- Write a lot and read a lot. Not just the engineering or technical journal. Read good writing - things like the New Yorker.
- Practice.
- Read it aloud.
- Be direct and clear. Get to the point. Don't over write. Tell the story like you would tell the story to your friends in a bar. Be yourself.
- Use active sentences.
- Eliminate needless words.
- Keep it simple. Be specific.
- Write for scannability.
- Invite action - - give the reader a link!!! When I read anything online anymore and the writer has not embedded links to take me to additional information - - very disappointed.
- Revise - - good writing is about good editing.
- Get the first draft 100% done before you start to edit and revise.
- When you catch an adjective - - kill it.
- Know when to violate some or all of the above.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Best Practices for Professional Writing
From the contractor to the engineering consultant, one thing should be very clear in the era of screens. Every organization is a publisher. Since we are all publishers, we need to start thinking and acting like professional writers. This is my list of best practices for engineers:
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