How to craft the most effective paragraphs

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Paragraphs are groups of related sentences, or groupings of related ideas. A paragraph can be viewed as a short essay; focus on a single thought that can stand on its own apart from the rest of the paragraphs. A well-written paragraph should support and make its own point. Crafting strong paragraphs can help you to develop a powerful document.

Three key factors

There are three key factors to consider when writing effective paragraphs:

1. Unity: Each paragraph is based on a central thought or idea. Every sentence in that paragraph should relate to the same central thought. Remove or rewrite any sentence that does not support the main point of the paragraph.
2. Coherence: Each sentence in a paragraph should flow from one to the next in a smooth chain of thoughts. The following sentence should flow naturally from the preceding sentence. If a sentence interferes with the flow, rewrite or remove it.
3. Emphasis: Sentences within a paragraph should be arranged to strengthen the central thought of the paragraph. Place the most important idea (sentence) either at the beginning or at the end of the paragraph. The goal is to either start strong (make your defining statement) or finish strong (conclude with your main point).

The one-sentence paragraph

There are two key instances where you can use a one-sentence paragraph:

• As transition from one paragraph to the next (e.g., Let’s consider the key features of our sales program.)
• As the concluding paragraph and for the purposes of emphasis (e.g., Our sales program will double your return on investment within six months.)

Paragraph length

The final point of consideration is length. How long should your paragraphs be? There is no definitive answer. Although sentence and paragraph length will vary, a paragraph should not exceed half a page. Read the paragraph for yourself. If it feels too long such that you get bored reading it or lose the main point, then shorten your paragraph. Use white space, column breaks, bullet points and other design features to improve readability.

Contact me

Do you have any tips on writing strong paragraphs? Do you need help with writing more effective paragraphs? Let me know – contact @ davidgargaro.com.

David Gargaro

The seven beacons of excellent writing

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The Writer’s Digest Guide to Good Writing provided me with another great article to discuss here. It’s entitled “The Seven Beacons of Good Writing” by Gary Provost. The beacons serve as foci for writers, and can be applied to any type of writing. They are basic concepts for improving your writing, but I find that the most basic concepts are often the best ones.

1. Brevity: Keep your writing tight. Think about what you can leave out instead of what you have to put in. Make your words count. Focus on the main point of your writing, and avoid what is not important to that main point.
2. Clarity: Make the meaning of your writing clear. Do not hide or obscure your main point. Be as direct as possible. State your objective and support it. Avoid overusing “it” when possible.
3. Precision: Be as accurate as possible. Say exactly what you mean. Use words that are more precise (i.e., avoid generalizations).
4. Harmony: Write sentences that flow into the next. Maintain consistency in mood, reading level, style, and punctuation. Read aloud what you wrote to make sure that it sounds harmonious.
5. Humanity: Write about people, not just events or things. Include real-life anecdotes to demonstrate how issues affect people or what people did to succeed. Put yourself in your writing.
6. Honesty: Write what you believe. State your opinions. Write your style. Be true to the spirit of the piece.
7. Poetry: Choose words that add flavour and dimension to your writing. Your writing should maintain its functionality while being “beautiful” to read.

What beacons do you follow in your writing? Let me know, and perhaps we can add it to the list – contact @ davidgargaro.com.

David Gargaro

How to write better articles

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I came across an article in The Writer’s Digest Guide to Good Writing called “Take Five: The Most Common Mistakes Among Beginning Freelancers,” which was written by M.L. Stein in 1976. The article outlines five common mistakes made by new writers when pitching and writing articles for magazines.

Follow these five tips to improve your article writing. You can also apply these tips to other types of writing.

