even lose several inches in their waistline!! For people who have tried diet and exercise, and still have that overhanging bulge in their abdominal regions, a tummy-tuck may be right for them.

Fix loose skin with a tummy tuck

It’s not fair: child-bearing, weight gain or abdominal surgeries can change the way we look – giving us stretch marks, weakened stomach muscles and loose, overhanging skin and fat in the belly. If this sounds like you, a tummy tuck may be the answer.

What’s a tummy tuck?A tummy tuck, or “abdominoplasty”, is surgery that corrects and reverses the physical signs of pregnancies, weight loss/gain, or previous abdominal surgery. We may also perform liposuction at the same time, to give you better results.

Your body will need two to three weeks to rest and recover. By about eight weeks, you’ll be back to your usual self – with a much better look.

This procedure takes about 2 ½ hours and is performed under anesthesia in a hospital or surgical center. You’ll go home the same day.

What results can I expect?A tummy tuck will give you back the contours of your stomach. You might even lose several inches in their waistline!

If you’ve tried diet and exercise and still have that overhanging bulge in your belly, a tummy-tuck may be right for you.

Be Brief.

1. Shorten paragraphs.

Be Brief. Shorten paragraphs

instead of tryIn spite of the fact that numerous communications have been sent by our company regarding implementing cost cutting measures, these measures have not always been utilized, which is a little bit frustrating. The employees that are seasonal, however, have demonstrated great ingenuity and resourcefulness and overhead has been lowered by 28%, which is very good. It is a big lesson to each and every one of us.

In spite of the fact that numerous communications have been sent by our company regarding implementing cost cutting measures, these measures have not always been utlized, which is a little bit frustrating.

The employees that are seasonal, however, have demonstrated great ingenuity and resourcefulness and overhead has been lowered by 28%, which is very good.

It is a big lesson to each and every one of us.

Be Brief.

1. Shorten paragraphs.

2. Shorten sentences.

Be Brief. Shorten sentences

instead of

In spite of the fact that

The employees that are seasonal.

It is a lesson to each and every one of us.

try

Although

The seasonal employees.

It is a lesson to us all.

Be Brief. Shorten sentences

from toIn spite of the fact that numerous communications have been sent by our company regarding implementing cost cutting measures, these measures have not always been utilized, which is a little bit frustrating.

The employees that are seasonal, however, have demonstrated great ingenuity and resourcefulness and overhead has been lowered by 28%, which is very good.

It is a big lesson to each and every one of us.

Although numerous communications have been sent by us about cutting costs, these measures have not always been utilized. This is a little bit frustrating.

The seasonal employees, however, have demonstrated great ingenuity and resourcefulness. Their overhead has been lowered by 28%, which is very good.

It is a big lesson to us all.

Be Brief.

1. Shorten paragraphs.2. Shorten sentences.

3. Shorten words.

Be Brief. Shorten words

instead of

numerous

communications

It is a lesson to us all

try

many

emails

It’s a lesson to us all

Be Brief. Shorten words

from to

Although many emails have been sent by us about cutting costs, these measures haven’t always been utilized. This is a little bit frustrating.

The seasonal employees, however, have shown great ingenuity and resourcefulness. Their overhead has been lowered by 28%, which is very good.

It’s a big lesson to us all.

Although numerous communications have been sent by us about cutting costs, these measures have not always been utilized. This is a little bit frustrating.

The seasonal employees, however, have demonstrated great ingenuity and resourcefulness. Their overhead has been lowered by 28%, which is very good.

It is a big lesson to us all.

CUT

30%

Be Brief.

bonus tip:

Be Brief.

Be Bold.

Be Clear.

To be effective…

Be Bold.

What do you want to stand out?

Be Bold.

1. Eliminate weak modifiers.

Be Bold. Eliminate weak modifiers

instead of

a little bit frustrating

great ingenuity

very good

try

frustrating

ingenuity

wonderful, spectacular

Be Bold. Eliminate weak modifiers

from to

Although many emails have been sent by us about cutting costs, these measures haven’t always been utilized. This is frustrating.

The seasonal employees, however, have shown ingenuity and resourcefulness. Their overhead has been lowered by a spectacular 28%.

It’s a lesson to us all.

Although many emails have been sent by us about cutting costs, these measures haven’t always been utilized. This is a little bit frustrating.

The seasonal employees, however, have shown great ingenuity and resourcefulness. Their overhead has been lowered by 28%, which is very good.

It’s a big lesson to us all.

Be Bold.

1. Eliminate weak modifiers.

2. Eliminate passive voice.

Be Bold. Eliminate passive voice

instead of

Many emails have been sent by our company...

…these measures have not always been utilized.

Their overhead has been lowered by a spectacular 28%.

try

We have sent many emails...

…employees have not always utilized these measures.

They have lowered their overhead by a spectacular 28%.

Be Bold. Eliminate passive voice

from to

Although we’ve sent many emails about cutting costs, employees haven’t always implemented these measures. This is frustrating.

The seasonal employees, however, have shown ingenuity and resourcefulness. They have lowered their overhead by a spectacular 28%.

