How to Communicate Effectively When Writing

When writing, especially when writing is your career, the skill of communicating effectively is necessary. The basics of communicating effectively are making the focal point of the piece easy to pinpoint, and making the piece easy to understand. Follow these steps to communicate effectively when writing, whether it's just an e-mail or an important report that you will give to your boss.

Instructions

1. Decide on what information you want to include in your writing. State the items by level of importance, from most important to least. Finally, if you need the reader to do something after reading what you wrote, such as in an email or memo, state this in the closing paragraph.

2. Try to keep sentences concise and to the point. Some word processing programs will check for wordiness for you. In addition, try to use active voice, which will make stronger and shorter sentences. Again, some word processing programs can check for unwanted use of the passive voice so that you can change it.

3. Write for your audience. Use simple language that they will be able to understand, while staying away from clichés or complex terms and phrases. Repeat aloud what you wrote to catch phrases that may not make sense.

4. Use correct grammar and spelling. While word processing programs will catch obvious misspellings, they might not catch a properly spelled word used in the wrong context. Proofread your piece before passing it along for someone else to read.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid repetitive sentences. You want your writing to be as straightforward as possible so that your reader understands the purpose of the writing and doesn't feel confused or have to ask for clarification.