The Triple-Benefit Rewriting Process

Ernest Hemingway once said: “There’s no such thing as writing — only rewriting.” In the business world this translates into: “The best way to communicate isn’t through writing — only rewriting:” Yet, once most businesspeople finish the writing stage and are ready to rewrite, they make one of these mistakes:
1. In spite of their best intentions, they end up shuffling words around the page rather than actually making improvements.
2. They think rewriting is too time-consuming and send the document out the moment that last period hits the page.

With a minimal amount of solid rewriting, you can reap some surprising benefits. Most obviously, you’ll end up with a stronger document, one that reaches your readers immediately and glides them from one point to the next. The second benefit is long lasting; in fact, it lasts a lifetime. By rewriting quickly and conscientiously, you’ll. actually improve your writing skill in a matter of weeks. Finally, as your writing style improves, you’ll need to rewrite less and can triple your writing tempo. Sound like one of those too-good-to be-true ads, like “Lose 50 pounds in one week”? Actually, Words at Work’s unique rewriting method is based on logical principles that require practice and commitment. Here’s what you do.

1.Once you finish writing, put your document aside Where do I get the time for this? you’re wondering. If you followed the time-management principles presented in step 2 you’ve already reserved a pocket of editing time. Often, though, you’ll have to create documents unexpectedly thanks to a phone call from a VP, a demanding customer, or a potential customer who needs your company’s information by 5:01 — and no later — that day. In these cases, write your document immediately. Then let it sit while you write a new document, make phone calls, or get that cup of coffee you’ve been promising yourself.

How long should your document sit? Three minutes is good — ten minutes is better. Three hours is even better than that. But don’t let your document wait several days or longer. While absence makes the heart grow fonder in romance novels, it makes the memory dim in the business world and may distance you from your message.

2. Locate specific problems No question about it, rewriting can waste time. You may recall long afternoons combing through an especially important document, trying to catch problems as elusive as trout in a spring-fed pond. Rather than create stronger copy, you probably shuffled the words around, unsure of what changes you were making and why. Most likely, only one or two bad habits permeate your writing. Clean them up, and your writing will improve significantly.

The problem, of course, is that most people are not aware of their bad habits. Think, for example, of the times close friends or relatives have pointed out that you were chewing with your mouth open or driving embarrassingly slowly in the fast lane of the highway, a small caravan behind you. You were probably surprised and stopped yourself the next time your fork left your mouth or your foot rested on the gas pedal too lightly.