Tips for Writing Better Business Documents

Business writing can be ineffective: wordy, confusing, rambling, and full of acronyms. One tip for writing better documents is to follow the 10 steps below.
The Pre-writing Stage:
Step 1. Prepare (mentally, physically, environmentally...)
Step 2. Generate (question, interview, research, determine objectives)
Step 3. Organize (cluster, outline, subordinate, coordinate...)
Step 4. Develop (add details, examples, sensory word choices, action verbs, concrete nouns...)
The Writing Stage:
Step 5. Draft (a document written from the writer's perspective)
Step 6. Compose (a document written for the reader's perspective)
The Post-writing Stage:
Step 7. Incubate (allow time for relaxation or diversion from the writing task)
Step 8. Edit (add, delete, change..)
Step 9. Revise (make the edits)
Step 10. Proofread (correct any errors, distractions, or distortions)
Second Tip: Using a template for routine messages can simplify the Pre-writing Stage.
Third Tip: Write out the words of any acronym you want to use; follow the words with the acronym in parentheses, and use the acronym thereafter in the document.
Fourth Tip: Ask for help from others to edit and proofread. Remember you should be your first proofreader and your last proofreader; nonetheless, you are also your worst proofreader. Why? Because you know what you meant to say and may not recognize that you failed to say it clearly.
Fifth Tip: Use reverse scheduling to make appointments with yourself for the writing process--step by step--to be completed before your deadline!

Writer's Bill of Rights

The writer has the right
1. To ask questions to explore the audience, the purpose, and pertinent content.
2. To think and plan before writing a sentence.
3. To draft out of order and rearrange later.
4. To use punctuation to guide the reader's understanding, sentence by sentence.
5. To add transitions to plot a logical progression of thoughts.
6. To use spell check and a collegiate-size, hardcopy dictionary.
7. To use grammar check and a style guide, such as William Sabin's Gregg Manual of Style.
8. To read aloud to hear the word choices, flow, and tone.
9. To ask a trusted reader to give feedback.
10. To revise and rewrite to satisfaction or perfection, as time and task warrant.
Furthermore, these rights assist the writer in fulfilling the writer's duty: making the reader's job of reading, comprehending, thinking--and maybe, even, agreeing--easy.

Confusing Word Usage in Technical Business Writing

Technical Writing actually resides under the umbrella of Business Writing. Many businesses have technical content or components in our technological age, so writing to coworkers, team members, vendors, customers, clients, and any others associated with the business must be deliberate: we cannot write on remote control or automatic pilot. We must make conscious decisions, differentiated from habit. Consequently, the following list of 10 confusing combinations of words and how they are used correctly and effectively will help you write those technical communications:
that (restrictive: only one qualifies) vs. which (nonrestrictive: one among many),
effect (a result or to make happen) vs. affect (an emotive state or to influence),
result (highly persuasive word choice) vs. outcome (a desired learning demonstration),
its (possessive pronoun similar to hers, his, ours, yours) vs. it's (a contraction for it is),
your (possessive pronoun for you) vs. you're (a contraction for you are),
then (a time reference) vs. than (a comparison reference),
fewer (used with count nouns) vs. less (used with amount nouns),
number (used with count nouns, such as envelopes) vs. amount (used with non-count nouns, such as mail),
a number (an undisclosed count) vs. the number (the exact count), and
because of (direct cause-effect reference) vs. due to (a contributing-factor reference).
Knowing these confusing combinations will give you the confidence to "say what you mean, and mean what you say" (or write)!