Writing without bullshit
Resources:
https://withoutbullshit.com/goodies#tips
Notes:
- Merits of Business Writing: Clarity, Integrity, Value
- Why bullshit: fear, risk
- Treat the readers' time more valuable than your own
- Jargon, weasel words -- "very", "deeply"
- A weasel word is an adjective, adverb, or noun that indicates quantity or intensity but lack precision
- "Many" "low" -- how many? How low?
- Hate qualifier and eliminate them
- Do hard work
- "Net it out in three clear points"
- Be frank, even if in good time, you can write a email with subject like "We are not succeeding yet"
- Edit your text. Load your main point upfront!
- General writers write for a lot of reasons: to entertain, to inform, or to persuade. Business writers write for one reason: to get things done / create a change in the reader
- Use passive voices can hide responsibilities
- Cherry closing makes you feel better, but does nothing for the readers
- Use fewer words
- Harmful: "very", "considerable", "on the other hand"
- If all readers read is my subject line, will I still have communicated something useful?
- Announce your main idea and use less than 250 words to justify it (for any email)
- Big words sound impresses but makes a big noise, e.g. "state-of-the-art"
- A mission statement written in plain language (e.g. Google's) is more effective than big words
- Term/Jargon: reduce them, but
- Use jargon you are sure that all your audience know
- Define before use
- Define in the beginning if used multiple times
- Meaningful numbers
- Compare with similar stuff
- Compare with its own history
- Explain how to test your conclusion / who backs it
- Have good structure
- Bullets, sections -- even in email and tweets
- Use graphics, forms etc.
- Stop writing nothing but words, as if you are writing on a scroll with a quill pen
- Graphics pay their dividends by flexibility (e.g. you/others can copy&paste and put in any context with ease)
- Be paranoid early for your writing tasks
- Readers, Objective, Actions, and iMpression
- After reading this piece, [readers] will realize [objective], so they will [desired actions] and think of me/us as [desired impression]
- Distractions make us dumb
- Brains that are low on blood sugar don't concentrate well
- But don't just create hyperawareness for a short time using sugar/caffeine rush.
- Roles of the potential collaborators
- Primary authors: no more than 2 - both being responsible for the final writing
- Editors
- Project Manager
- Researcher
- Contributors
- Advisory reviewers
- Gatekeepers
- Fact-checkers
- Copy editors
- Start writing by agreeing on your readers, objectives, desired actions, and hoped-for impression.
- Each task has a leader responsible for it
- Lead researcher
- Lead visionary
- Lead data analyst
- ...
- Figure out whose names go first -- more well-known person or the one who originates the idea
- What's your deadline? A great edit handed in too late is worse than worthless. It's demoralizing
- Shit sandwich
- Structure offers Skimmability
- It's Not Clear Why the Piece Even Exists
- Why am I reading this?
- Who is the audience?
- What's the objective?
- What action do they expect the readers to take?
- Do a ROAM analysis
- Why am I reading this?
- Set aside a sacred writing time. Learn what flow feels like
- For email: after reading the email, the recipients will understand what I need, send it to me, and perceive me as efficient.
- When you send some condition to your boss, also include a recommendation. But don't tell your boss what to do
- Content Markting & Social media:
- Blog post: Your readers should subscribe to your blog, share it, and check out your products
- Social media piece: share and click. Spread. Reach.
- Avoid large group text with no focus.
- Avoid text speak and emojis.
- Answers: Yes, No, A number, I don't know (and will get back to you in X days).