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Good writing skills are just as important to
your success as finding buyers and closing deals. Your printed documents can
make or break the professional image that you work so hard to achieve.
Surely you remember a sales letter that you couldn't put down or an
advertisement that compelled you to purchase so you know good writing when
you see it. Does your writing hold the same talent?
Personally, I have done enough copywriting,
transcribing, editing and ghost-writing to where I read a novel and before I
finish I have earmarked two or three errors in the book. And this is after
"galley proofs" have been thoroughly scrutinized. But the Internet takes top
honors for grammatical errors.
I have read ads that state... "...you have
nothing to loose." Or... "I won't waist your time with...".
And the most frequent errors, "... your going to love this" and
"...this company knows there business".
Homonyms are the hardest to learn, and your
spell checker will never catch them because they are, in their own
right, a correctly spelled word. But they don't belong in these sentences.
You have nothing to lose.
(loose means not firm or tight)
I won't waste your time with (waist means waistline)
You're going to love this (your is possessive, you're
means you are)
This company knows their business (There means at, in or to
that place)
Tweaking is a word often used in writing for
the Internet. By reading your report or article out loud you can activate
your sense of hearing and add that to the visual sense. It also helps to let
a piece of writing "jell" overnight or a few days. You'd be surprised what
you will cut out or change doing this. And wouldn't it be a bonus if you
could find someone else to swap proofing with? You proofread theirs, they proofread
yours. Works for me.
Your spell checker can locate and correct
blatantly misspelled words, but if you meant "fit" instead "fat", it will
not be pointed out as an error. They are words spelled correctly but used
incorrectly, like meet/meat or no/know and numerous others. Such words,
called homonyms, often go unnoticed as errors, but can undermine your
writing skills.
Dictionary and thesaurus are the bibles of
writers. Add to this a good grammar guide and you'll swing with the pros.
Showcase your knowledge and professionalism by practicing these self-editing
tips and your clients will be properly impressed by your written messages.
© 2004 Esther Smith
About
the Author: Smith has published numerous articles and writes a blog for
all artists:
http://the-self-taught-artist.com/blog.html
She also coaches new students on how to leave the time-for-money trap and set up
Leveraged Income for life.
http://thepermanentventure.com/dcc.htm If you can’t sing or ride a
bull, you better learn how to make your money work for more money. |