Three writing “rules” to break. Now.
By Guest Blogger, Carie Sherman
When you rely on the written word to communicate with your customers, it’s important to extend the right image. Unless you want your customers visualizing you with a beehive hairdo or wearing MC Hammer pants, get with the times and forget these rules.
1. Type two spaces between sentences. Why this is wrong: Save yourself time and paper by forgetting this obsolete practice. I know, I know. It’s how you learned to type. But most major style guides agree that this practice went out the window with the typewriter. It’s not an easy habit to break. Until you get used to typing one space, use Microsoft Word’s “Find and Replace” function. So why did we type two-spaces anyway?
2. Avoid personal pronouns. Use “one” rather than “you.” Why this is wrong: One was lead to believe in school that one would always sound more professional by avoiding personal pronouns. Well, one sounds a little bit pompous when sticking to “one”—in this writer’s opinion anyway. When writing to your customers, you need to make a connection. It’s much easier to facilitate that connection by writing like you speak.
3. And finally, don’t start your sentences with And. Or But. Why this is wrong: Unless you’re writing for academia, keep it conversational. Only the most diligent grammarians avoid beginning sentences with a conjunction in conversation. And when was the last time you met one of them? As long as you don’t overuse conjunctions, they can help your writing flow and can help keep your readers’ attention.
Keeping your writing style up-to-date doesn’t need to be hard. Pay attention to the things you read and enjoy. Next time you start typing, think about the techniques and style that writer used. And model your piece accordingly.
Carie Sherman is a freelance writer based in Denver, Colo. Carie helps organizations craft messages that create action—on the Web, in print, and through social media. Connect with Carie at http://www.cariesherman.com.
