Lecture 5: Writing Page 35 - 43

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Normal Writing Take your time Organize your thoughts Write and rewrite

Business writing is not like normal writing

Business Writing Work under huge time pressures Must write quickly and under pressure

Business Writing Deadlines to meet Clients to please Meetings to schedule

Business Writing We must learn how to increase efficiency Objective: WRITE FASTER!

Business Writing Before we write, we must make some decisions:

Business Writing Set Communication Strategy Decide whether to write or not Split writing into stages

Business Writing Set Communication Strategy Decide whether to write or not Split writing into stages

Communication Strategy Set your objectives: General Action Communication

Communication Strategy What do I want? How will my writing help me get this? After reading, what will my audience do?

Communication Strategy Choose your style Tell? Sell? Consult? Join? This will keep you organized

Communication Strategy Know your Audience. This will help to structure your writing.

Communication Strategy Choose your channel. Which is the most appropriate?

Communication Strategy Choose your channel. For quick response, use email. For large decisions, a business report would be better

Communication Strategy Review lecture 4 and Chapter II for more on Communication Strategies

Communication Strategy Review lecture 4 and Chapter II for more on Communication Strategies

Business Writing Set Communication Strategy Decide whether to write or not Split writing into stages

“To write or not to write, that is the question”

Do I write? Do you have an important reason to write?

Do I write? Reasons: Someone has asked you to Way to stay organized Good format for making mistakes

Do I write? Is writing the best thing to do? Maybe a meeting or a phone call would be better.

Do I write? Do I want a permanent record? Are my feelings real or temporary? Are you the right person to be writing?

Do I write? Sometimes speaking is a better option... Do you need more audience feedback? Do you need a quick response?

I will write!

Business Writing Set Communication Strategy Decide whether to write or not Split writing into stages

Stages It will be more efficient to split your writing into the five stages of the writing process.

Stages Gathering Organizing Focusing Drafting Editing

Stages We will look at each of the five stages more in depth

Stages Gathering Organizing Focusing Drafting Editing

Gathering This is the first step There are different ways to go about it

Gathering Option 1: Collect from outside sources

Gathering Books Files Financial Statements Printouts Websites Interview people Etc.

Gathering Option 2: Be more intuitive. USE YOUR BRAIN!

Gathering Option 2: Be more intuitive. USE YOUR BRAIN!

Gathering Brainstorm: think very hard about your topic, alone or with others. Write it down! Free writing: make yourself write (even if it doesn’t make sense)

Gathering Always keep notes and carry paper and a pen. You never know when you might get an idea you need to write down.

Stages Gathering Organizing Focusing Drafting Editing

Organizing Once you have enough info, you must organize your thoughts. Many different ways of doing this

Organizing This should be a way for you to visualize your information.

Organizing A traditional outline A mind map A pyramid shaped chart

Organizing A traditional outline A mind map A pyramid shaped chart

Outline Use different labels 1,2,3; a,b,c; i,ii,iii; For items of different importance

Outline 1. Section Title Main Point 1 Supporting point 1

Organizing A traditional outline A mind map A pyramid shaped chart

Mind Map Put the main point in the middle and supporting points around it

Organizing A traditional outline A mind map A pyramid shaped chart

Pyramid Chart Main ideas on top Ideas get more specific as we work our way down

Pyramid Chart In the book. Page 39

Stages Gathering Organizing Focusing Drafting Editing

Focusing Now that you have your ideas organized, decide what are the important parts of your message

Focusing There are many techniques. Follow along on Page 40

Focusing Skimming Teaching 2 minute Summary

Focusing Imagine the reader “skimming” Skimming = to read very fast, focusing on main points, not details

Focusing Imagine the reader “skimming” What do they need to know the most?

Focusing Summarize your large number of ideas into a few sentences. This helps separate main and minor ideas

Focusing Teach your ideas Think about how you would teach these ideas to someone who is not an expert

Focusing Teach your ideas This makes you think about your audience. It is most important that they understand!

Focusing “2 minute summary” “Elevator Summary” Imagine your boss wants you to tell him/her about your report in two minutes

Focusing “2 minute summary” What would you say? What would you talk about?

Focusing Use one or many of these or other techniques

Focusing Now you have an organized, focused list. You may find now you have to go back and get more information

Focusing This is fine! Go back and research and organize more if necessary.

Writing Those first three steps: Gathering Organizing Focusing

Writing Are considered “pre-writing” Things you need to do before writing

Writing Pre Writing is just as important as writing! A good writer spends 50% of time prewriting. 50% of time writing.

Writing Once we are done prewriting, we must go to the writing phase.

Stages Gathering Organizing Focusing Drafting Editing

Drafting The first stage of writing.

Drafting Write in any order: Don’t worry about writing Introduction – Main Body - Conclusion

Drafting Write in whatever order is the easiest for you. Many people say to write Introduction last.

Drafting Avoid editing or correcting Drafting should be creative, not technical. Leave editing for after draft is done

Drafting Print! Print! Print! Print your draft and read it. Better to have a hard copy than to stare at the computer all day!

Drafting Take your time. After you are done drafting, take a break, relax before editing.

Drafting Take your time. This will give you time to organize your thoughts.

Drafting Take your time. This will give you time to organize your thoughts.

Stages Gathering Organizing Focusing Drafting Editing

Editing Edit for content Read through your paper. Make sure it says what you want it to.

Editing We will discuss this next time.

Editing Please Read Chapter III Pages 52-67