Writing Skills (Written Communication)

A food for thought on improving written communication.

1. EEffective ffective WWriting riting SSkillskills
Training & Discussion onTraining & Discussion on
by Mudassar Saeed Khan
February 7, 2007
Advanced VoIP (Pvt) Ltd.

2. Effective Writing Skills
Goals & ObjectivesGoals & Objectives
Understanding written communicationUnderstanding written communication
Understanding importance of possessing good writing Understanding importance of possessing good writing
skillsskills
Knowing about different types of documents used for Knowing about different types of documents used for
business writingbusiness writing
Discussing company’s current writing Discussing company’s current writing
skill-set among employeesskill-set among employees
Reviewing, Analyzing & Suggesting organizational Reviewing, Analyzing & Suggesting organizational
improvement in written communicationimprovement in written communication

3. Effective Writing Skills
Writing?Writing?
One of the best methods to communicateOne of the best methods to communicate
Writing is one of the oldest known forms of
communication
 In today’s age of information and technology,
writing has become a lost art

4. Effective Writing Skills
Why Written Communication?Why Written Communication?
Creates a permanent recordCreates a permanent record
Allows you to store information for future Allows you to store information for future
referencereference
Easily distributedEasily distributed
All recipients receive the same informationAll recipients receive the same information
Necessary for legal and binding documentationNecessary for legal and binding documentation

5. Effective Writing Skills
Writing Skills?Writing Skills?
A career requirementA career requirement
More than a “nice thing to have”More than a “nice thing to have”
– a necessity – a necessity
Your Writing = Your PersonalityYour Writing = Your Personality
As a professional, it is crucial to write well

6. Effective Writing Skills
Writing Skills?Writing Skills?
The ability to write does not require a unique
talent or an outstanding mental ability
Everyone has the basic skills necessary to write
well
A basic understanding of writing and a
commitment to writing well in all situations is
needed as a professional

7. Effective Writing Skills
Questions a writer asksQuestions a writer asks
How do I begin?
What is my purpose?
How do I make my point clear?
How do I create a logical flow?
How do I say what I mean?
How do I avoid grammatical errors?
How can I make my message brief?
How can I create a visual effect?

8. Effective Writing Skills
The Writing ProcessThe Writing Process
PlanningPlanning
WritingWriting
Quality ControlQuality Control

9. Effective Writing Skills
The Writing ProcessThe Writing Process
PlanningPlanning
Keep objectives in mind and research the topicKeep objectives in mind and research the topic
Think about the audienceThink about the audience
Outlining helps organize thoughtsOutlining helps organize thoughts

10. Effective Writing Skills
The Writing ProcessThe Writing Process
WritingWriting
Follow your outline, use your handbookFollow your outline, use your handbook
Inspiration is acceptable but must be carefully Inspiration is acceptable but must be carefully
reviewedreviewed
Use the interview approach to supplement the Use the interview approach to supplement the
outline (who, what, where, when, how)outline (who, what, where, when, how)

11. Effective Writing Skills
The Writing ProcessThe Writing Process
Quality ControlQuality Control
Reread your workReread your work
Be critical of your own workBe critical of your own work

12. Effective Writing Skills
Considerations while writingConsiderations while writing
 Who?
 What?
 When?
 Why?
 Where?
 How?

13. Effective Writing Skills
Good WritingGood Writing
Completeness:Completeness: all information needed is provided all information needed is provided
Correctness:Correctness: relevant and precise information relevant and precise information
Credibility:Credibility: support your argument support your argument
Clarity:Clarity: should not be vague, confusing, ambiguous should not be vague, confusing, ambiguous
Conciseness:Conciseness: to the point to the point
Consideration:Consideration: anticipate the reader’s reaction anticipate the reader’s reaction
Vitality:Vitality: use the active voice rather than the passive use the active voice rather than the passive
voicevoice

14. Effective Writing Skills
Business DocumentsBusiness Documents
A good business document should always answer the A good business document should always answer the
following questions:following questions:
What is this document about?What is this document about?
Why has it come to be?Why has it come to be?
Who wrote it?Who wrote it?
How is it organized?How is it organized?
What is it trying to accomplishWhat is it trying to accomplish
What supports the conclusion?What supports the conclusion?
What problem or opportunity does it address?What problem or opportunity does it address?

