Fluffy Writing is a Fatal Flaw

Writing is a vital workplace skill

Excellent communication is a key skill that employers value. When you write well, you can get your point across quickly and clearly.

Co-workers understand what is needed right away and they won’t have to waste time asking questions or getting clarification.

When you’re writing an article, it’s even more critical to write well.

First impressions count

Your first contact with many people in your workplace will be through an email, a text message, or a social media post. When your message is well written, well organized, and grammatically correct, you will leave a positive first impression.

Clear writing supports good decision making

If your thoughts and ideas are written in a clear and concise voice, it will be easy for others to understand. If you complicate things by adding irrelevant details or complaints, you can side-track a project.

When you write, maintain your focus and set clear goals and processes for meeting them. Keep sentences short and don’t add unnecessary fluff. Stick to solid, practical information.

Ways to improve your writing

The first thing you should know is most people won’t read your entire article. So you have to plan your article to engage your reader.

Think before you write.

Headings are valuable real estate

If you’re going to satisfy a reader who is skimming your words, you’ll want to give them good information in the heading. Use them for your key points.

People are busy and they don’t want to read yet another marketing headline.

• Don’t say “Improve customer service with this plan.”
• Say “Make your contact information easy to find and your customer will love it.”

Use headings as points where the reader can enter the article. They can skim, and when they read a key point they’re interested in, they dive in.

Don’t use complicated lingo

Some writers think they need to write in a complicated voice. They’re too formal and that turns many readers off.

Be professional but use a conversational tone of voice. Don’t risk alienating readers by using jargon or complicated words.

Use images, but don’t use complicated charts or graphs.

Write for a sixth-grader

Most people read at a much lower level than you think. That’s why many word processing and editing tools check the readability of your article. Try to keep it no higher than the eighth grade for best results.

Plan your article

What’s the message you want to send? Use no more than five points to get your message across.

Your ending should include a clear call to action or connection with the reader’s purpose.

Take time to edit

This is a simple step that many writers neglect.

It’s as simple as reading your article out loud to check that it flows and makes sense. When you read your content, it allows you to reflect on your words and you may realize there’s more to say.

Now that you have some easy steps to improve your writing, you’ll be able to level up your communications skills in the workplace. Your writing represents you when you aren’t there to speak for yourself. Be sure it does that well.

Now that you’ve taken the time to learn a few writing skills, your writing will improve and that’s a great way to keep your readers interested.

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