It’s a lesson to us all.

Although many emails have been sent by us about cutting costs, these measures haven’t always been implemented. This is frustrating.

The seasonal employees, however, have shown ingenuity and resourcefulness. Their overhead has been lowered by a spectacular 28%.

It’s a lesson to us all.

Be Bold.

1. Eliminate weak modifiers.2. Eliminate passive voice.

3. Eliminate weak sentences.

Be Bold. Eliminate weak sentences

Instead of

…employees haven’t always implemented these measures.

This is frustrating.

try

…some employees haven’t done enough on their own.

We’re frustrated.

Be Bold. Eliminate weak sentences

from toAlthough we’ve sent many emails about cutting costs, we’re frustrated that some employees haven’t done enough on their own.

The seasonal employees, however, have shown ingenuity and resourcefulness, to lower their overhead by a spectacular 28%.

It’s a lesson to us all.

Although we’ve sent many emails about cutting costs, employees haven’t always implemented these measures. This is frustrating.

The seasonal employees, however, have shown ingenuity and resourcefulness. They have lowered their overhead by a spectacular 28%.

It’s a lesson to us all.

What do I want my reader to

FEEL?

Be Bold.

bonus tip:

Be Brief.

Be Bold.

Be Clear.

To be effective…

Be Clear.

Simplicity is the

ultimate sophistication.

-- Leonardo da Vinci

Be Clear.

1. Use headings.

Be Clear. Use headings

It’s not fair: child-bearing, weight gain or abdominal surgeries can change the way we look – giving us stretch marks, weakened stomach muscles and loose, overhanging skin and fat in the belly. If this sounds like you, a tummy tuck may be the answer.

A tummy tuck, or “abdominoplasty”, is surgery that corrects and reverses the physical signs of pregnancies, weight loss/gain, or previous abdominal surgery. We may also perform liposuction at the same time, to give you better results.

Your body will need two to three weeks to rest and recover. By about eight weeks, you’ll be back to your usual self – with a much better look.

This procedure takes about 2 ½ hours and is performed under anesthesia in a hospital or surgical center. You’ll go home the same day.

A tummy tuck will give you back the contours of your stomach. You might even lose several inches in their waistline!

If you’ve tried diet and exercise and still have that overhanging bulge in your belly, a tummy-tuck may be right for you.

Fix loose skin with a tummy tuck

It’s not fair: child-bearing, weight gain or abdominal surgeries can change the way we look – giving us stretch marks, weakened stomach muscles and loose, overhanging skin and fat in the belly. If this sounds like you, a tummy tuck may be the answer.

What’s a tummy tuck?A tummy tuck, or “abdominoplasty”, is surgery that corrects and reverses the physical signs of pregnancies, weight loss/gain, or previous abdominal surgery. We may also perform liposuction at the same time, to give you better results.

Your body will need two to three weeks to rest and recover. By about eight weeks, you’ll be back to your usual self – with a much better look.

This procedure takes about 2 ½ hours and is performed under anesthesia in a hospital or surgical center. You’ll go home the same day.

What results can I expect?A tummy tuck will give you back the contours of your stomach. You might even lose several inches in their waistline!

If you’ve tried diet and exercise and still have that overhanging bulge in your belly, a tummy-tuck may be right for you.

Be Clear.

1. Use headings.

2. Eliminate jargon.

A common sequelae of child-rearing, weight gain, or previous abdominal surgeries is loose and overhanging skin and fat in the mid and lower abdomen. Many women who have had children have experienced a significant weakening of the abdominal wall as well as seeing the physical signs of skin stretching (striae) and loose skin.

Be Clear. Eliminate jargon

instead of try

A common result of child-bearing, weight gain or abdominal surgeries is a change in the way we look – with stretch marks, weakened stomach muscles and loose, overhanging skin and fat in the belly.

Be Clear.

1. Use headings.2. Eliminate jargon.

3. Check readability.

Be Clear. Check readability

from to

It’s not fair: child-bearing, weight gain or abdominal surgeries can change the way we look – giving us stretch marks, weakened stomach muscles and loose, overhanging skin and fat in the belly. If this sounds like you, a tummy tuck may be the answer.

A common result of child-bearing, weight gain or abdominal surgeries is a change in the way we look – with stretch marks, weakened stomach muscles and loose, overhanging skin and fat in the belly.

Be Clear. Check readability

from to

Although we’ve sent many emails about cutting costs, we’re frustrated that some employees haven’t done enough on their own.

The seasonal employees, however, have shown ingenuity and resourcefulness, to lower their overhead by a spectacular 28%.

It’s a lesson to us all.

In spite of the fact that numerous communications have been sent by our company regarding implementing cost cutting measures, these measures have not always been utilized, which is a little bit frustrating. The employees that are seasonal, however, have demonstrated great ingenuity and resourcefulness and overhead has been lowered by 28%, which is very good. It is a big lesson to each and every one of us.

Get a fresh perspective.

Be Clear.

bonus tip:

Be Brief.

Be Bold.

Be Clear.

To be effective…