I Wrote a First Draft…Now What?
Most of us write emails, reports, and more all day at work. Once we have a first draft, what should we do next? As strategic business communicators, we can try out the following ideas to help uplevel our business writing to help us meet our goals.
Let It Sit For a Few Days
If possible, it can be helpful to let something we write sit for a while so we come back to it with fresh eyes. As you reread it, are there places that are confusing? Will the language resonate with the people we want to reach? Does the communication accomplish the goal we have for it?
Make Sure Messages Are Clear
We need to make sure our messages are clearly said so we can achieve our goals for it. Use short, simple sentences. Highlight key takeaways. Break up long sections with headings, bullets, or bolded words. Make it obvious what the call to action is at the end of the piece. Also check out these tips to be more specific with our business writing.
Additionally, think beyond words. Consider adding visuals if and where it makes sense. Photos, graphics, and more can help clarify a point for our audiences.
Make the Words Sing
When editing something we have written, we want to make sure the words we use help our story sing. Check out these articles with tips to do it and become a master at editing:
- 50 Filler Words to Remove from Your Business Writing
- 11 Tips to Improve Your Writing at Work
- Four Common Writing Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Ask for Feedback
Another tip is to ask for feedback, especially if there is an opportunity to share it with anyone in the intended audience before it is officially shared with them. Ask people to confirm whether they understand everything in the communication, or if they need something clarified. Find out what questions they have.
Also, keep in mind that we can do this after we share something we have written as well. This helps us improve our business writing over time and we can work in any lessons learned into our future projects.
Take Action
Pick an upcoming email, report, article, or another piece you need to write for work. Give yourself enough time to try out one or more of these tips to improve the communication.
Other Articles You Might Like
- 3 Books to Become a Better Writer at Work
- 3 Tips to Write Better Subject Lines in Your Business Emails
- Mastering the “Three Vs” Communication Model for Better Business Presentations
- How to Write a Killer Professional Bio
- 5 Thought Starters to Come Up with Ideas for Blog Posts
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