Your writing is one of the primary mediums in which you will be judged throughout your life. The emails, texts, and reports you send on a daily basis are a physical representation, and record, of you . Over time, these representations build your reputation and impact the relationships you need to thrive in your career.

Your communication style defines you

<ul><li>Who : Who is my audience? </li><li>What : What do they need to know? </li><li>When : When does this apply, when did this happen, or when do they need to know it by? </li><li>Where : Where is this happening? </li><li>Why : Why do they need this information? </li><li>How :How should they use this information? </li> </ul>You also need to ask yourself, "Do I really need to send this email?" Professionals in every sector are inundated with emails every day, many of which are unnecessary. Save yourself and your reader time by making sure that each email you send is truly necessary and relevant.

Use 5 W's and H method for writing emails

Once you've identified what you need to say, get to the point quickly. People are always pressed for time, and they will appreciate your brevity. Need more convincing? Stop and think about how frustrated you feel after reading an email that's three times longer than it needs to be, with the main points buried way at the bottom. It's a waste of time and energy, right? Don't make your audience go through this - be brief.

Keep it short and dont bury the lede

Grammar and spelling mistakes are embarrassing, and they hurt your credibility. Sure, you can rely on spellcheck tools, but they don't catch everything, especially words that are used out of context. Once you're finished writing, proofread it immediately. And, whenever possible, put it away and read it again a few hours (or a few days) later. Giving yourself some distance from the writing will help you spot mistakes you might have missed on the first read-through. Pro Tip : When proofreading, read each sentence carefully. Take the advice of George Orwell, who states, "A scrupulous writer, in every sentence that he writes, will ask himself at least four questions, thus: What am I trying to say? What words will express it? What image or idiom will make it clearer? Is this image fresh enough to have an effect? And he will probably ask himself two more: Could I put it more shortly? Have I said anything that is avoidably ugly?"

Tips from George Orwell

Anyone can learn to be a better writer, and the best way to improve your own writing is to practice . The more you write, the better you'll get. You can also consider taking a free online business writing course through <a href="https://www.coursera.org/learn/writing-for-business#pricing">Coursera </a>. The class was created by the University of Colorado-Boulder and is free if you audit.

Free business writing class

Stop and think about how many emails you write each day at work. According to a study conducted by Carleton University, professionals spend one-third of their time at work reading and answering emails. You might spend more than this, or less, but chances are, a significant portion of your day is spent writing something.

10 Simple Ways to Improve Your Business Writing Skills

Ashley Puderbaugh