The quarterly publication of the International Legal Technology Association
Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/43128
BEST I PRACTICES You Are What You Write Each time you write, you tell a lot about yourself, sometimes unwittingly, and often painting an incomplete or inaccurate picture. While many of you may not expose your good name to a print publication, you're writing more words in your daily email correspondence than Ernest Hemingway wrote in a week! Okay . . . that might be an exaggeration, but maybe not. t's time to master the written word as a big step toward honing your professional image. Your next big career move might be hanging on a well-written communication. Let your writing be your mirror — look into it and make adjustments until the image you see is an accurate reflection of a very polished professional. Your words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, stories and novels paint a picture of your heritage, your upbringing, your education, your interests, your passions, your demeanor, your commitment to purpose and more. Truly, you ARE what you write. Everyone judges you by what you write, and everyone's a critic. While speaking is quite different from writing, there are some tools that can aid both endeavors. You have many tools at your disposal to assist your spoken message: appearance, posture and gestures (body language); intonation, inflection, volume, pitch, pauses (vocal direction); and feedback from the listener. These techniques can assist your writing, too. BODY LANGUAGE Your tone is the body language of your written word. Find the right tone to fit the specific communication you're delivering: the vocabulary, the construction of your story, the mood; and use all the right "gestures" to engage, respect, entertain and enlighten your reader, just as you would want to do in giving an oral presentation. In short, your words are powerful; respect the weight of what you write, and wield your authority very carefully. VOCAL DIRECTION Your readers hear your voice in your written words. This voice conveys your style, your attitude and your personality. You can provide vocal direction in various ways. 18 www.iltanet.org Peer to Peer The C-Level Writer: You've been promoted to "chief of writing." There are literary qualities to which you should aspire as you write from your c-level position. • Clarity and Conciseness: Rambling tomes and off- topic fieldtrips, flowery language and mixed/muddled messages, as well as poor grammar/usage and sloppy construction condemn your work to death row. • Consistency: Once you've grabbed your reader's attention, hold on to it by staying true to your voice. A good way to derail your reader is to change your style. Give your reader a message that is consistent with your thesis and conveys your personality throughout. • Cleverness (but Not Conceit): A truly well-written communication has just the right touch of humor, mystery, drama, pathos and word-play . . . a literary je ne sais quoi that makes the piece memorable. Don't go overboard, however; you don't want your reader to find your cleverness contrived or "snooty." (I hope a little French isn't too snooty for you, beloved readers.) • Correctness: Mind your grammar P's and Q's, your punctuation, your word choices, your sentence construction and, of course, your facts. If you're citing the work of others, proper attribution is a must. There are many grammar and style references available, and you'd be smart to have several at hand. Finding and sticking to a reputable authority is important. • Curiosity and Contentiousness: Repeatedly ask yourself: Does that make sense? Is there a clearer message that I can impart? Is there information that I am assuming my reader understands? Am I setting the right tone to deliver my message?