THE WRITING STRATEGIES

STEPS TO WRITING• PLANNING• Define purpose• Analyse audience• Establish main idea• Select channel &medium• COMPOSING• Organise message• Formulate message• Edit message• REVISING• Rewrite message• Proof read

Essentials to Business Writing

Apart from grammar and punctuation we need to know

• Formatting business documents• Strategic approaches to dealing with different

situations.• Use a conversational style that eliminates the old

language of business.• Use the you viewpoint to build goodwill.• Employ positive language to achieve desired

effect.

Organize your thoughts

• Clarity of purpose encourages brevity & accuracy, facilitates emphasis & de-emphasis.

• Know your audience so that you can address to their major needs & concerns.

• Scope of the letter (what do I convey)

• What action do I want? (A favour, an order, a job)

Steps to Writing

• PLANNING• GATHERING AND COLLECTING• ANALYSING & ORGANISING• WRITING• RE WRITING• EDITING &PRESENTING

How do we write?

Compose

Invent

Revise

We…

Strategies for Writing

In business we write for both pleasant and unpleasant situations.

2 approaches to business writing• DIRECT APPROACH (BIF approach)Big idea first, to let your reader know the

purposeDetails to follow subsequentlyDo not neutralize the effect by writing

unnecessary details

INDIRECT APPROACH (BILL approach)

Big idea a little later- an indirect approach used for persuasive situations & bad news.

• Prepares the readers mind for the news.

Writing about the pleasant(Deductive Method)

Letters that convey pleasant messages are called routine letters. They are not likely to generate any emotional reaction.

The first sentence attracts attention, making the reader receptive & hence reducing the reading time, as it is direct & to the point.

This style applies to:Routine claims, letters about orders, credit,

requests, favorable responses.

Writing about the unpleasant(Inductive Method)

People who are refused need valid explanation for the reason WHY?

Similarly a bad news in the first sentence always generates a negative response.

• In such cases begin with a neutral idea that leads to reason of refusal.

• Submit facts, reasons for the refusal.• Finally in the third paragraph, state the

statement.• Close the letter on positive note, de emphasizing

the negative message.Generally no letters like NO to a credit request,

back orders, no to a favor, rejected adjustment request.

Writing for Persuasion

Persuasive writing must include the AIDA plan.1.Getting the readers ATTENTION (A)2.ArousingS INTEREST through writing (I)3.Convincing &generating DESIRE (D)4.Encouraging ACTION (A)

Clarity of objective & generating desire for action form the very basis to such writing.

(What to achieve & how? )

Audience Reaction & Writing Strategy

• AUDIENCE REACTION:1. Eager or interested Write direct request or main idea Provide necessary details Close cordially &state specific action desired.2. Pleased or neutral Write routine goodwill news & goodwill

messages. Begin with main idea providing necessary

details Close on a cordial note or a look toward the

future.

3. Displeased You are about to write bad news or message Begin with a neutral sentence that later carries to

the reasons for bad news Give reasons to justify a negative answer Close cordially.4. Uninterested &unwilling Write persuasively Begin with a catchy sentence (attention getter) Arouse interest & build desire Close with a request for action.