Admins Must Have the Write Stuff from monster.com provides excellent tips regarding proper email writing. The topics seem to be applicable to blog writing too.
Quick quiz for you – what is a homonym? (answer below)
I have broken almost all of their tips . . . recently. Anyway, I found this fact interesting:
Use the Right Font: Most default fonts, like Times and Arial, are hard to read on screen. “You can cut down on missed typos by changing to Verdana,” suggests Peha. “It was specifically designed to be read on a computer monitor.” If your company requires a certain font, compose your text in Verdana and then change fonts just before printing.
I didn’t know that, but we do use Verdana often in our electronic communications (like our quarterly email newsletter – thought I would put a shameless plug in here in case you would like to subscribe).
“Many people mistakenly believe that business communication should be impersonal,” Peha says. “But that’s a prescription for not being read.”
Guilty on that one too. Hopefully The Higher Sense is irreverant enough that it does not seem impersonal! Lastly:
It seems obvious, but most people don’t proofread their emails, and that can make you look lazy. Missing words and typos are an easy excuse for people to not take you seriously.
I probably have spelling errors in this post. I struggle with proofreading my own writing but do enjoy taking the red pen to the Select Metrix team. Well, this is a good, quick read article with many practical tips – well worth the read.
Oh, and I forgot this answer in the original post:
Homonym = one of two or more words spelled and pronounced alike but different in meaning.