Power skills | Writing skills
Improving your writing skills
Written communication may not come as easily to you as working with numbers, but it is often a key part of an accountant’s job. Here are five ways to help you write clearly and succinctly
Words Sophie Cross
For numeracy-first people, writing doesn’t always come naturally. But using some simple techniques can significantly improve how well you write – and the more you do them, the better you’ll get over time.
1
Consider the purpose of your writing
What are you writing? Is it an email, social media post, blog, report or presentation? Who is it for, and what action do you want them to take after reading it? Consider what good examples from others look like and write the type of content you like reading. Use spacing and formatting to make it easier to consume.
"Decide the effect you want to produce in your reader"
ROBERT COLLIER
2
Use storytelling
Storytelling can be a powerful way to grab attention when used at the right time. You can use it to explain concepts that might be difficult to understand for those without experience, or to create resonance in presentations and articles. If you are stuck on a piece of writing, start in the middle or throw everything down you want to include without worrying about the order. You can concentrate on writing a solid title, opener and ending as the last thing you do.
“What matters isn’t storytelling. What matters is telling a true story well”
ANN HANDLEY
3
Write like you speak
Don’t be afraid to show off your personality and use a bit of humour in your writing. People want to work with people they like and will be more inclined to help those they get on with. There is no need to be overly formal in work communications; it is better to be friendly and to write how you would talk to someone. Test if you have done this by saying your writing out loud to yourself and hearing how it sounds. Would you use that same choice of words if you were speaking to them?
“If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it”
ELMORE LEONARD
4
Write with brevity
Keep it simple and keep it short. No one ever reads an email and wishes it had been longer. Make your writing ‘all killer, no filler’ and remove words like ‘just’ and ‘maybe’, which can demonstrate a lack of confidence. It is said in writing that the only purpose of every line is to get the reader to read the following line, so always bear this in mind and think, ‘Is that sentence serving a purpose?’
“If you can’t give the data directly and briefly, you must consider writing the copy again”
JAY ABRAHAM
5
Use AI… with caution
Of all the things AI can currently do, writing well isn’t one of them. So if you rely on it to communicate for you, you will likely end up with words that sound robotic and churned out. Use it for research, use it to have a conversation with about your ideas and use a tool such as Grammarly to check your spelling and grammar (but use this carefully, ensuring it is set to UK English and reviewing every suggestion to decide whether you want to accept it or not as it will often try to make changes to sound more formal or use words that you wouldn’t have used).
“Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read”
LEO BURNETT
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