Avoid These 5 Common Writing Mistakes to Sound More Professional
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No one said writing was easy, but most agree that it’s an important skill to master if you want to improve your career.
In fact, surveys show that effective communication is the top skill employers are looking for.
Employers value good communicators - people who can effectively and clearly communicate information, ideas, values, and concepts
In business, communication is the foundation of any transaction and the deciding factor in many sales. In healthcare, effective communication is the difference between life and death. In government, clear communication builds transparency and trust.
Those who can influence, persuade, and change minds are viewed by employers as valuable talent. They’re also usually the ones advancing in their careers.
Communication skills take many forms - from active listening, confidence in speaking, body language used, to choosing the correct medium - becoming an effective communicator requires training and intentional practice.
Like any skill or craft, the same is true for becoming a good writer. Most experts agree that the more you write, the better you’ll become.
But what happens when your writing is riddled with errors you didn’t even know you made?
Whether you’re writing content for your website, a paper for school, or a memo for your boss, there are a few writing mistakes that are easy to make. But the good news is that once you know about them, you can learn to avoid them.
Here are 5 common mistakes to avoid when writing:
Writing without a plan
It can be really tempting to just start putting words on the page - especially if you’re under a deadline!
I’m here to tell you that writing without having a clear direction and hoping you’ll figure it out along the way isn’t the best idea.
Putting ideas on the page can be an extremely useful brainstorming tool, but when you’re writing for business, writing before you know where you’re headed can result in a lot of wasted time, extra research, and hours of unnecessary edits.
When it comes to formal business writing like a white paper, memo or press release, it can be more efficient to begin by determining how you want to structure the final piece before the brainstorming begins.
The structure of a piece of content looks different depending on the type of content being written. Many already have a defined format that’s accepted in the business community, so start there and adapt to your needs.
For instance, a press release has a customary format that is widely accepted by publishers. Straying too far from the accepted structure could result in an ineffective press release.
If the piece of content you’re writing is less defined, like a white paper or memo, consider where the main components of your writing will go. Where will your arguments be located? Do you need supporting research for these arguments? Are you comparing two issues? Where will you put the call to action?
Create a general outline of the main components of your writing. Under each general section, include little notes to remind you of the intended audience, the tone you should take, and any research you may need to do.
This comprehensive outline will serve as a guide for your writing. All you need to do now is fill in your outline.
2. Writing without your audience in mind
As much as you think you know your audience, taking a few extra minutes to read consumer market reports is always worthwhile.
Dig deep to figure out their pain points and then dig a little deeper. Learn why they experience this problem, or why they need the information you’re about to deliver. Knowing these details and incorporating them into your writing will result in your audience feeling connected and more inclined to trust and take action.
Understand how they feel about the problem, or how they might be feeling the minute they start reading your content. This allows you to weave empathy and connection into your writing and indicates that you’re listening and you care.
Knowing just these two details about your audience will help you nail down tone, choose the best words, and determine the pacing of a piece of content. Researching and knowing your audience really is probably the most important step of any piece of writing.
3. Wrong word choice
Too often writers will think they’ve chosen the right word to use, when in truth the word is inaccurate, incorrect, or sometimes even inappropriate.
Depending on who reads the content and their level of vocabulary and comprehension, a word used incorrectly could turn away potential clients by appearing to write outside the scope of your knowledge. At worst, your writing could inadvertently offend.
This mistake usually happens when the word sounds similar to the correct one, and the writer unknowingly chooses incorrectly. Other times words are chosen because they sound correct when spoken.
To avoid this from happening, once you think you’re done writing, read it out loud - ideally to someone else. If that’s not possible, send it to someone in your organization to proofread. It’s worth a second set of eyes to make sure you’re not inadvertently saying something you didn’t plan on.
4. Comma issues
These days, most word processors are able to catch major punctuation errors. But as everyone knows, writers cannot rely on this tool alone to ensure their writing is error-free.
Not only that, rules surrounding comma usage are becoming much more relaxed in the age of informal blogging and social media. Take for example this blog post. Traditional grammar rules don’t always apply, but that’s ok because this is informal writing.
Commas are worth paying attention to when writing for business, because they can provide clarity and avoid confusion.
Unfortunately comma usage is one of those writing skills that have hard and fast rules that are riddled with exceptions. Sometimes the use of a comma comes down to personal preference, like the use of the Oxford comma.
Whenever you question your comma use, look it up. Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab is an excellent and trusted source of accurate writing information.
Here are a few common comma mistakes to avoid in your writing.
Using commas to offset clauses beginning with that.
❌: The building, that he bought last week, is for sale again.
✔: The building that he bought last week is for sale again.
Using commas between two verbs or verb phrases.
❌: I looked at the clock, and laughed out loud.
✔: I looked at the clock and laughed out loud.
Using a comma between subject and verb.
❌: The student from Virginia, is not used to ten feet of snow.
✔: The student from Virginia is not used to ten feet of snow.
5. Not proofreading
If you aren’t spending a few minutes checking your writing for errors before sending it off, you’re not doing yourself any favors.
Yes, it’s tempting to get it off your plate as soon as you’re finished writing, but doing so will only make your life harder and can make you look unprofessional.
Proofreading works best when you focus on one or two aspects of writing at a time. For example, on the first pass, focus your attention on flow and word choice. On the second, hone in on punctuation, use of passive voice, and other small details like formatting.
When you proofread, read your writing aloud to make sure it doesn’t sound awkward. Reading out loud can also help determine if sentences are too long, if you’ve started too many sentences with the same word, or if you forgot an article.
Spending an extra minute or two to check for sloppy errors can go a long way to making your writing sound more professional. At the very least, you’ll be confident you did the best job you could.
Nailing these five writing tips alone will improve your writing, avoid embarrassing errors that could impact your career, and make you sound more professional.
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