Improve Your Writing Skills

Believe it or not, solid writing skills still count for something in today's world. When you craft a brochure, a business report, or Web site copy that reads like a third-grader wrote it, it reflects poorly on you and your business. Lifehack.org aims to make you a better writer by making you a better editor. Start with these excellent tips:

• Read out loud: Reading a piece out loud helps you to identify clunky, awkward passages that seem to make sense to the eye, especially to the author's eye.
• Cut, don't add: We are almost always too wordy. While you may need to add a word or two while editing, for the most part you should be removing words. Concise writing is more powerful and easier to read than lengthy prose.