I finished “Writing That Works” by Roman and Raphaelson over the long weekend. I thought it
contained some excellent tips on writing well and email etiquette – why should someone read your
email and take action...? Since we do a lot of writing/emailing in our day jobs, I thought we all could
benefit from its insights.
(1) Organise your writing clearly
When writing anything longer than a few paragraphs, it helps to tell the reader where you are going
and what you hope to achieve upfront.
Make an outline of the major points, underline each important section heading, place supporting
details in their proper position, and end with a summary. The summary should not introduce any
new ideas; it should summarize, as briefly as possible, the important points you have made.
(2) Use short paragraphs, sentences, and words. Strike out words you don’t need, and come to
the point.
Whenever you see a long paragraph, break it into 2 or more short ones.
Use the short word over the long word that means the same thing. For example, use ‘use’ instead of
‘initiate, ‘show’ instead of ‘indicate’, and ‘now’ instead of ‘currently’.
Be relentless in trimming words. Don’t write more than you have to. For example, we can replace
‘hold a meeting’ with ‘meet’, ‘at this point in time’ with ‘now’, ‘take action’ with ‘act’, etc.
Recognize that writing better does not mean writing more. Get to the point quickly. Skip the stuff you
don’t quite mean – pleasantries can often be skipped.
Take the time to boil down what you want to say, and express it confidently in simple, declarative
sentences. If it isn’t essential, cut it out. Always ask yourself, what can I get rid of?
(3) Make your writing active and personal
Use the active voice over the passive voice whenever possible – this adds personality and energy to
your writing. The passive voice hides who is speaking or taking action; the active voice reveals it.
Don’t say: It is recommended…
Say: We recommend…
(4) Avoid vague objectives and adverbs. Be specific.
State your meaning precisely.
Don’t say: Slightly behind schedule
Say: One day late
Being clear in the first instance minimises the need for the reader to ask for clarifications.
(5) Use down to earth language
Write the way you talk. Don’t speak like a lawyer or bureaucrat. I think it’s very common nowadays in
the workplace to use consultant speak, which is quite off-putting – “let’s circle back”, “let’s interface”,
“let’s leverage on this”, etc.
Always ask yourself if you could be less abstract and more down to earth.
(6) Keep in mind what your reader doesn’t know
I think it’s good we have dictionary to keep track of all the acronyms and abbreviations flying around,
but really – if we use abbreviations, we need to define them the first time they appear in our emails.
(7) Make it perfect
It goes without saying, but check for typos, misspellings, errors in numbers or dates. A reader who
spots your errors may justifiably question how much care and thought you have put into it.
I myself use ChatGPT to check for errors and summarise for longer emails – not perfect, but it’s a
good first cut.
(8) Consider setting a deadline
If you expect a response, you may want to set a deadline so that the response is not at the reader’s
inclination, which may be never. Be specific about next steps.
(9) Use typographic devices for clarity and emphasis
Use underlines and italics judiciously for this.
(10)
When you are asking for something, say what you want right away
Don’t start by explaining why you want it. Your reader won’t be interested in your reasons before you
reveal what you’re asking for.
First, what you want; second, who you are and why you want it; third, an expression of appreciation
for favors to come.
(11)
If you want action in an email, list only one name in the ‘TO’ field
With more than one name, it is not clear who has the responsibility to act and becomes likely that no
one will take it on