Listen, Learn, Engage

Dot the I´s and Cross the T´s: Quality Writing Is Crucial

Posted by Kathryn Lee, August 10, 2010

Have you ever received an email or read an online article or posting that had so many errors that it was difficult to decipher the meaning? And after reading it, what was your impression of the person who composed it? Did you make any judgments about the individual based on the errors?

I’ve had friends and professional peers tell me that they don’t think it’s imperative to worry about content quality when sending quick emails to co-workers and those in their social and professional circles. One friend explained that he rarely uses capitalization when typing emails because he doesn’t see the point—others can surely understand his message, so why bother with capitalization?

But the way someone communicates, both orally and in written form, influences the way others perceive that person. And for many of us, even minor flaws that don’t necessarily hinder the meaning of a piece of writing can be distracting. They detract from the point that the writer is trying to make. Just a few seemingly trivial errors can lead readers to make assumptions about the person’s professionalism, and even worse, his/her competence.

Friends and co-workers may overlook a few misspellings and grammatical blunders, but what if careless mistakes begin to show up in correspondence with clients or prospective clients? I believe that high-quality communication is important no matter whom the receiver of the message is, but it’s essential with clients, as they might form negative impressions of you and your company based on mistakes in your writing. The level of quality of your correspondence with clients, not to mention your products and services, could mean the difference between getting and keeping happy customers and losing them to someone else.

I certainly understand that writing isn’t a top strength for everyone—this reality actually affords me some job security. But the fact is that business communication has changed tremendously in the last 20 or 30 years. In this digital age characterized by immediate interaction via email, social media sites, instant messaging, text messaging, etc., everyone is a writer! Whether you like it or not, the way you communicate the written word is out there for others to see.

So what can you do to ensure high-quality written material?

• For casual and non-critical correspondence, read and re-read your written material before sending it out. If you have the luxury of time, step away from what you’ve written for a bit, then read it again with fresh eyes. You might be surprised at the errors you catch and the language you tweak, even the second or third time you proofread it.
• Enlist a good professional editor for your mission-critical work. Even when you’re confident that there are no remaining imperfections in your material, we editors have a crazy eye for detail and somehow manage to find things that you don’t. We can also assist with consistency, style, and flow. If you don’t already know a professional editor, there are plenty of talented freelancers out there—LinkedIn is a good place to start.
• Ask a co-worker or friend whose communication skills you admire to proofread your material. This can be especially helpful when you don’t have the time or budget for a professional editor but have important information to convey. A fresh, objective perspective will often help improve your writing.

So, does the way others write influence your perception of them? What tips do you have for improving the quality of your writing? I’d love to hear from writing and editing pros as well as those in other fields!