- Scott Woronuik

Seven C'S

In today’s technical world, writing skills have taken a back seat when people try to communicate effectively through emails. What you make up in speeding up communications you lose in the convoluted messages that often leave your fingers as you write quick and easy emails.

Too often they are unfocused, longer than necessary, and waste time for the people receiving them. More and more people are simply discarding them to the recycle bin!

Effective business writing is becoming a lost art. Talk about a virus invasion! Check on some of the recent reports, proposals, resumes, and letters (people still send them!) you’ve received. Too often they are unstructured or poorly structured; unfocused - making you re-read the document to try to understand what the writer was trying to say.

To have people read your correspondence today, it is essential to the point". You don’t have to be formal to be easily understood. Sail the SEVEN C’S and be sure your message makes it to the dock.

  #1 Make sure your meaning is CLEAR.

• Watch your words – plain words over fancy ones.
• Avoid jargon. Use words familiar to your reader.

  #2 Keep your writing CONCISE.

• Keep sentences short. No more than 14 words
• Cut out extra words. For example, take out "and". Make two sentences.
• Go on a “which” hunt – take them out.

  #3 Make sure your message is COMPLETE

• Present all the facts in an easy to read, orderly manner.

  #4 Be CREATIVE

• Remember "Point form to inform - paragraphs to persuade."

  #5 Be COHERENT

• Watch sentence structure; phrases and clauses
• Keep your ‘voice’ active not passive Passive "Jane is loved by John." Active "John Loves Jane."

  #6 Be CONSIDERATE

• Your readers give their time – don’t waste it.
• Take the time to create your concise message so they won’t waste theirs.

  #7 Be CORRECT

• Check the structure; tenses; spelling; facts; read aloud or mouth silently; and double proof.