1. Leave your backyard: While you can write about your personal experiences, you cannot JUST write about your personal experiences. To be successful, you will have to talk to other people to get the facts on the topic you are writing about. You (and your friends and family) might be good sources of information, but they cannot be your only sources. You will have to talk to other people, which will improve your interviewing skills and make you a better writer.
2. Writing about a subject, not an idea: Many writers pick very general topics to write about, and the article has no real angle. To make your article more interesting, start with an idea, then work your way down to a specific point of view within that idea that is current or interesting. Break the idea down, and talk to people who may have a particular interest in specific elements of the idea.
3. Get the facts: Good articles need more than solid writing – they need facts. Most writers are not authorities on the topics they write about, and even when they know a lot, they still need to get their facts straight. Check your facts through interviews, observation, online research, etc. Include facts in your articles, and not just opinion or belief.
4. Add anecdotes: Almost every article can benefit from anecdotes. These stories add a dimension of human interest by revealing an individual’s character, difficulties and triumphs. They also add credibility to your article. Use a real-life example of how something happened as described in your article to add that element of reality to your article. Remember – anecdotes come from the people you interview, which is another reason to actually talk to other people.
5. Write with life and clarity: Articles are not essays – you need more than just the facts delivered with good writing. The article has to be interesting to read. Articles are defined by a writer’s particular style. Editors enjoy reading articles that are lively, interesting, and contemporary, as that is what will appeal to their readers. Read other articles to get a better understanding of different writing styles, and then develop your own style that will interest readers.

Do you have any tips on writing better articles? Let me know – I’d love to hear from other people and benefit from your experience. Send me an email – contact @ davidgargaro.com.

David Gargaro

Eight types of how-to articles

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I came across an interesting article in The Writer’s Digest Guide to Good Writing. It’s called “Eight Types of How-to Articles and How to Write Them” by Hugh C. Sherwood, written in 1970. As the title suggests, the article is about writing how-to articles, which are very popular as far as a style of article. The how-to article describes a topic to the reader, and explains what the reader should learn from the article. It provides advice as well as information.

1. The pure how-to article: This is the most basic form of how-to article. It provides specific rules or advice on how to accomplish a particular task. It starts with the title (e.g., How to Write a How-to Article) and is supported by basic steps toward accomplishing the task.
2. The narrative how-to article: This article uses a story format to describe how a company did something that relates to the title or main point of the article (e.g., How David Gargaro Wrote His First How-to Article). It concludes with how a reader can do what that company did.
3. The various ways how-to article: This article describes a number of different ways to accomplish a specific goal (e.g., Eight Ways to Write a How-To Article). It provides the reader with different ways to accomplish a task.
4. The questions-to-ask how-to article: This article provides a number of questions to ask about the central problem described in the article (e.g., Questions to Ask When Researching a How-to Article). It then provides comments on each of the questions.
5. The pitfalls-to-avoid how-to article: This article uses real-life examples to explain how pitfalls can interfere with the reader dealing with the central problem of the article (e.g., Eight Traps to Avoid When Writing a How-to Article).
6. The question-answer how-to article: This article poses a number of questions and provides answers that result in a how-to format in solving a particular problem. It is very effective when interviewing an expert on a topic, as the answers provide the how-to accomplish a goal (e.g., An Interview with David Gargaro on Writing How-to Articles).
7. The do not do this how-to article: This article describes what to avoid when solving a particular problem (e.g., Five Things You Should Never Do When Writing a How-to Article). It also includes tips on what the reader should do to accomplish the task.
8. The checklist how-to article: This article provides a checklist of questions to ask, or points to consider, about the central problem (e.g., Six Things to Consider When Writing a How-to Article).

Which type of how-to article do you enjoy reading? Do you need help with writing a how-to article? Let me know – contact @ davidgargaro.com.

David Gargaro

How to Run Your Company… Into the Ground: Sample chapters

A couple of months ago, I published How to Run Your Company… Into the Ground (Amazon.ca and Amazon.com, if you’re interested). To follow is the introduction and the opening chapter, for those of you who are interested in reading it.

*****

How to Run Your Company… Into the Ground

By David Gargaro

Introduction

Why would anyone write a book about how to fail in business? It seems counterintuitive. You don’t have to be an expert to fail. People go out of business every day. It’s not that hard to do. And why would anyone want to read about how to run your business into the ground?

Well, there are three key reasons why you should keep reading – and why I wrote this book:

1. We learn more from our failures than we do from our successes.
2. Understanding what not to do in business can help you to identify what you should do to succeed.
3. Some stories are so ridiculous (and true) that they just must be told.

