Ease in Writing: Checklist for Writers

Ease in Writing
Writing Tips from Full Circle Communications

August 2008

In This Issue

Checklist for Writers

Improve Your E-Writing

Mentor Yourself

Ease in Writing?

"Ease in writing" comes from a poem by Alexander Pope, the British poet:

True ease in writing comes from art, not chance,
As those move easiest who have learn'd to dance.

Note he (and I) didn't say "easy writing." But just like dance lessons can help get you around the floor with your partner more gracefully, the goal for this newsletter is to share a tip or two each month so you can improve how your organization communicates in writing.

About Full Circle

Writing, editing, and project management for print and online publications

Training and consulting on writing and other communication topics

Have a question about how to tackle an upcoming project?

Call 703.212.0349 or drop me an e-mail.

Checklist for Writers

Here's a great, all-in-one-place checklist that can turn a daunting writing assignment into a series of do-able tasks. I adapted it from a handout that a teacher gave my son (about to go off to college) when he was in fourth grade.

The advice is sound for all of us. Just substitute your next project (report, essay, speech) for the word "paper":

___I planned my paper before writing it.

___I drafted my paper to be sure that

___the introduction captures the reader's attention
___I have a central idea that is supported with specific information and examples that will be interesting to the reader
___the content relates to my central idea
___ideas are organized in a logical manner
___my sentences are varied in length
___my sentences are varied in the way that they begin
___the conclusion brings my ideas together.

___I revised my paper to be sure that

___correct grammar is used
___words are capitalized when appropriate
___sentences are punctuated correctly
___words are spelled correctly
___paragraphs are clearly indicated.

___I checked my paper to make sure it captures all the elements listed above.

Feel free to print this out as a quick reference so that your next writing assignment does not loom quite so large.

E-Writing Workshop: September 30 and October 4

Is your website a winner or a wash-out? Does your blog boost your business or bog you down?

Foot step chart

Learn and practice techniques to improve your online writing in the workshop I teach through Fairfax County Adult and Community Education.

Next session: September 30 and October 4, 7 to 9 p.m., at Marshall High School (just inside the Beltway on Route 7). Participants tell me they go back to work with lots of ready-to-apply tips from me and others in the class. If you can't make it, consider suggesting the workshop to a friend or colleague.

E-mail me for more information or go to the Fairfax ACE website.

Mentor Yourself

Joanne Lozar Glenn has lots of tested, practical ideas in her book Mentor Me: A Guide to Being Your Own Best Advocate in the Workplace. Each topic includes an Action Plan to apply what you read. Check out the table of contents or read more about the book and how new or transitioning professionals can use it.

Attention, Authors!

Have you written a book or article? Do you have a communications-related blog or newsletter? I would love to share the information with others. Let me know what you have created and I'll write about it (and link to it) in another issue of this newsletter!