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Previous Posts: 12-13-07 Why Virtual Assistants Are Good For Your Business 12-17-07 How Can I Choose the Right Virtual Assistant For Me? 12-30-07 Virtual Assistants Are the Ecological Choice 01-03-08 Some Thoughts on Trust 02-07-08 Guest Post: 5 Tips for Sound Business Writing, by AnnaLisa Michalski |
It's Time To Spiff Up Written Communications Let's face it, writing of the English language, an ability that flourished universally since the Middle Ages, has in the past fifty-odd years suffered a devastating setback. With the proliferation of the internet and its attendant emphasis on the written word, the effects of this disability are noticeable everywhere. The character of good writing is like that of good light. We don't notice it if it's doing its job properly. Only when the light fails us, or when the writing is bad, do we become aware of our dependence on proper functioning of these phenomena. Just as darkness prohibits reading, so does bad writing. The general lack of literacy is what caused us to name it the Dark Ages, those many centuries ago. Are we again entering just such an ignominious time? Consider the quality of written communications that one encounters online. Very few websites can boast the inclusion of proper grammar and spelling, much less organization of their text in ways that use the language effectively. Blogs, social networking sites, and forums even more obviously display the lack of training in written communications. Much of the time, we can still glean the meaning if we apply some effort; but this distraction considerably increases impatience with the process and decreases enthusiasm for the message. Again, the writing should be invisible, and when it is not the reaction is very naturally to recoil. How did this neglect of a basic skill occur? What happened in the 20th century that caused us to abandon our standards and forsake this requirement in our educational efforts? One could point to dozens of possibilities. Somewhere in mid-century, the medium became the message, according to Marshall McLuhan's famous dictum. Overall perhaps it can be said that with the transition from an industrial to an information economy (ever since World War II), we have emphasized free expression and devaluated propriety. In public schools as well as business, we have been seeking content largely to the exclusion of structure. The result is the endlessly stimulating global economy we are beginning to enjoy, where freedom of expression is greater than ever. But in the eager youth of our love affair with the globe, many of our expressions are unworthy of our noble intentions. In our rush to communicate, make new contacts, and exponentially increase our income, we leave a trail of enthusiastic but senseless drivel. And our level of success is significantly compromised. Since the 90s, our concern has been to participate in the medium (the web), and we give only lip service to the message. Now, however, as we leave the adolescence of Web 1.0 and enter the adulthood of 2.0, we must intensely refine the message, or get lost in the babble. The internet is about communicating through images, somewhat; but mostly it is a mechanism that works through the written word. The reason for web pages is to share communications with the world. Let us return to respect for words used properly, powerfully, even gloriously in service to our purposes! See you online! Home | Benefits | Services | Process & Costs | Consider This ... (samples and articles)| Contact Copyright ©2007-2008, |