How to Run Your Company… Into the Ground is the (mostly) true story of my time with a small publishing company that is somehow still in business today. The hapless owner of this enterprise had many chances to grow and succeed, but he found numerous ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. He made every mistake in the book, and some that he invented.

Please note that most participants’ names have been changed to protect the innocent… especially me. While the facts are true as I remember them, the main character is very litigious. He’s been sued a lot(and he has also sued a lot of people), so I would rather not end up in court with someone who has that much experience with the process.

Background

Steve (not his real name) is the owner and founder of FastNotes (not its real name), a small company that has been in business for more than 20 years. Its main function is to publish “cheat sheets” that summarize and explain college and university subjects, such as mathematics, chemistry, literature, history, law and anatomy, as well as software, health and safety, general interest, business and more.

FastNotes initially hired me to write and edit its titles on a freelance basis. I later created the role of Managing Editor, where I was responsible for developing the style guide, hiring and training freelance writers and editors, creating new cheat sheets, and performing other duties. As it was a small company, I participated in many other company functions. For example, I attended a few trade shows, worked with sales to create marketing materials, developed and managed the company’s website, wrote a newsletter and interacted with customers.

During my seven years with the company, I outlasted three design managers, seven sales managers, and an untold number of salespeople and other office staff. I witnessed several rounds of growth and decline, as well as good and bad moments. There was a time when I was proud to be part of something that I helped to grow; I was responsible for increasing productivity, as well as improving and expanding the product line. I left because I could not stand to work another day in such a hostile environment. That is a chapter (or a book) unto itself.

What you’ll learn

Steve made a lot of mistakes in running FastNotes, and any one of those critical errors could have ruined the company. He managed to survive due to perseverance, a little bit of luck and a lot of financial backing from his in-laws. We learn from our failures and the failures of others. You’ll learn about Steve’s mistakes, why they were harmful and the consequences of those missteps. You’ll also receive tips, suggestions and advice on how to handle the situation properly so that you don’t make the same mistakes (and achieve the right results).

This book covers the following topics, each with its own chapter:

• Working with friends and family
• Forming strategic partnerships
• Hiring the right people
• Developing new products and markets
• Marketing and advertising
• Expanding your operations
• Budgeting and financing
• Holding meetings
• Listening to experts
• Planning

I hope that you enjoy reading How to Run Your Company…. Into the Ground, and learn something along the way. And, of course, don’t make too many of these critical mistakes in running your small business. I don’t want you to be as foolish or careless as Steve… if that’s even possible.

Disclaimer:This book offers general advice on how to more effectively run a small business. The tips and suggestions are based upon my observations of what someone did wrong in running their specific business, as well as what I’ve learned along the way. This book IS NOT intended to solve your specific problems with your business, as I don’t know you or your particular situation. I am not a professional business consultant. I am simply reporting on what I’ve learned and observed. Please take my advice for what it is – useful and informative, but not directive. In other words, please do not thank or blame me for whatever happens if you follow my advice. Make your own decisions, and consult with a trained professional who understands you and your business. Enjoy the read!

Work with friends and family… and treat them like strangers.

Steve was a true entrepreneur, and he was always looking for ways to earn a buck with some new idea or venture. Soon after graduating from university, he created and sold a “cheat sheet” version of the periodic table of the elements. It became a hot seller among university students in chemistry and other science programs. This led Steve to launch a publishing company that he called PaperMaker (not its real name), which he later rebranded as FastNotes (a few years after I arrived on the scene).

Steve’s entrepreneurial business was initially a one-man show. As his business grew, he brought in people to help him handle the tasks that he did not have the time or ability to do himself. As with most entrepreneurs and small businesses, he started working with the people he knew best – his family and friends. His wife became his business partner, his brother worked in sales and his sister-in-law took on various duties around the office. Steve also hired friends, friends of friends and colleagues to fill various roles, such as brokering print services, engaging in various sales functions, doing product development, purchasing supplies, financing and so on.

What went wrong?

Steve did not always play well with others. He tended to see people as resources that could help him to achieve a goal. He treated people well when they were deemed “useful” and less so when they were not. (I’ll talk about about how he treated employees in future chapters.) Some might rationalize the fact that many successful employers are tough on employees and stakeholders, particularly when someone “drops the ball” in business. However, it is very difficult to justify how Steve treated his family and friends.

