Tips for becoming a better writer

February 6, 2023/ Marcy Phelps / Investigative business, Reports / 8 comments

After 22 years in business, I’ve learned that writing is one of my biggest business assets. As a private investigator, my findings mean nothing if I can’t explain them to my clients clearly and succinctly. I blog and write articles to learn and to share what I’m learning with colleagues.

For some reason, though, at an early age I decided I couldn’t write. I thought writing was a gift only a chosen few could master. In college, I even majored in Math to avoid writing research papers. Then came grad school, volunteer work, and eventually my business. All required a lot of writing. My first client project involved lots of research and–you guessed it–writing. I was terrible at it for a while, and then I got better.

Writing clearly and succinctly is a skill we all need in the business world, yet I get pushback from those I mentor. I see sloppy client reports from people who’ve been in business a long time and emails that lack clarity and brevity.

The ability to use the written word to share information is simply not an option, though. What can you do to improve your writing? Here are some basic tips that I found helpful:

Start small – Nothing trains you say what you need in as few words as possible as writing short pieces. Summarize an article in a couple of paragraphs. Explain in 2-3 sentences what your favorite websites have to offer your colleagues. Write 200-word blog posts and expand from there.

Eliminate words – Write, revise, and–just when you think you’re finished–go back and delete anything you don’t need. Slash entire sentences, eliminate filler words like “very,” and use adjectives sparingly.

Practice – You won’t get good at anything if you only do it once in a while. Write as often as possible. Even 15-30 minutes a day, if done consistently, will make a big difference.

Don’t worry about the critics – You’ll get negative comments, and people will argue about your content. Some will suggest edits or other revisions. Ignore them and keep creating.

Read a lot – Reading gives you content for your social media posts and other writings, and it helps you become a better writer. Follow people who do it well and learn from those who don’t.

Don’t sweat the small stuff – Yes, you’ll make mistakes, and, honestly, people won’t care. Learn and move on.

Writing–no matter what you do–is one of the best business skills you can develop to set yourself up for success. Start with some simple steps to improve a little each day.

What would you add to this list?

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