Author: Susan Herman

As we recently discussed in our tight writing segment in episode 940, it is important to have a strong BLUF (bottom line up front) in your writing and to support it with clarifying details. Let the reader know from the beginning what your purpose is, especially the “so what,” which you may remember from our recent interview with communication pro Matt Abrahams. The same is true of paragraphs. Think of each paragraph as a mini-essay. You want your readers to know what you plan to present in each paragraph, so starting out with a strong topic sentence is important. It…

We recently published a podcast and article on our website about tight writing, and an astute listener asked a follow-up question:  “Hello, Mignon. I have a question regarding your [episode last week], actually, on writing in a more compact way, and I was wondering whether there are any cases, in particular, where you do want to lengthen your sentence, where you want to add some more words there in the middle to prove your point, or where you do want some repetition … for rhythm or for convention. Are there any cases like this, or should we always … I…

Back in February, we published a podcast segment and article called How To Actually Improve Your Grammar, specifically your writing. Today we’ll be talking about tight writing.  Late Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg stated, “Get it right, and write it tight.” In simple terms, tight writing means being clear and concise, and using only the words necessary to say what you want to say. Tight writing is not just about using fewer words, but using the right words. We’re all busy, and often you just get a line or two to catch – or lose – your readers’ attention.…

Lots of people have asked me how they can improve their grammar, and most of them really mean their writing. Do you want to write more effective work emails or documents? Are you having to write more for school or work? Or maybe write a resume? Whatever the reason, grammar is important, at least in formal or professional writing. Good grammar shows the audience that you care and take the topic you’re writing about seriously. It also increases your credibility, especially if you’re trying to connect with or influence your audience. If people can’t understand you, they’re less likely to…