In this issue
	Shirley Says Don't let your e-mail turn into an e-NAIL in your business coffin Review of the comma Quiz time And Finally ...

Don't let your e-mail turn into an e-NAIL in your business coffin

E-mail viruses make front-page newspaper headlines. They cost decent computer users a lot of money, they waste our time and energy, and they cause unimaginable distress to people all over the world. Could anything be worse? What about the damage that people are causing to themselves every day by taking e-mail for granted? The familiarity and convenience of e-mail is resulting in sloppy, careless habits that could ruin your business and your reputation just as surely as any e-mail virus. Electronic mail is having a phenomenal effect on the way we communicate. E-mail is not just a quick, easy and relatively cheap way to keep in touch with family and friends. It has also become an essential tool in business, a fundamental part of the way in which we work. However the explosive growth of e-mail has created some problems, mainly because there have never been any guidelines on how to compose e-mail messages, no definitive guide to common standards and expectations among writers of e-mail. Consequently systems are being overloaded, communication is rampant, reputations are being damaged, feelings are being hurt and time is being wasted. One of the main advantages of e-mail is speed, but the pressure of coping with an ever-increasing mailbox is adding to the pressures people already face at work. This is resulting in messages being sent without much thought or planning, with important details missing, with spelling and punctuation errors, and with abbreviations that some people don't like and others simply don't understand. Some messages look like they are written in code! And people are even neglecting the common courtesies of a greeting and sign-off just for the sake of speed! When I was doing some research for my book Guide to Effective E-mail, a friend of mine said: When I receive a message that has lots of mistakes - spelling errors, punctuation, grammar - I think the reader has no respect for me because he/she couldn't take just one minute to check it through before hitting 'send'. (Ricky Lien, website www.mindsetmedia.com.au) If you want to improve your electronic rapport with customers and colleagues, if you want to show some RESPECT for your readers, please read the rest of this article. And remember - it's not a computer you are talking to - it's a real live human being! As one contributor to my e-mail book is quoted as saying ..... "Don't let your e-mail turn into an e-NAIL in your business coffin." Continue reading this article on e-mail writing »

Review of the comma

One of the most common problems in business writing today is getting the comma in the right place. I see so many commas where there should really be full-stops. Using commas is largely a matter of taste and style, but one thing is for sure - they should not be overused. When I first revised Gartside's Model Business Letters in 1992 many of the letters were full of commas and very long sentences. Take a look at this example: Unfortunately, if we invest in new machinery, and the market falls again, as it has been predicted, we may, possibly, find ourselves with too much production capacity, and this may, therefore, result in even more serious problems. While all the commas in this sentence are placed correctly, there are far too many of them and they make the sentence jerky. In today's business writing we should keep sentences short and cut out unnecessary commas. For example: We must give serious consideration to the issue of investing in new machinery. If the market falls again, as it has been predicted, we could find ourselves with increased production capacity. This may then result in even more difficulties. TIP: A comma represents a short pause. When reading any written messages, don't just see words on paper (or screen) - imagine you are reading the sentences out loud. This will help you to place the commas and full stops correctly. Click here to read more about the rules for the comma (PLEASE read these rules before you attempt the quiz) »

Quiz time

LAST MONTH'S QUIZ For the answers to last month's quiz please click here. Most of the examples in last month's quiz were full of long-winded jargon and boring, standard clichés that were designed by our great-grandfathers to add padding and length to sentences. Unfortunately, too many people are still using these standard clichés in their writing. I'm on a mission to get more people to start writing in active voice, using a proactive style that expresses your own personality. The key is to try to "write as you speak". I hope you will help me in my mission. To read more about business writing yesterday and today, click here to go to this section of my NEW Links to Learning channel. THIS MONTH'S QUIZ Using the rules for the comma in this month's featured article and in Links to Learning, punctuate these sentences (answers next month): I asked for John Tan's personnel file but I received the file of John Lim by mistake. My daughter Wendy will accompany me to the party tomorrow. Mary has had a distinguished challenging career. Our new swimming pool which we are all so excited about will be finished next month. Proofreading is often difficult because for the most part you read what you thought you wrote. These magazines are of course aimed primarily at teenagers. If you have something unpleasant to write try to phrase it in a way that will soften the blow as much as possible. As you probably know these machines are excellent if they are looked after well. Fraser Lim a member of staff in your department has reported being unhappy with his present position. To avoid misunderstanding and achieve effective results keep your sentences to an average of 15 to 20 words.

And Finally ...

That's all for December. I'll be going home to Sheffield, England, to spend Christmas with my lovely Mum. I'll be taking my trusty laptop with me, of course, so I will still be able to keep in touch through e-mail. I'll be back in Singapore in January and will be back in your mailbox again soon with a new year issue of Shirley Says. TIP OF THE MONTH Good writing is like any other endeavour. The more you put into it, the more you'll get back! Don't forget to enter this month's competition - I want your Tip of the Month (see the right-hand column under WIN A BOOK COMPETITION). If I publish yours, you will receive a copy of one of my books with my compliments. Write to me now with TIP OF THE MONTH in the subject line. Remember, I'd love to hear from you with comments on this issue and suggestions for future issues of my e-newletter. Please write to me at news@shirleytaylor.com. Happy Christmas and Happy Holidays! Shirley PS: You may reprint this e-newsletter or forward it to your customers and colleagues. However please keep this copyright and contact information intact: Copyright Shirley Taylor 2002. Shirley Taylor is author of several popular books on effective communication and business writing. She lives in Singapore and works as an international trainer, seminar leader, professional writer and conference speaker. Visit http://www.shirleytaylor.com.