Prompt Proofing Blog Post: How to Improve Your Writing - Part 6

VANCOUVER, BC, May 13, 2011 (Press-News.org) This is the last of a six-part series on improving your writing style. Whether you write for business or academic purposes, there are a few golden rules that will help you sharpen up your prose.

Part 6 - Adjust your style to fit your audience

"Well, duh!", I hear you say; unfortunately this is not as obvious as it might seem. Basic rule of thumb: professional documents require a professional writing style whereas informal documents allow you to be more relaxed. That said, if an informal document is being written in a professional or business related environment, the writer should still take care to use correct grammar and punctuation; yes, even for memos and 'in-house' emails. A chatty style is generally fine if you're asking a co-worker for a quick favour but you never know who, beyond the intended recipient, may see your notes - this is particularly true of emails, which are notoriously often sent to the wrong recipient, and being overly casual or indiscreet concerning a colleague can make you look unprofessional and untrustworthy.

So what do we mean by 'professional' documents and are these all the same? Anything to do with work or business is professional but within that broad category there are many distinctions. If you have to prepare legal documents or write legal arguments, for example, then appropriate wording and punctuation are essential, as well as correct grammar and spelling. Even a misplaced comma in a legal document can change the meaning. If your business writing is going to appear on a company's website then - again - it must be painstakingly proofread. If I had a dollar for all the typos I've spotted on the websites of even the most prestigious companies I'd be relaxing in my beach house in Maui right now, yet still copywriters don't seem to think it necessary to check web content - weird!

However, the formality of your writing style will depend on the nature of your company's business. Banks, finance companies, medical websites, insurance companies, law offices, architects, etc. all require formal language. However, if you are writing for a bistro or pub, or for an entertainment website, then it is not only permissible but actually desirable to adopt a more casual tone. If the web copy you are writing is a blog, then a conversational tone, though still grammatically correct, is usually appropriate, and more appealing to the reader. Blog writers can (and often do) use cliches (despite my warnings in Part 4!) and jargon or colloquial expressions.

Students presenting papers for grading must always be formal in their language use, trust me, your professor will not be amused by colloquial expressions and mastering a scholarly, academic writing style should be your first step on entering higher education.

So when is a more informal style acceptable? Personal emails, Facebook, Twitter, letters (if anyone still writes letters) to family and friends, notes asking your neighbour to water your plants; all these require a chatty, informal style. Additionally, 'textspeak' (LOL, TTYL, BFN, etc.) and emoticons are acceptable for friendly emails, Facebook and Twitter (texting acronyms are almost de rigueur for the last two). One last word of advice though, particularly with regard to Facebook and Twitter; avoid profanity and personal details of your love life or drunken exploits unless you are 100% certain that only very select 'friends' can see your posts. Apart from the possibility of your mother reading about your mammoth hangover (or worse), bear in mind also that employers now use social media extensively when recruiting, so take care over what you post or at least over who can see it!

About Prompt Proofing

Prompt Proofing is based in Vancouver, BC, Canada and was officially launched in 2010 by a team of editing and writing professionals who have over 40 years of experience in the education, news media, public relations and recruitment fields. Prompt Proofing prides itself on affordable services delivered with fast turnaround times, without sacrificing quality or accuracy.

Offering content writing, editing and proofreading services, Prompt Proofing takes care of your individual or business content needs. Visit our website for more information at http://www.PromptProofing.com.

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