Poor Writing Skills Overshadow Good Content, Credibility & Revenues

AnaMariaVR2

Trusted Information Resource
Good content continues to be overshadowed by poor writing skills which substantially affect the bottom line. Examples of this problem is found everywhere:

Lost in Translation photo album at the Elsmar Cove Forum

What Corporate America Cannot Build: A Sentence

M.B.A. Recruiters' No. 1 Pet Peeve: Poor Writing and Speaking Skills

States spend nearly a quarter of a billion dollars annually on remedial writing

Poor corporate writing-- in press releases, ads, brochures, web sites, and more-- is costing companies credibility and revenues.

How much can poorly worded memos cost you?

How much time/money is wasted in?
+Unnecessary support calls caused by ambiguous instructions?
+Manuals, reports, working instructions and specifications that are hard to understand?
+Poorly written forms, applications or logbooks that are badly filled in?
+Confusing internal procedures, SOPs and regulations?
+Ineffective memos and business letters that are never answered?
+Undecipherable legal notices and briefs?

Has this carried any liability or risk to your organization?

What has been your experience?

I'm just curious to know how important are honing those writing skills for your training belt.:confused:

 
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M

Migre

Thanks for the links AnaMaria - there's some useful info in there.

As for tips and tools for better writing, I'll always remember some advice my physics teacher gave me 20-odd years ago - read anything and everything. Read often and don't just stick to the subjects you most enjoy or continually return to. Frequent reading will improve your writing. This is also a view echoed in Stephen King's excellent book on the subject: 'On Writing'. Whether you're a fan of King or not, that particular book is an excellent read.
 
S

SteveK

Again, thank you for the links.

When I did a creative writing course a few years ago the best advice given by the tutor was edit, edit and then edit.:2cents:

Steve
 

AnaMariaVR2

Trusted Information Resource
Thank you Migre & SteveK:thanx:

Lots of reading & editing cannot be left behind neither when working in improving writing skills.

 
A

adickerson

The BBC shorthand guide to style. It is written for the BBC market but this single pdf really broke down complex ideas into a simple language I could understand.
 

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Jim Wynne

Leader
Admin
Good content continues to be overshadowed by poor writing skills which substantially affect the bottom line. Examples of this problem is found everywhere:

Lost in Translation photo album at the Elsmar Cove Forum

What Corporate America Cannot Build: A Sentence

M.B.A. Recruiters' No. 1 Pet Peeve: Poor Writing and Speaking Skills

States spend nearly a quarter of a billion dollars annually on remedial writing

Poor corporate writing-- in press releases, ads, brochures, web sites, and more-- is costing companies credibility and revenues.

How much can poorly worded memos cost you?

How much time/money is wasted in?
+Unnecessary support calls caused by ambiguous instructions?
+Manuals, reports, working instructions and specifications that are hard to understand?
+Poorly written forms, applications or logbooks that are badly filled in?
+Confusing internal procedures, SOPs and regulations?
+Ineffective memos and business letters that are never answered?
+Undecipherable legal notices and briefs?

Has this carried any liability or risk to your organization?

What has been your experience?

I'm just curious to know how important are honing those writing skills for your training belt.:confused:


Something I wrote a few years ago on this subject: How to Write Good

 
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