Simple Writing Tips from the dōTERRA Managing Editor

At some point, we’ve all wanted to retract what we just said. Words slip out and, much to our mothers’ chagrin (they did, after all, teach us to think before we spoke), we’re left wishing we had followed their advice. Spoken mistakes can be, and often are, forgotten. Written mistakes, however, have a much longer lifespan.

The written word is held to a higher standard. Unfortunately, we live in a world of increasing speed and higher demand. Thumbs twitch across screens, sending out messages that resemble more a pidgin than English. While such may be acceptable in tweets, texts, and chats, it is frowned upon in other settings. Consider your own assumptions about a person who sends a message filled with abbreviations, acronyms, misspelled or misused words, random capitalization and punctuation that looks like it was applied with a shotgun rather than a keyboard. Are you more or less likely to take that person seriously?

All of these pitfalls, however, can be avoided. Mastering grammar and punctuation takes dedicated study, but you don’t have to be a grammar expert to write effectively. Writing itself is an art that takes a lifetime to master, but you don’t have to be Shakespeare, Hemingway, or Yeats. If nothing else, applying these three rules will help you avoid embarrassing situations.

1. Always Have a Purpose. Certainly we can communicate as friends, but if you are acting in a professional capacity no message should ever go out that doesn’t have a specific purpose. It may be to inform, educate, or entertain. Truly effective messages, however, need to go beyond these generalities. Instead, ensure that every message you write has a call to action. Answer this question before you sit down to write: What is it that I want the reader to do? Be specific about the action they should take. “Buy something” may be the goal, but you can be more specific. “Buy 200 PV of X essential oil by this date” will serve you better. Once you have that call to action, write to support it.
    
2. The Multiples Rule. There are two parts to this rule. The first is to always write multiple drafts. After your first draft, go back and make corrections and improvements. Let it sit, then do it again. Repeat as often as necessary until you have the message just right. Then get another set of eyes to look at it. As an editor, I know the dangers of editing my own writing. We fill in the blanks and gloss over mistakes as we read what we wrote because we know what we meant to say. Having someone else check our draft before sending it helps ensure that we get our point across clearly and coherently. So, plan on multiple drafts and multiple eyes.
    
3. The 24 Hour Cool Down. We often respond to messages in the heat of the moment. We get excited about a new idea or program, or we just have to let someone know just how wrong he is about a subject, so we sit down and pound out a message. We’re certain of its cleverness. Then we see the message a few days later and realize our mistake.
    

The 24 Hour Rule states that no message should ever go out without first having a cooling down period, preferably at least 24 hours. In that time, emotions come under control and we’re thinking more clearly. We can look more objectively at what we’re trying to say. Professional authors all observe this rule. Even with books, authors will set aside what they’re writing and come back to it later, sometimes months or even years later. With fresh eyes, they can better judge what they have written, and the same will hold true for you.

As the saying goes, you only have one chance to make a first impression. A poorly written message can sink your boat. Keep these three rules in mind and you’ll avoid most—maybe not all, but at least most—errors that can leave you looking foolish.