Streamline Training & Documentation: If You Can Talk, You Can Write

Monday, April 24, 2006

If You Can Talk, You Can Write

I can't help but notice how often people who are engaging and persuasive when they speak, take a defeatist view of their ability to write. Or they let themselves be satisfied with subpar writing when, by adhering to a few basic, reader-friendly principles and techniques, they could produce much better letters, memos, proposals and reports.

I am firmly of the opinion that if you can talk, you can write. So one suggestion I often offer people who find getting words down in writing is painfully slow, is to use a dictaphone or other recording device for the first draft.

You are almost sure to find that your words flow more quickly if you just let yourself talk in a natural way. Don't worry about stylistic issues; you'll deal with those when you revise. Just speak about the points you have to cover as though you were explaining to a friend or colleague over coffee.

After you've transcribed your recording, perhaps making some initial revisions on-the-fly, you can work on polishing. Here are basic principles and techniques to keep in mind:

Make sure that the content and tone of your document match your audience. For example, a letter to a client will generally be more formal than a memo to an internal team you're on.

Provide a summary at the beginning. (In a report, this would be the "executive summary.")

In a document longer than a page-and-a-half, use subheads to make it easy for the reader to see at a glance the main points you're making. (Reading through the subheads is also a good way for you to check that the flow of your document is smooth and logical.)

Back up assertions with evidence, and give the sources of your evidence.

Avoid implicit assumptions that are open to dispute. Instead, make all significant assumptions explicit, and explain why you believe they are reasonable.

If inserting graphics won't take more time than you can afford for the particular document you're working on, include visual aids that help your reader grasp your logic and evidence.

Use transitional statements to guide your reader from one point to the next in your exposition. ("In light of the demographic trends just described, we recommend ...")

While working on your final draft, you can use this checklist as a guide:

Any unnecessary words that can be pared away?

Any debatable assertions not backed up by relevant evidence? Any evidence cited without giving the source? Any unsafe assumptions?

Any grammatical errors?

Any spelling mistakes?

Any clichés that give the writing a tired sound? Any alienating jargon?

Any specialized vocabulary that you can't be sure your readers know? If Yes, substitute more familiar terms, or provide definitions that your readers can understand.

Any abrupt jumps that should be fixed by adding transition statements?

Any sentences that are too long to follow without struggling and rereading?

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Labels: Communication, Documentation

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