I had planned to call this article ‘The Nine-Step Strategy for Writing Summaries That Intrigue Readers’ but had a second look. It’s a bit long. And as this article is about writing headlines, summaries and abstracts, well… Let’s stick to the plan.
“An abstract highlights the key points you want your reader to remember after they’ve read your document.“
Non-native English speakers often face significant hurdles when communicating when they move to English speaking countries, such as the US or UK. These challenges can include navigating language nuances, cultural expectations in written communication, and industry-specific jargon.
Looking for headline writing tips that will capture attention immediately and force readers to stop in their tracks? Who doesn’t? What exactly are headlines? What purpose do they serve? Headlines are the ‘ad’ for what’s about to follow. Its purpose is to tease the reader into clicking or reading more. If your headline fails, no one […]
Before you put your hands on the keyboard and start typing, ask yourself: Specific – what’s the one thing I want this person to understand? Response – what’s the response I want from this person? Incentive – what incentive can I give this person to reply as fast as possible? #1 What’s the one thing […]
In this tutorial we look at how to edit any document. Before we start: what does it mean to edit a business document? Most people think an edit means: Spellchecking for typos How it looks and feels Grammar (sometimes) Creating a checklist Instead, create a checklist and review different aspects of the document one by […]
It seems snobbish, doesn’t it? Dividing people into different categories. On one side, formally-educated writers; on the other, dynamic bloggers breaking down the old rules. So, which one is best? Writer v Bloggers: Which One Are You? Let’s flip this around. In reality, neither are ‘best.’ They both offer different types of services. However, I […]
Can one hour with Eva Longoria really make you a better business writer? I guess it all depends on the angle you take. Here’s what I mean. Let’s say you feel a little bit guilty when watching your favorite TV show. You can’t help wondering if there is ANY way you could apply what’s happening […]
Before we start. Should it be people’s or peoples? I bet you noticed that, right? I do. @denise_bryson admits, “I’m such a grammar nazi that if I spell something wrong in a tweet, I have to delete it.” Of course, Nazi is spelt with a capital N but we’ll try to be good and let […]
Writing is easy. Editing is hard. Affect v effect. It’s so easy to get it wrong if you’re not paying attention. One’s a noun, the other a verb. That sounds simple, doesn’t it. Of course, there are exceptions as well and if you’re not paying attention… Let’s look at how to proofread a business blog […]
Does high school teach us to write in a way that’s counterproductive in the real world? Most high schools teach us to write in a formal, literary style, usually by studying the ‘classics.’ But does this make sense in today’s economy? When you go out and find your first job, what’s the first thing you do? Change […]
