Writing tips
How to focus on what really matters when you’re writing at work
Tips for plain language
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Find out why words, structure, and design are the triple creators of clarity - and get an easy ‘how to’.
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Do you waffle? Here’s how to slash through your waffle with lightning clarity and keep only the powerful words.
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We ALL write jargon. This tip helps us root out the inevitable!
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Why do we write jargon? Why does it keep coming back? Here’s why, and what we can do about it.
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Challenging yourself to be creative with words is fantastic - when you’re writing poetry. Here’s why, in business, it’s a better idea to stick to familiar words.
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How you write your links matters more than you think. Learn how to make your links enticingly clickable
The art of the click-worthy link -
Like freckles, acronyms just keep appearing. But with the right routine, you can reduce the overall number.
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Here's a quick tip to reduce fluff and emotionality in your writing.
ly words can often be deleted
Tips for planning your writing
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A clear goal is everything. So if your goal in writing is ‘They’ll be informed’, you need to dig deeper. Here’s how.
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Answer your readers’ core questions up front to hook them. What are those first three questions? Read on!
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If you’re writing to discover what you think about your topic, you’ll write waaaay too much. Here’s one simple question to drastically shorten your writing process.
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Sounds obvious, right? But we don’t always do it. Here’s why we don’t ask directly, and why it’s a good idea to push through the discomfort.
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You think your document works, but how do you know? Here's how to user-test your writing.
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People have different needs when reading in print versus on a screen. Here are some useful rules of thumb.
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Plan your document by thinking of your reader's questions as a piece of coral. It's weird, but it works!
Coral helps you plan -
What could I have done differently? Here's when this becomes a very useful question.
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Getting to the point sounds easy, but it's not always the first thing we think of. Here's how to do it and a great example.
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Don’t panic when you’re asked to write a new type of document. Focus on goal, reader, and questions – and you’re halfway there.
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You know more than you think you know. Find out how this gets in the way of targeting your message to your reader.
Cut through the Curse of Knowledge
Tips for writing
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No surprises here - shorter is usually sweeter. Here’s a question to help you cut out the unnecessary.
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Don’t destroy your sentences while trying to make them short. Here’s a way to know if you’ve gone too far.
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Are you keen to take an audience-based approach to using te reo Māori in your English writing? Here you go…
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The subject line or title is your big chance to hook your reader! Here’s how to make the most of it.
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Have a tricky or technical concept to get across? Here’s how to do it effectively.
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Will Durant, inspired by Aristotle, wrote “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” Great workmates habitually edit their writing before sending it.
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"Perfection is the enemy of progress". Winston Churchill was right – here's how and why to stop chasing perfection in a first draft.
Don't sweat the small stuff (until it's time to) -
Discover New Zealand's shocking literacy statistics and what they mean for you at work.
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It's so easy to waffle! Here's something to inspire concise, timely writing.
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What does one of the greats say about what makes for great writing?
Tips for formatting
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People adore visual variety. Here’s a trick to make your writing visually interesting.
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You can paragraph it, or you can list it. Why are lists a great option? And how do you know when you’ve gone too far?
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Find out how to release your hidden lists to create more visual variety in your writing.
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Studies show our eyes move in an F pattern when we read. Here's how to make the most of this natural tendency with formatting.
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Headings are the trump-card of formatting – incredibly powerful, but underused in professional writing. Here's a smorgasbord of options to make the most of your headings.
Tips for tone
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We agonise over tone. Are we too blunt, or too friendly, or something in between? Here’s a way to strike the balance.
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Find yourself repeating the same messages? Can’t believe they haven’t ‘got it’ yet? About to go insane? Here’s how to flip your approach.
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You probably think that a formal writing style, by default, creates a professional tone. That’s a lie, and here’s why.
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Here’s why it’s a good idea to push back when your instinct tells you to ramp up the formality in your writing.
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We use cliches because they’re safe. We don’t have to try: these pre-made phrases save us having to think. But we lose the chance to connect!
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Find out more about the persuasive power of positive framing!
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How do you get a second opinion when there's no one around to give you one? Use AI.
Tips for grammar
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If you think you’re bad at grammar, I’ve got great news! You’re not! Find out what grammar actually is, and why you’re highly competent at using it.
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Here’s a trick for fixing over-use of passive voice. Use ‘you’ and ‘we’. Find out why this is such an effective work-around.
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Here's a prompt to fix those embarrassing errors you can't spot yourself.
Tips for managers
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Here’s a formula to use when you’re commenting on other people’s writing. It’s supportive, helpful, and direct.
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Might you be changing people’s writing to suit your personal preference? This can make you a less effective reviewer, so here’s a way to check.
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'Commissioning' is when someone at work asks you to write something, like a report. That someone is usually your manager or a senior leader.
How well-formed their request is will make or break your experience of writing the document.
Good commissioning = smooth ride -
Writing a document isn't always the best way to get work done. Here are the signs that suggest it's time to take your hands off the keyboard.
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Find out why it’s so hard to change people’s writing to a plainer style and what power you have to make the change easier.
How to tackle people's instinct to change clear writing back again