Revise, edit and proofread

When you finish a piece of writing, your first feeling will almost certainly be relief, and you will be tempted to pass the work straight on. Like many temptations, this is one to be resisted. At this point, it is necessary, mandatory even, to revise, edit and proofread. These are three different processes which all combine to serve one end – to make sure that your reader, whoever and wherever they may be, will be able to understand your message.

● Revise means re-read and review what you have written – for accuracy and completeness.

● Edit means cut out anything superfluous. Editing may also involve changing the order of things, and perhaps even adding material.

● Proofread means check for errors – of grammar, style, spelling or punctuation. Remember always to check for ‘attitude’ – overt or, worse, covert sexism, racism, etc. Make sure that names – personal, products and company – are correctly spelled, or you will lose credibility.

The distinction between the three processes is not important, and they are often all combined as one process, in name at least, and often in practice. What is important is to check what you have written, and think about it – does it mean what I want it to mean, and can it be read and understood in more than one way?

Make sure that abbreviations and acronyms are explained when each is first introduced. Eliminate all jargon, such as a phrase like ‘energetic disassembly’, meaning ‘explosion’.

Professional writers know that rewriting is as important as writing. It is rare for a first draft to be accepted unchanged. Remember that it is less expensive, ultimately, to produce a good piece of writing than a bad one – your reputation and image, and that of your organisation, may be at stake.

Good writing is more, even, than the sum of all the foregoing parts. Learning to write grammatically and to spell correctly does not in itself lead to effective writing.

Conciseness and brevity are not just about a simple word count. Good writing, effective writing, is learned by practice, of course, but also by reading as much as possible, and

CHAPTER 12 The written word 147

serifs

Small extensions on letters which make the type easier to read. sans serif Typeface that is straight with no serifs or small extensions on letters, generally used for headings.

acronym

A word which is an abbreviation of a longer expression, formed from the initial letters of the original.

analysing what you have read, not just for its content, but also for the techniques the author employed; then learn from it ways to be persuasive, convincing and all the other things you need to do in business and business writing.

PART FOUR Written and numeric communication 148

Q

Q

A

A

Putting the case

12.1

The key to the success of the expansion and development of Hilltopp Hotel has been identified as communication, with staff, so that they can tell customers what is going on, with the customers directly, and with potential new employees. The manager, Chris Long, decides to commission the public relations agency the hotel already uses to produce a brochure describing the hotel in general and the new conference suite in particular. Imagine you are Chris Long, and the agency’s draft for this brochure has arrived in the post. You set aside a morning to look at the draft in detail. Make a list of the things that will be in your mind as you do this. Describe what you will take into consideration at each stage.

1 Revise, edit and proofread: General read-

through to see if anything has been missed, if anything is superfluous, and if there are any obvious errors.

2 Check grammar, syntax, spelling and

punctuation: Depending on your confidence, you may find it useful to have a dictionary and an English Grammar to hand. Take nothing for granted – if in any doubt, check.

3 Clarity: Read through again, testing for clarity

of meaning, the possibility of misunderstanding, use of jargon, etc.

4 Appropriateness: The brochure is intended for

a number of different user groups (staff, public informed via staff, public informed directly, potential conference centre users, potential members of staff). Read through a number of times with a different group in mind each time, to make sure it is appropriate for that group.

5 Style and layout: Read through one last time

testing the style – does it read well? is it a good ambassador for the hotel? – with an eye for the overall look of the publication.

Proofread the following sentences, suggesting any changes you think appropriate.

a) I heard a man saying that he was late quietly through the window.

b) The manager was just as anxious to look after his customers as his staff.

c) When he was asked what he thought the manager said he was disinterested.

d) The company claimed that there product was very unique.

Testyourself

12.3

5

Principal forms of written communication

Particular forms of written communication will be dealt with in depth in the following chapters. It is useful to give here a brief summary of the main ones, so that you are reminded of them and can think about them in the context of what you have just learned.

5.1 Business letters

Letters are probably still one of the most common forms of written communication, especially when a company wishes to communicate with its customers. They can be

formal, informal, serve many purposes and be used internally and externally. They are used in all phases of business to establish and/or maintain a business relationship. Their main advantage when used internally is when formal documentation is required.

5.2 Reports – formal and informal

An essential function of a report is that it provides a basis for decision making. There are many kinds of report, but all present a series of facts on a specified subject for a particular purpose. Informal reports are usually short, with perhaps only an introduction saying why the report is needed, the body of the report where the main information and findings are, the conclusions where all is summed up, and

recommendations made if appropriate. There is a recognised structure for a formal report:

● terms of reference (why the report needs to be written)

● procedure (how the information contained in the report was obtained) ● findings (the main part of the report)

● conclusion(s) (where the main points of the findings are summarised, leading towards the final section)

● recommendations (actions the writer thinks necessary)

● appendixes may follow, consisting of documents or other supporting evidence referred to in the report.

5.3 Memoranda (memos)

A memorandum is a written note sent through the internal post. There may be one intended receiver or many, but the memo should always be addressed to individuals. It can be used to communicate both ways in the vertical part of a structure. A memo is usually less formal than a letter, but this does depend on to whom it is addressed.

5.4 Emails

Emails are now replacing letters and memos for internal and external communication. They have had profound effects on business, with attendant new behaviours, etiquette and protocol. Speed, connectivity, and interaction were all sought prior to the advent of email. However, email combines them all very effectively and cheaply.