One tip to writing clearly

It’s Friday let’s keep it short.

Today’s tip is about written communications. Here’s a powerful technique to help you say more with fewer words, to write that report, email, or text more directly, succinctly, and clearly.

It will help you slow down and edit your first draft -- because writing is re-writing. 

It will help you think about how your message will be received.

It brings the tool of your ear to the writing process.

Here it is:

Read your first draft out loud. 

Listen to yourself say what you wrote.

When you bring your ear to the process, you’ll hear if it makes sense.

You’ll hear if the other person will get it.

You’ll hear when something doesn’t sound right, identify what can be removed, what’s getting in the way of the message. 

Try it now. Read this sentence out loud:

There are a great number of hours wasted in the office by Dan.

Did you hear how weak that sounded? 

How would you re-write it?