See-through style

Aug 25, 2014 | Better Writing

People read business books to make progress. Everything you can do to help them understand your points and apply what they’ve learned is a plus. Everything that gets in the way is a minus. Your writing style can be either one.

Danger signals

The following compliments could be a sign that your style is getting in the way.

“I love the way you write …”

“You have such an engaging style …”

“You really write well …”

If all the reader noticed was your style, then that style is getting in the way of the message. Try writing your book the way you’d make your points to a friend or colleague in conversation.

Good signs

If people tell you what ideas they liked about your book, that’s great. It’s even better if they tell you how they applied those ideas and how they worked. That means the way you’re writing is working for good.

Writing Bottom Line

When you write for business you’re writing to help the reader make progress. If your writing style gets in the way, change the way you write.