What techniques do you use when writing your blog, an article, a chapter in your book or even an email? Over the years, I\u2019ve noticed that I\u2019ve created some interesting and workable methods for remembering what I want to write, for self-editing and for enhancing an article or blog post that seems to be lacking something.<\/p>\n
For the most part, these techniques are automatic\u2014I apply them without much thought. Recently, however, I began to notice some of the habits I\u2019ve adopted over the years. <\/p>\n
One thing I do, for example, is to jot notes ahead of the writing I am doing. If a thought occurs to me while I\u2019m typing and it\u2019s something I want to be sure to include in my email, blog or article, I will space down and make a note so that I will remember to write on that issue or thought before completing the piece. Otherwise, I tend to forget the bit of wisdom or the comment or other addition I thought was important to add.<\/p>\n
I will sometimes research a topic while in the middle of an article or even an email. Did you know that you can open two of your Internet windows at once? So you can be doing research while writing an email. If I\u2019m responding to an email from a client and I want to add a bit of information I don\u2019t have at my fingertips\u2014a statistic or the name of a young adult fantasy publisher, for example\u2014I can open another Yahoo window, find the information and then go back to my email and insert it. But most of you probably know this.<\/p>\n
I write longer or more sensitive emails off-line\u2014in my word processing program rather than directly in an email. When someone sends me interview questions, I write my answers off-line, as well. <\/p>\n
I have developed the habit of re-reading everything before I click \u201csend.\u201d I even read personal emails before sending. This is an excellent habit to adopt. I used to think I was pretty good at creating good copy the first time around. Sure, I always double\/triple-checked articles or my blog post before sending. But I was pretty quick to send emails without checking them. When I started looking them over more closely, I discovered that, in my haste, I sometimes typed the wrong words. My email might read, \u201cI sue enjoyed our lunch together last week,\u201d instead of \u201cI sure enjoyed our lunch together last week.\u201d I might unknowingly type \u201cThe food was band and the was service poor,\u201d instead of \u201cThe food was bland and the service was poor.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u2019m positive that most of you make similar (and worse) mistakes as you are hurrying to complete an email. I know this because I receive so many emails with small and horrendous errors.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d like to hear about some of the habits you\u2019ve developed in order to create more mistake-free emails, articles and such. And I hope that those of you who still find serious mistakes in your writings at some point down the road, will consider spending a little more time proofing what you write.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re ready to have your article or book manuscript edited, please contact me for an estimate. Learn more about my work and my services here: http:\/\/www.patriciafry.com<\/a><\/p>\n Remember, I\u2019m teaching a class on article-writing this Saturday (December 3, 2011) at the Ventura College in Ventura, CA. There\u2019s still time to sign up. http:\/\/www.communityed.venturacollege.edu<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What techniques do you use when writing your blog, an article, a chapter in your book or even an email? Over the years, I\u2019ve noticed that I\u2019ve created some interesting and workable methods for remembering what I want to write, for self-editing and for enhancing an article or blog post that seems to be lacking […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t