15. Effective Writing Skills
Spelling and GrammarSpelling and Grammar
It is important in all business communications to
use proper grammar and correct spelling
What you write and how you write could reflect
a positive or negative image
 Sloppy and/or poorly written communications
could be perceived as a lack of caring

16. Effective Writing Skills
Spelling and Grammar TipsSpelling and Grammar Tips
Proofread communications before sending
Use spell and grammar check if available
Make sure to have subject, verb and tense
agreement
Ensure proper word usage:
affect/effect there/their
among/between shall/will
can/may than/then

17. Effective Writing Skills
Types of WritingTypes of Writing
E-mails
Letters and Memos
Agendas
Reports
Promotional Material
Academic Documents
Research (scientific) manuscripts
White Papers

18. Effective Writing Skills
E-MailsE-Mails
E-mail is fast, convenient and easy
Email is now the dominant method of communicating in
business.
Convenient for communicating with people in different
places and different time zones
Easier to communicate with people who understand
written English but don’t speak it well
Excellent mechanism for follow-up or action items after
a meeting
Messages can be saved and retrieved easilyMessages can be saved and retrieved easily

19. Effective Writing Skills
E-Mails (Challenges)E-Mails (Challenges)
USE WITH CARE….
Email is not always
confidential -- emails can
sometime be obtained from
central network even if deleted
from personal computers

20. Effective Writing Skills
Watch Out!Watch Out!

21. Effective Writing Skills
E-Mails (Challenges)E-Mails (Challenges)
Email is often sent out without re-reading, Email is often sent out without re-reading,
proof-reading and other standards applied to proof-reading and other standards applied to
written communications. written communications. We press the send We press the send
button too soon!button too soon!
Emails can be forwarded and sent to others Emails can be forwarded and sent to others
without your approval or knowledgewithout your approval or knowledge

22. Effective Writing Skills
E-MailsE-Mails
Many users do not realize the potential outcome
of what is being sent through e-mails
Business e-mails should be concise and to the
point
The language used in business e-mails should
not be overly informal

23. Effective Writing Skills
E-Mail MannersE-Mail Manners
Always include a subject or e-mail title
Avoid the “ready, aim, fire” approach
Avoid “flaming”
Don’t be too-casual
Consider if e-mail is the appropriate tool
Make one point per e-mail
Make the font user-friendly
Don’t use all capital or lower-case letters

24. Effective Writing Skills
Letters and MemosLetters and Memos
Letters and memos are the basic vehicles of
business communication
They should be brief and make a single point (no
more than 2 pages)
Letters are for external communications
Memos are for internal communications

25. Effective Writing Skills
Letters and MemosLetters and Memos
Heading or
Letterhead
Date
Inside address
Salutation
Subject line
Body
Closing and
Signature
Enclosures or ‘CC’
All business letters should include:

26. Effective Writing Skills
Letters and MemosLetters and Memos
TO: (To whom is the memo directed?)
FROM: (Who wrote the memo?)
DATE:
SUBJECT: or RE:
All business memos should include:

27. Effective Writing Skills
Types of Letters and MemosTypes of Letters and Memos
 Letters of requestLetters of request
 Sales lettersSales letters
 Response lettersResponse letters
 Cover letters, recommendationsCover letters, recommendations
 Letters of collectionLetters of collection
 Letters to vendors and suppliersLetters to vendors and suppliers
 Memos that deal with employee issuesMemos that deal with employee issues
 Memos that make announcementsMemos that make announcements
 Memos for policies and proceduresMemos for policies and procedures

28. Effective Writing Skills
““The greatest problem in The greatest problem in
communication is communication is the illusionthe illusion
that it has been accomplished.that it has been accomplished.””
- George Bernard Shaw - George Bernard Shaw

29. Effective Writing Skills
Have you hit your target?Have you hit your target?
 In written
communication most
confusion & frustration
are caused by failing to
be specific
 Make it clear, brief and
concise

