Manage Your Writing

This week: Have a conversation

In his book The Postmodern Organization, William Bergquist argues eloquently for the importance of conversation in an organization. "Goods and machines," he writes, "are parts of the organization, whereas conversations are the essence of the organization."

Conversation can be written as well as spoken. A letter to a supplier that begins, "I certainly enjoyed our conversation yesterday; it was fascinating to hear about your trip to Kyrgyzstan," is a letter that continues a conversation. In fact, more and more conversation is occuring in writing, especially in the form of e-mail.

This week, give yourself permission to be somewhat more conversational in messages where it is appropriate to do so. You'll build better relationships with your readers.

This week: PACK your bags

A writer and reader have to be alike in some way (even if it's just in knowing the same language), or communication isn't possible. They also have to be different in some way, or communication isn't necessary.

This week, as you plan each piece of writing, ask yourself "How are my reader and I alike and different?" Specifically, ask how you and your reader are alike and different in

• Personality: Are you introverts or extroverts? Are you thinkers or feelers? etc.
• Attitude: How will your reader feel about what your message says?
• Circumstances: Where will your reader be? What else will he or she be doing?
• Knowledge: What do you both know? What don't you both know?

Just remember the acronym PACK. Before you start each journey through the writing process, PACK your bags with a rich sense of who your reader is. 

This week: Write a one-minute outline

When many of us were in school, outlining had a lot to do with Roman numerals, Arabic numerals, capital letters, and lower-clase letters. As a result, when someone mentions outlines, we run away fast.

Outlining can be much easier than that. When you're planning a piece of writing, just jot down--in any order--the ideas you want to include. Then take a minute, or less, to put them in the best order for your reader. 

If your ideas are on a computer screen, just drag them around. If they're on scratch paper, just number them:

"Let's see, I'll put this in paragraph 2, this in paragraph 4, this I'll leave out, this in paragraph 1, this also in paragraph 2, and this and this I'll also leave out."

Bingo. You have an outline. And you'll have a more effective message.

This week: Start tough (sometimes)

Mark McCormack, in What They Still Don't Teach You in Harvard Business School, lists what he calls the eight "toughest" messages to deliver:

1. This is how you do it.
2. I want to sell you. 
3. I goofed. 
4. I have some bad news for you. 
5. You did a great job. 
6. Dear Boss, you're wrong. 
7. This is how you rate.  

McCormack continues, "I would read a memo that began with any one of these sentences."

This week, as you plan or revise your messages, think about their first sentences. Although you won't always want to start as directly as McCormack advises, you'll still want to think about that first impression you make.