Steve had many arguments with his wife about business operations – he let his business life affect his personal life. However, he took it (relatively) easy on her because she was a lot tougher than him. Also, her family was responsible for much of FastNotes’ funding (especially when the company was having financial difficulties). Steve would never risk his nest egg, nor did he have the fortitude to stand up to his wife.

Of course, that did not stop Steve from mistreating other family members and friends. He would regularly fire and later re-hire his print broker, who was one of his long-time best friends. He would regularly hire and fire friends who helped with content development. I had to fire someone he hired once I became Managing Editor as part of my new duties because he didn’t want to do it himself. Steve regularly broke business relationships with friends who were suppliers or service providers, and then tried to appease them later, making promises that he could never keep. He repeatedly abused personal relationships over the course of his business relationship.

Nothing stands out more vividly than how Steve destroyed his relationship with his brother, Chuck (not his real name). Chuck was a salesman who later became sales manager – after Steve fired another sales manager. Steve regularly heaped verbal abuse on his brother when sales fell below various targets or deals did not come through. They also had arguments about ethical issues – that is, Chuck did not like some of Steve’s business practices. For example, Steve bought flowers for a family member’s funeral and charged it as a business expense.

Chuck finally quit FastNotes because he and Steve could not agree on how much he was owed in commissions. This is the polite way of saying that Steve tried to shortchange Chuck on what he earned in direct sales commissions. After working for a short time with a national retailer, Chuck went to work with FastNotes’ biggest competitor! He is currently responsible for increasing his company’s sales, which involves taking clients and sales away from FastNotes. I hear that family functions at Steve’s house are very chilly affairs.

How to do it right

Many entrepreneurs and small businesses hire friends and family to help run the company. They are great sources of cheap (or free) labour, funding and advice, and they can often be trusted to do what’s in the company’s best interests. There is a level of comfort in being around friends and family. You’re familiar with their strengths and weaknesses, and there is a reasonable expectation that they’ll do their best to help you succeed.

Every business relationship that involves working with friends and family can also be fraught with issues, since working in close quarters and trying to operate a business can strain personal relationships. Steve was fortunate to have a large network of family and friends who were willing and able to help him with his business. However, he consistently treated them poorly and put the company’s interests above his personal relationships.

Steve should have followed these basic strategies to protect his personal relationships while helping to grow his business:

Establish a foundation. Set the ground rules for the relationship at the beginning of the process. Explain each person’s role and responsibilities as you would with any employee. Avoid giving special treatment on the job, and be clear in what is expected from the individual. You’re the boss, and you are running a business, so everyone must perform their duties to the required standards.

Match the person to the job. Make sure that your friend or family member can do the job. In other words, hire based on merit rather than personal relationships. They don’t have to be the most qualified person, but they should be capable and willing to do the job. Consider additional training if new skills or knowledge are required due to changes in technology or processes over time.

Separate business and pleasure.You have two different lives with friends and family – on and off the job. Keep your personal and business conversations separate, and clearly differentiate between the two areas. Try to keep personal talk out of the office, and avoid talking business when in personal settings. Avoid mixing the two worlds whenever possible.

Be fair.Don’t give friends and family special treatment at the workplace. At the same time, don’t place higher expectations on them just because you have a personal relationship. This will show them and other employees that you believe in fair treatment for everyone when it comes to the workplace. (Note: We all know that friends and family members receive different treatment. But there has to be some level of fairness on the job, as you could lose good employees who feel that they are getting the short end of the stick.)

Employ mediators.There are times when it makes sense to put someone between you and your family and friends. It would be ideal to have them dealing with a manager or other employee instead of you for daily interactions. The goal is to insulate the relationship on the job to keep an arm’s length distance, particularly when you must convey difficult information.

*****

I hope that enjoyed reading this excerpt from my book, How to Run Your Company… Into the Ground. If you have any questions or comments, please send me an email to contact @ davidgargaro.com.