30. Effective Writing Skills
ReportsReports
Define the main pointDefine the main point
Define the goals and objectivesDefine the goals and objectives
Collect the evidence needed to support the main Collect the evidence needed to support the main
pointpoint
Organize the reportOrganize the report
State the conclusions and recommendationsState the conclusions and recommendations

31. Effective Writing Skills
Organization of ReportsOrganization of Reports
 TitleTitle
 Executive summaryExecutive summary
 IntroductionIntroduction
 Materials and methodsMaterials and methods
 Results and discussionsResults and discussions
 ConclusionsConclusions
 RecommendationsRecommendations

32. Effective Writing Skills
Common Errors & TipsCommon Errors & Tips
Company name usageCompany name usage
Shortened words (thru, condn, mgmt, ref, lib)Shortened words (thru, condn, mgmt, ref, lib)
Repetition of words Repetition of words
Example:Example: file the file in the file folder. file the file in the file folder.
Use of ampersand (&)Use of ampersand (&)
Use of Use of boldbold
UPPER CASEUPPER CASE

33. Effective Writing Skills
Common Errors & TipsCommon Errors & Tips
Punctuation Punctuation
Use commas to separate elements in a series, and to Use commas to separate elements in a series, and to
separate ideas or clauses. separate ideas or clauses.
Use correct punctuation in abbreviations; e.g., for Use correct punctuation in abbreviations; e.g., for
example i.e., that is etc., et cetera example i.e., that is etc., et cetera
Do not use multiple punctuation marks, for example: !!! Do not use multiple punctuation marks, for example: !!!
... ???, etc. ... ???, etc.
Punctuation of lists and tables Punctuation of lists and tables

34. Effective Writing Skills
Common Errors & TipsCommon Errors & Tips
Hyphen and dash usage Hyphen and dash usage
Confusion between its and it's Confusion between its and it's
Use of apostrophe Use of apostrophe
Abbreviations and acronymsAbbreviations and acronyms
Use active voice Use active voice
Do not switch tenses very oftenDo not switch tenses very often
Proofread for accuracyProofread for accuracy

35. Effective Writing Skills
10 Commandments10 Commandments
1.1.Know what you want to say before you say it. Know what you want to say before you say it.
2.2.Keep it simple.Keep it simple.
3.3.Use bullet points.Use bullet points.
4.4.WIIFM (What's in It For Me?)WIIFM (What's in It For Me?)
5.5.Don't get bogged downDon't get bogged down
6.6.Call to actionCall to action
7.7.EditEdit
8.8.Spell checkSpell check
9.9.Take 5 before hitting sendTake 5 before hitting send
10.10.Follow upFollow up

36. Effective Writing Skills
Our CompanyOur Company
Communication with clients:Communication with clients:
50% support, 35% sales, 15% developers 50% support, 35% sales, 15% developers
30% Emails 45% MSN Chats, 20% Phone Calls 30% Emails 45% MSN Chats, 20% Phone Calls
(in case of local/national customers, around (in case of local/national customers, around
50% phone calls are used and developers are 50% phone calls are used and developers are
more involved in implementations)more involved in implementations)

37. Effective Writing Skills
Our CompanyOur Company
Level of written communication: Level of written communication:
Not-so-goodNot-so-good
As most of the support/sales people are from As most of the support/sales people are from
IT background (only), they are more IT background (only), they are more
knowledgeable in technical terms but need lot of knowledgeable in technical terms but need lot of
training on communication, especially in written training on communication, especially in written
communication. communication.
Increase in written communication requiredIncrease in written communication required

38. Effective Writing Skills
ConclusionsConclusions
Utilize full potential of written communicationUtilize full potential of written communication
Use frequent e-mails as per your requirementUse frequent e-mails as per your requirement
What you write will ultimately define you as a What you write will ultimately define you as a
professional to your colleagues and superiorsprofessional to your colleagues and superiors
Match the appropriate communication method Match the appropriate communication method
to the recipientto the recipient
Eliminating excessive or unnecessary Eliminating excessive or unnecessary
communication will improve your workflowcommunication will improve your workflow
Mastering these skills will improve your ability Mastering these skills will improve your ability
and enhance your careerand enhance your career

39. Effective Writing Skills
Discussion?Discussion?