Can Business Writing Skills be Taught?
I hear these concerns about business writing skills often:
- I never liked writing in college. I'm a math and science person.
- Writing is an art, not a skill.
- Business writing is a mystery and takes so much time!
None of these concerns should really worry anyone. Business writing is an important part of every career, and is one of the skills that all business people can master, just like everything else they do well on the job. The key is to apply an analytical approach to it.
Most business people have excellent analytical skills (especially if math and science were favorite college subjects.) So, instead of worrying about language and syntax at the start of a document, be analytical, and focus on the planning. Analyze:
- Who is my audience? What is the benefit for them? What do they know about my subject? Is this welcome information?
- Plan your document, before you begin writing. (Much more information in the course Effective Business Writing Techniques.) It is very inefficient to try to force your brain to be both analytical and creative at the same time, so don't waste time or get frustrated trying. Lean on your natural strengths and analyze first.
- Draft the document. This is the most creative part of this process. Just draft the document. This is not the place to worry about spelling, or syntax because...
- Editing is primarily analysis. Is content complete? Is format easy to absorb? Focus on smooth language and clarity here, not at the start of a document.
Of course, this is an extremely abbreviated summary, but following an analytical process will ensure you use your time most efficiently, and write better documents. Business writing is crucial to career success and a profitable company. With training and the right approach, every business person can master this skill.
How much can better writing save your organization?
