Write first. Then edit.

Is writing difficult for you? The most common pitfall is trying to do two things at once: writing and editing. They're two separate tasks, and trying to do them simultaneously is a fool's errand.

First, grab a pen (or open a blank document) and just jot down what you're trying to say. As thoughts come up, just write them down. If you can't quite grasp it, ask yourself, What am I trying to say? Then write down the answer as it comes to you.

Remember, it doesn't have to be pretty, glib or eloquent. Fractured grammar, false starts and sentence fragments are OK for now -- this is only a first draft. A brain dump. Just write down your ideas before you forget them.

There's plenty of time later for you go back over it and tidy things up -- or as we Professional Wordsmiths call it, edit.

Write first, then edit. Both jobs are hard enough. Don't make it harder by trying to do them simultaneously -- like rubbing your tummy and patting your head (or vice versa).

The other day the New York Times published a piece on some of the editing they do to every article that's been accepted for their Op-Ed page:

• Correct grammatical and typographical errors.
• Make sure that the article conforms to The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage... expletives will be deleted; some words will be capitalized, others lowercased.
• See to it that the article fits our allotted space.
• Fact-check the article. While it is the author's responsibility to ensure that everything written for us is accurate, we still check facts - names, dates, places, quotations. Here's the full article.
  

And all that happens after the freaking article has been accepted by the New York Times, of all places! Ya gotta figure -- if they have to go back and edit, you do too.

So be gentle with yourself. First, just write. Everything doesn't have to flow easily and perfectly from your pen (or keyboard). Oh, it's nice when it happens, but don't expect it. Hemingway once said, "The first draft of anything is sh*t."

Later, like Hemingway -- and every other writer -- you can go back and edit your mess into something clearer and stronger and more polished.

Has this helped? Let me know. I welcome your comments.

Do it for love

It's been said many times before, but it's worth repeating:

"Find something you love to do and you'll never have to work a day in your life."

Harvey MacKay of Swim with the Sharks fame. (No relation, unfortunately.)

What can good writing and speaking do?

Inform. Explain. Persuade. Motivate. Sell.

That's all.

But if you run a business, that's all you need.

What do you have to write?

If you're like a lot of people, you hate to write. You may not mind talking to people, explaining what you want or need. But writing? No thanks.

For some reason, as soon as you click the "Create Email" button, or open Word and hit "File > New", your mind goes to Tahiti. On strike. Gone fishin'.

If you work -- in an office, on a sales floor, or a construction site, wherever -- you have to communicate with other people. Customers, co-workers, everybody. You not only need to understand what they're saying, you have to tell them what you want or need. In person, or in writing. Or (probably) both.

If you work in an office, you have to read and write emails, memos, letters and other routine business correspondence. Perhaps you're also responsible for drafting proposals and reports. Or communicating with customers, clients and coworkers.

Like many of my clients, maybe you own a small business. Or you work in a marketing or corporate communications department. If so, you need to write specialized messages. For example, persuasive advertising copy, informative brochures, accurate product specifications, sales letters, customer newsletters, news releases, PowerPoint presentations and a variety of other sales material (sometimes called collateral).

CEOs, top managers, consultants, professionals and other so-called "knowledge workers" must frequently demonstrate "the vision thing" by penning speeches, white papers, reports and trade journal articles.

How about you? What do you have to write? How do you do it? How do you face the Big Nasty Fear that lives on the blank page? Please share your tips, tricks and other means of coping.

A few of my best articles on marketing and communications are here on my web site. Take a look. Maybe they'll help. I'd love to hear your feedback. Thanks!

And of course, if your company needs a good writer to create some of those important communications materials, drop me a note. (OK, end of shameless plug.)

It's a two-way street

Tom Peters (the "other" Tom), who's a pretty fine communicator himself, recently celebrated the first anniversary of his blog. And he pointed out that blogging, like most forms of communication, is a two-way street:

"I have learned so much from you! And I, a 'professional communicator,' have learned so much about communication—ahem, make that 'conversation,' a different kettle of fish." Link

Ahh, conversation. The real, authentic stuff. We'll be talking about that a lot in future posts.

Self-employed?

I am. Of course, if you're also self-employed, you could probably tell. How?

I created this blog and posted my first Profound Utterance... on a Saturday ;-)

So, here are my first couple of questions.

1. Do you regularly work on weekends?

2. Why? Are you overloaded and just catching up? Or are you like me -- you love what you do so it's hard to leave it alone?

3. Are you self-employed?

Years ago, Jimmy Messina of "Loggins & Messina" fame told me, "In the creative life, there's no distinction between working and not working." At the time, I didn't know quite what he meant. Now I do.

I think he might have been quoting somebody even more famous. Anybody know who?

Welcome!

Why didn't they say yes?

Why couldn't you close that important sale? Why didn't you land that new job, or get the promotion you'd been hoping for?

You made your pitch, but they just didn't "get it".

Why not? Why didn't they value what you're so passionate about? Why didn't they get excited about your ideas? Why didn't they say yes?

As the warden in Cool Hand Luke put it, what we have here is a failure to communicate.

To get what you want in business -- and in life -- requires the cooperation and support of other people. For that you need communication skills. The more effective your writing and speaking skills, the easier it will be to get what you ask for.

To persuade others to do what you want, you must organize your ideas, present them as irresistibly as you can, and convince them that saying "yes" is in their best interests, too. That's what the Better Business Communications blog is all about.

Remember: It's your job, not theirs!

It's not their job to "get it" -- to see the wisdom in your ideas. It's up to you to make them see it. To present your case clearly, persuasively and powerfully. To answer the other person's unspoken question: "Why should I say yes? What's in it for me?"

Improving your communications skills isn’t like school – it's not about getting an A on a term paper. Effective communications skills are far more important.

With them, you obtain money, power, success, advancement.
Without them, it's almost impossible to get what you want.

Ask any CEO. Ask any successful person how important their written and spoken communication skills are. The more successful the person, the more likely they are to credit their business and personal success to their ability to communicate -- quickly, effectively, persuasively.