goals of professional writers

goals of professional writers

Importance of Professional Writing

1. The Power of Effective Communication

Written communication is a key factor of effective communication. It involves written words and symbols. In today’s world, every nation must have a stable and specific written communication in order to easily understand one another. With unlawful written communication, all forms of businesses would fail, government would crash, and education would disintegrate. In addition to its importance to the existence of civilized society, written communication is essential to the search for truth and the expression of that truth. With written words, people can convey information, persuade, and build consensus. Truth is nothing more than agreement about a topic, and written communication is a vehicle through which it is shared with others. This agreement is sometimes hard to acquire, but a common understanding is the basis for humanity. Truth is pursued for its enlightening and powerful effects. The more a society can roughly the closer it can come to solving its problems and making well-informed decisions. Truth is an imperative means of peacemaking, from it stems trust and understanding. These effects are adverse to those of false propaganda, but it is possible with written words. Written communication is a precise act that accurately informs, persuades, and builds consensus. With efficient communication, society can accomplish its definitive goal, which is to make well-informed decisions on the issues at hand.

Effective communication is the key to success in our professional as well as personal lives. Communication is an essential part of human life and it allows us to exchange information, and to express our thoughts and feelings. The Oxford dictionary defines communication as “the activity or process of expressing ideas and feelings or of giving people information.” It is the power to bring about a peaceful and prosperous society. There are many forms of communication in this world that can either create conflict with one another, or bring about a more peaceful tone. Some of these forms of communication are visual communication, written communication, and verbal communication. All are very effective but I am going to talk about the importance of written communication and how it can affect the world we live in.

2. Building Credibility and Trust

Credibility can be perceived as a subjective quality, but it is essential in determining the trustworthiness of a person’s written work. If a professor writes a textbook on marketing, it is assumed that the professor is familiar with the subject matter and is capable of delivering the information in a comprehensible manner. This assumption is based on the professor’s title, which is a result of the person’s academic and professional experience. In this instance, the title has already provided a level of credibility for the professor. A student reading the textbook may understand the material better if it is written by a professor as opposed to a student. By taking the time to communicate his message in clear, concise language, the professor increases the probability of a comprehensive understanding of his work by the readers. Professional writing is much more effective than amateur writing in its ability to communicate with readers. Since the majority of written communication is done via the Internet, email, instant messaging, or on a discussion board, it is increasingly important that the messages communicated are understood. Oftentimes, readers experience confusion in interpretation of the writer’s message due to the writer’s own confusion. This misinterpretation of information can lead to frustration and non-approval of the author. It is much more likely that an experienced professional would clearly communicate a message. By doing so, he will maintain reader attention and will more quickly attain approval of his work.

3. Enhancing Professionalism and Reputation

Considering advanced forms of professional writing in a broader context, the need to enhance professional and corporate reputation exists. In any organization, developing a professional approach to writing is beneficial in multiple ways. Consider the perception of the firm or organization as a whole, in comparison to competitors with more developed and sophisticated communication tools. Documents which are skillfully composed communicate a sense of professionalism in an organization. This reflects positively on the corporate image when dealing with customers, suppliers, and other external contacts. It can also build a sense of internal pride about the quality of work and the company. A published report by Robert Bly highlighted the value of good business writing. Therein, it was stated that “Poor writing will make your company look foolish, careless, and inept. Good writing will make it look intelligent, reliable, and professional.” This is a clear distinction between firms who do and do not assign importance to skilled writing. Skillful and polished communication, which is what professional writing aims at delivering, fosters a sense of credibility and trust between the communicator and the audience. Consider a situation where reliability is important, perhaps in the writing of a legal document or a marketing campaign for a medical product. The document must be written in a manner that assures confidence in the reader. Legal terms need to be accurately and clearly communicated using the correct terminology, and the medical product must be described with no possibility of misinterpretation. Well-written work from others will enhance the writer’s self-efficacy, knowing that his own communication can be improved further by example. This would result in positive emulation of the work of skilled communicators and the commencement of a positive cycle. A medical product may be more successfully marketed if the staff are capable of emulating an ad that they have seen done by skillful communicators. Finally, writing that articulately captures complex information can be an easier learning exposure for readers who would prefer to understand complex subjects. When considering the benefits of professional writing in the long term for better understanding between parties, the development of learning materials falls under an important category. This can be anything from health and safety booklets to university textbooks. Composing these materials in an effective and educative manner essentially embodies what all forms of professional writing are about: clear communication of a message with the intent of understanding from the audience. Using health and safety booklets as an example, these are crucial documents that will often be ignored or misinterpreted. This can be a costly occurrence for an organization that is obligated to ensure worker safety. By using clear and concise language and perhaps presenting more interestingly styled documents, professional writers can ensure that this valuable source of information is both read and understood.

4. Persuasive Writing Techniques

By learning and implementing these devices in writing, a writer can sway opinions and incite change much more effectively than with written words that lack a persuasive focus.

Finally, logos is an attempt to use reason and logic to persuade an audience. Often, data and statistical information are used to make a compelling case, although a well-constructed logical argument can also satisfy this mode of persuasion.

Pathos is an attempt to appeal to a reader’s emotions. An emotional appeal can be a powerful force for an audience who, when a reader is invested, can be inclined to change their opinions or act on their convictions. An anecdote, a particularly moving story, or vivid and imaginative language can be the keys to using pathos.

In order to be an effective persuasive writing, a wide range of devices can be used to move your readers. These persuasive writing devices can be broken down into three categories. Ethos – an appeal to credibility, Pathos – an appeal to emotion, and Logos – an appeal to logic. Ethos is a way of convincing your audience of your credibility as a writer. Experienced perhaps by pre-citing reputable sources, using facts and figures, or explaining your research process. By making yourself more believable, the more likely readers will be persuaded.

Writing to create a strong persuasive effect is a valued skill, as most human communication intended to influence others is done through writing. With consuming mass media, written publications, advertisements, and opinionated pieces, people of all cultures and societies are routinely exposed to persuasive messages. Persuasive writing involves the use of language to argue and convince others to believe in or accept a particular view or take a specific action. The aim is to convince the reader that a particular point of view is true, to make the reader do something or to bring about change, to get the reader to accept a new way of thinking. As such, almost every form of writing or text can include a persuasive element.

5. Achieving Goals through Clear and Concise Writing

One common misperception about writing is that the writer’s meaning can be expressed perfectly to himself, and so it is a simple task to transfer that meaning to someone else. Often we hear statements such as “I understand it all in my head, but I just can’t explain it.” This reflects a failure to understand that writing is a communicative act. If one cannot explain something, then he or she does not yet completely understand it. In effect, putting an idea into written words is a more demanding task than speaking the same words. For example, paper writing forces precision in a way that talking does not.

Students and junior researchers often face challenges in writing clear and coherent papers and other materials. The importance and difficulty of producing a clear and coherent written work are often underestimated. That is, the writer must understand what he or she means to communicate and then must effectively transfer that meaning to another person, without the possibility of gesturing or further explanation.