The Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing

Truth 17. The best writers don’t write; they rewrite

“A writer isn’t someone who writes, but someone who rewrites.” This is a basic principle of professional business writers, and if you ask one what it applies to, he or she will say, “Everything.” The reason is simple: The first version is usually awful.

But editing is probably not a subject you were taught during your school years, unless you were lucky enough to have had an amazing English teacher or personal mentor. Like most people, you were probably left to figure out how to improve your writing on your own.

You may have found this hard to do. However, some guidelines and practice can make all the difference. It’s also important to recognize that you’re not trying to imitate twentieth-century ...