Articles

How do you know your writing is up to scratch?
17 November 2017

How do you know your writing is up to scratch?

Many workplace communications, from emails to reports, never get read. One reason for this could be information overload or lack of time on the part of the reader. Another reason is that poorly written communications are simply too much hard work to read.

 

How to dramatically reduce the time you spend writing reports
1 November 2017

How to dramatically reduce the time you spend writing reports

There’s nothing like the pressure of a deadline at work to galvanise you into action. If you were one of those uni students who stayed up all night ...

The day my boss seriously maimed my report
3 October 2017

The day my boss seriously maimed my report

I still remember feeling devastated back in university when my lecturer returned my first Writing 101 assignment with the comment ‘Not bad for a first draft’. My masterpiece that I’d slaved over during the past week lay bleeding in my hands, riddled with red.

Perfecting the executive summary
22 August 2017

Perfecting the executive summary

Often the most challenging part of a report to write, the executive summary is possibly the most important. The executive summary provides a quick overview or synopsis of your report and may be the only part of your report that gets read. So it’s important to get it right.  

Punctuation: a critically endangered species
24 July 2017

Punctuation: a critically endangered species

Punctuation is one of the most misunderstood aspects of written English. Out of fear of getting it wrong, some people employ avoidance tactics and barely use punctuation at all. Others use punctuation willy-nilly in the hope of at least getting some of it right.

Get with the word power
14 June 2017

Get with the word power

Dictionaries are a treasure trove of interesting discoveries, as I found out when I was about eight. I loved doing my English homework, especially looking up words in the dictionary – flipping throu...
Writing on the run: 3 time-saving tips
1 May 2017

Writing on the run: 3 time-saving tips

Clear and concise writing free from grammatical and typographical errors does not happen instantly. Yet, the reality in many workplaces is that team members need to write reports and other communicati...
Are your images sending the right corporate message?
24 March 2017

Are your images sending the right corporate message?

Images are powerful communicators, the body language of written communication. An image or infographic can add clarity to the words. Images also set the tone of the publication and tell the reader a g...
Would you trust this company's app?
2 March 2017

Would you trust this company's app?

Business communications full of grammatical and typographical errors can lead to frustration and reputational damage.

Rocky relationship or perfect ‘marriage’?
15 February 2017

Rocky relationship or perfect ‘marriage’?

With words and images inextricably linked in our information-driven workplaces, it’s essential that the person responsible for producing the words (the wordsmith) and the graphic designer work as a...