7 tips to improve your professional writing
1 – Master the professional vocabulary of your sector of activity
Each company has its own language and its own codes . Certain words and formulas are more likely to be used in your professional sector.
If you work in the sports industry, for example, you may use the terms “workout”, “session”, “run” or “warm-up” more. In a veterinary practice, you will use words such as “sting”, “anaesthesia” or “golden retriever”. Are you a secretary in the medical sector? Terms such as “pathology”, “cholesterol” and “digestion” will come in handy! Finally, if you work as an executive assistant, you will need to correctly write words such as “turnover” and “report”
If you have difficulty with your industry vocabulary or the spelling of these words, feel free to write down the words that you encounter regularly and that cause you problems . You can then improve on this specific sector, with vocabulary sheets, or mnemonic tricks to remember certain spellings.
2 – Ask yourself questions!
When you write, do not hesitate to doubt! The idea is not to lose confidence in yourself, but to ask yourself if a spelling mistake could not have slipped into your text
3 – Use a spell checker
This tip may seem obvious, when you’ve probably been using word processing software for a long time. But did you know that more and more email software now includes spell checkers ? A useful way to avoid errors in an email sent to your colleagues, customers or management .
If your e-mail software does not offer this functionality, do not hesitate to write your e-mails in a word processing software, then to copy and paste them into your e-mail software.
4 – Read up
Always take the time to proofread your email or document before sending it . Beyond the spelling mistakes that you can detect, you could detect certain sentences to reformulate. The idea is to put yourself in the shoes of an average reader, and ask yourself if all the information is worded in the most understandable way.
If possible, do not hesitate to let several minutes, even several hours, pass between writing a text and proofreading it. By “resting” your professional writing, you will more easily be able to take a critical and objective look at what you have written.
Do not panic: even the greatest authors reread each other, and are sometimes very hard with their writings! So don’t be too critical of yourself, and keep confidence in yourself.
5 – Get proofread
You can also ask some of your colleagues to proofread your professional documents before sending them. This is also a practice that some companies fully integrate into their working methods: a typing error happens quickly, and several pairs of eyes are better than one to detect them.
Do not hesitate to ask your colleagues for their tips on remembering certain spelling rules . Everyone has their mnemonic devices to know how to write certain words: share your tips and benefit from those of others.
6 – Read more
It’s no secret that the best way to build vocabulary and improve spelling is often through reading . Don’t like to read? Don’t worry: no one is asking you to read all the classic novels. Don’t have any complexes about reading more accessible books: literature for young adults, funny stories, adventure novels, romances… There’s something for everyone. Reading a book is also not mandatory to read more. Online articles, blog posts and news are also solutions.
7 – Be smart!
If you stumble on a formula or a word, do not hesitate to reformulate your text, to use a synonym or to use circumlocutions, in order to handle terms that you master .
These seven tips can help you solve some of the problems you encounter every day in your professional writing. To go further, you can take advantage of training.
Getting proofread by a colleague is a simple and effective solution to avoid spelling mistakes.
What training to improve your written expression at work?
The Voltaire Project offers you online solutions and training to improve your level of spelling or written expression and even your email writing skills in a professional setting. Our training courses and training tools are all adapted to the initial level of the user and guarantee long-term memorization thanks to Memory Anchoring® technology.
Leveling up on your own
The Voltaire Project offers several online training modules adapted to your starting level and your objective: spelling, expression , writing emails , spelling… For training in complete freedom, on computer, tablet or mobile!