A Writer’s and Editor’s Checklist
Readers want specific and relevant information in a clear style.
Before you write: think about your aim, audience, content, and then order your information.
- Define your aim in a sentence – know why you are writing
- Decide on your audience – know your reader
- Collect your information – to match your aim and your audience
- Organize your information – to guide your readers
When you write: keep your style clear and concise
- Use short sentences – use the 10-20-40 rule
- Use active verbs – turn passive verbs into active verbs
- Use specific, picturable nouns – nouns are the content of writing
- Use strong, action verbs – verbs are the action in writing
- Avoid jargon – keep acronyms, coined words, and technical terms under control
- Avoid cliches – like the plague
- Avoid foreign expressions – write in English
- Make every word count – cut any word, phrase or sentence that’s not essential
After you’ve written: Edit your draft
- Edit vigorously – cut anything that’s not essential to your aim and your audience’s needs
- Proofread – check your spelling, punctuation, grammar, consistency, and style
- Read through what you’ve written – make sure your writing flows.
Clear, concise and profitable writing
Using StyleWriter will not only help you and your organization improve your writing, but it will also help you to focus on what you are actually writing.
It will train you to reconsider the very reason for your writing and it’s purpose. Which will increase your own efficiencies.
The latest StyleWriter now checks your text for over a million issues. It’s become the style guide for Microsoft Word users.