David Gargaro

The ten deadly sins of writing

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Some time ago, I read an article on the ten deadly sins of fiction writing. You can apply these “sins” to any type of writing, so I’ve edited them to make them fit better with the typical “sins” found in business and marketing writing:

1. It has no hook. Most writing does not engage the reader immediately. There is nothing to pull the reader into the story. It needs something interesting (i.e., the hook) at the beginning (in the heading, or in the first couple of sentences) to catch the reader’s interest and encourage them to continue reading.
2. It’s confused. The writing has no clear direction, or it contains too much disparate information. It might also withhold necessary facts that the reader needs to understand what is being said.
3. It’s trite. The writing is full of standard phrases or it is very plain and uninteresting. The language is boring and leaves little to the imagination.
4. Descriptions are weak. There is no dimension to things being described (e.g., people, services, products). There is not enough information for the reader to be interested in what you are describing.
5. It’s poorly paced. Nothing really happens in what you are writing. It reads like a list of ingredients in a recipe book. Or explanations are way too long, leaving the reader bored. Alternatively, the writing come on very strong throughout the entire piece.
6. It’s sloppy. The writing is poor, or the layout is bad (e.g., too much or not enough space, grammar and punctuation issues, font issues).
7. It’s repetitive. The writing repeats the same points over and over, and often in the same or similar ways. It can also be overly wordy.
8. It has no “business.” The writing does not demonstrate true knowledge of what is being discussed. All the information is there, but it lacks authenticity. It can read like a manual written by someone who does not truly understand the material.
9. It has no “twists.” The writing lacks anything unexpected. The reader knows all the material before they get to the end of the piece. There is nothing new or surprising to get them interested.
10. It has no snapper. The writing lacks an interesting conclusion or strong ending. It does not get the reader to do anything or feel anything once they are done reading.

Which “writing sins” have you committed recently? Do you need help with making your writing sin-free? Let me know – contact @ davidgargaro dot com.

David Gargaro

Learn five key ways to sell your message

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Selling your message is an excellent way to get results with your business writing. Because you are in business, you should always be selling… as well as interacting, communicating, networking, etc., but you get the point.

There are many different ways to adjust your writing to put your company and/or product and/or service in a positive light. Your goal is to convince the reader to buy into whatever you are selling. The following five strategies should help you to do just that.

1. Accentuate the positive. Tell readers what you can do, not what you cannot do.
   Negative: “Our product will not be available until July 1.”
   Positive: “Our product will be available on July 1.”
2. Use short, informal sentences. It is more conversational, and makes the reader more comfortable.
   Too long: “I would like to thank you for your response on the matter discussed in our previous discussion.”
   Better: “Thank you for your response to our previous discussion.”
3. Change a demand into a question. Do not demand your readers to do something. Rephrase your request as a question.
   Demand: “The attached document must be signed by October 1. Otherwise, your order will not be processed within the requested time period.”
   Question: “Will you please sign the attached document by October 1? This will enable us to process your order within the requested time period.”
4. Change a demand using the cause-and-effect approach. Tell the reader what will happen when they complete the task.
   Demand: “The attached document must be signed by October 1. Otherwise, your order will not be processed within the requested time period.”
   Cause-and-effect: “When we receive a signed copy of the attached document, we will immediately process your order.”
5. Explain the benefits to your readers. Spell them out so that they understand your product’s or service’s advantages. It demonstrates that you have an interest in your readers’ interests.
   Example: “We provide a data verification service.”
   Benefit: “We provide a data verification service, which ensures that your clients’ tax receipts are 100% accurate.”

Use any or all of these five strategies to improve your chances of selling your message to your audience.

Do you need help with selling your message to your audience? Or with writing better sales messages? Let me know – contact @ davidgargaro.com.

David Gargaro

The true value in organizing your writing

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Many writers gloss over the organization process because “it has nothing to do with writing.” It is all the work and time spent before you write, and for those who tend to procrastinate and don’t know how to organize, it can be a scary proposition. But if you ignore the basics of organizing, your written piece can lose its way.

Organization does not have to involve a lot of time and effort, and the end result can be worth the time you put into it. It will create a picture that appeals to the reader because it has a feeling of smoothness and completeness.

So where do you begin?

Think about your subject as thoroughly as possible. Think about the information you’ve gathered and everything you know about the subject. Think about the major and minor points.

