A short presentation on writing techniques, aimed at 'non-writers' to provide some basic principles and structure.

1. How to write

3. Writing techniques Writing Tips Editing Tips

4. WWWWWH WWWWWH Technique 1 WWWWWH 5Ws and 1H WWWWWH

5. Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

6. Who was involved? What happened (what's the story)? When did it take place? Where did it take place? Why did it happen? How did it happen?

7. Who When did it take place? Where did it take place? Why did it happen? How did it happen? is the document aimed at? will benefit from reading it?

8. Who was involved? What When did it take place? Where did it take place? Why did it happen? How did it happen? is our product? are the benefits? can you expect from us?

9. Who was involved? What happened (what's the story)? When Where did it take place? Why did it happen? How did it happen? should the document be read? can our product be used?

10. Who was involved? What happened (what's the story)? When did it take place? Where Why did it happen? How did it happen? are our strengths? does our product meet your needs?

11. Who was involved? What happened (what's the story)? When did it take place? Where did it take place? Why did it happen? How did it happen? is our product relevant to you? does it work the way it does?

12. Who was involved? What happened (what's the story)? When did it take place? Where did it take place? Why did it happen? How did it happen? does our product work? can you learn more?

13. Technique 2 Inverted Pyramid

14. Information they must have for your communication to be successful STOP Additional information that is helpful but not crucial Be nice if they had it

15. STOP Crucial information must go at the beginning They could stop reading at any time

16. They could stop reading at any time Crucial information must go at the beginning

17. Writing Tips

18. Activevs Passive the thing doing the action is the subject of the sentence the thing receiving the action is the object

19. I heard it through the Grapevine I is the subject, the one who is doing the action. I is hearing it, the object of the sentence. Active

20. It was heard by me through the Grapevine Passive

21. Passive voice is usually awkward and other times it’s vague.

22. Don’t sweat the grammar

23. Split your infinitives if you must, dangle your modifiers and feel free to end that sentence with a preposition if you feel the sentence warrants it.

24. Apostrophes’ Apostrophe’s Apostrophes http://apostrophe.me

25. K.I.S.S.

26. Worried you’re not using the right words? Use simpler words. Worried that your sentence isn’t clear? Make a simpler sentence. Worried that people won’t see your point? Make your point simpler.

27. Always write well

28. Editing Tips

29. S L O W L Y Read each word, not each sentence

30. but preferably to yourself…

31. Learn your CRUTCH

32. And finally…

33. Further Reading http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/02/12/writing-tips-for-non-writers-who-dont-want-to-work-at-writing/ http://www.capulet.com/sites/capulet.com/files/TenTips.pdf http://apostrophe.me

34. Questions?