Now consider the theme of your piece. This is the central component of what you plan to write. You may have had this idea in place before gathering all the facts.

• Does the theme still hold? Or should it change now that you know what you know?
• Should you tackle the theme from a different angle?

You can present the same theme or point in slightly different ways, which could vary according to your goal and audience.

Now go back to your material. Evaluate your facts to see how they back up your theme. Determine which facts or information are important to developing your theme.

• Which facts will strengthen your theme?
• Which facts will distract the reader from your theme?

Organize your information into two categories:

1. Which facts are vital to your theme?
2. Which facts are related to your theme?

Keep the vital information, and put aside the related facts should you need them for support.

Arrange your vital information based on order of importance or impact. The most important piece of information should become the centrepiece. It will become the hook, or the lead, for your theme. You will begin writing with this most important fact to create the greatest impact.

Now determine how you will conclude your piece. Base the conclusion on your important facts and support your lead statement while maintaining the theme. You want to leave the reader with a positive feeling at the end (perhaps a call to action).

Finally, organize the body of the writing. An outline is a great way to organize your thoughts. List your main points, and examine them to ensure that they support your theme and opening statement. The outline should guide your writing, but it should not lead the writing, as it can change should you find a better way of organizing your points. Think about how it all works together to support your goal, and how it will flow from point to point.

Now that you’ve organized your material and thoughts, you can get down to writing.

Do you need help with organizing your writing – or do you need a professional writer? Let me know – contact @ davidgargaro.com.

David Gargaro

Before you start writing

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Someone asked me what they should do before they begin writing. There are many things that one should do to prepare, but I thought that it would be simpler to provide two key points to ponder:

1. Purpose: Define the purpose of what you are writing. What do you want the reader to know? What do you want the reader to do? What is your main point?
2. Audience: Know the audience you are writing for. Who do you want to reach? Think about their language skills. How difficult should the language be? Think about their expertise and interests. What do they know? What are they interested in? Then use words and a structure that makes sense to them.

Then, once you get these two issues sorted out, take a look at how you want to structure your message.

• Arrange your points so that the most important point comes first.
• Group information so that it is related and makes sense together.
• Place information in chunks so that each section or paragraph contains one main idea.
• Break the information up with informative headings, and insert subheadings where they apply.

Follow these two simple tips, and your writing will flow more smoothly.

Do you need help with your writing – or do you need a professional writer? Let me know – contact @ davidgargaro.com.

David Gargaro

Who’s the reader?

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Many people consider their goal or purpose when writing letters, articles, newsletters and emails. They should also think about the reader. Marketers and advertisers do this very well, as they carefully choose their words and images to ensure that they appeal to specific audiences. They focus on the benefits to the user as opposed to the features they want to promote.

Thinking about the reader when writing will give you a different perspective. By putting yourself in the reader’s position, you will be able to think more about what’s in it for them than what’s in it for you. You will also become more capable of speaking in the reader’s language and appealing to their interest.

To put yourself in the mindset of thinking about the reader first, ask yourself the following questions.

1. What is the reader’s level of education or vocabulary? Would they understand business terminology or longer words, or are you better off with simpler language?
2. What is the reader’s age? Would they understand historical references? Would they respond to a formal or informal tone?
3. What is your relationship with the reader? Are they employees or bosses, clients or suppliers?
4. What is your reader’s occupation? What level of understanding do they have of the topic?
5. How often have you interacted or communicated with the reader? How much background information do they need to understand what you are saying?
6. Why is the reader interested in this information? Is there a personal or professional reason for them to want this information?
7. What is the reader’s economic or financial situation? Will this impact what they do with the information and how they respond to it?
8. What length of document does the reader read regularly? Should you keep it short or do they regularly read detailed documents?
9. What does the reader need to know to take action? What information do they need to proceed?
10. What do you want the reader to do with the information? How do you want them to react?

Answer these questions to get a better handle on your reader, and make your writing much more effective. You will be more successful at getting your point across and getting a reaction from the reader, which should be your main goals for writing.

Do you need help with writing for your reader? Let me know – contact @ davidgargaro.com.

David Gargaro