Business writing purists draw a line in the sand of words.
Textists kick that sand in the face of purists.
There is no doubt business writing has changed.
Epic battles defending what has always been versus a give me a break attitude rage on in the written world.
Channeling Rodney King ~
Can we all get along?
Or are we hopelessly disconnected?
Just Different
Perhaps my middle child of seven status motivates me to balance opposing views.
I often express that there is no right or wrong – just different. And in the world of business writing, we sure have different views.
The Purist
The business writing purist loves rules.
- Grammar rules
- Punctuation rules
- Rules of writing style – think AP vs Chicago
The purist does not have much tolerance for a breaking of the rules. I’m sure my use of the made-up word – textist – is enough to inflame some.
However, even among the purists, the rules vary.
- Each defends the AP or Chicago writing style to the death
- Differences in punctuation styles are debated endlessly
- Adverbs are either embraced or strangled
The arguments prove my point.
It’s not right or wrong – just different.
The Textist
The committed textist has not found a word he or she cannot shorten.
Text shortcuts have become such a way of life, they creep into business writing.
Lynn Gaertner-Johnston shared an amusing example at her Business Writing blog of an email she received from an investment firm.
The following is a small excerpt.
U are the fiduciary we will need ur social
I imagine even avid text lovers could see the problem in that business email.
Finding Balance
Before I receive threatening, grammatically-correct emails and angry text messages, I recognize the above elevates generalization to an art form.
- Not all purists freak out over a misplaced comma
- And not all textists use their special language in business writing
However, it is not uncommon to discover the purists and textists have different ideas on what is acceptable business writing.
My view is there is room for compromise.
- I respect writing rules as they organize my writing
- But, I am not adverse to bending a rule or two (as evidenced in this post)
- I enjoy the more personal approach to business writing
- But, I hate needing an urban dictionary for translation
At times, I still struggle with my purist training versus today’s casual style. I seek balance.
The following are my guidelines (I won’t call them rules).
1. Consider the communication vehicle
My writing style for a blog post is more casual than it is for white papers.
That does not mean white papers have to be boring, but when writing for certain niches, citing sources is critical.
I welcome the rules of a style manual for white paper sourcing. I often ask clients for their preferred style manual – e.g., AP or Chicago.
If you own your own business and have a marketing department or multiple writers, style guides bring consistency.
Adjust your writing style to your communication vehicle.
2. Consider the reader.
I know. It’s writing 101.
In the interest of us all getting along, why would I do “old school” when I know that style turns the reader off?
Nor would I want to tick off a CEO who insists on traditional forms of communication.
You don’t have to like that text-loving reader or that overly rigid CEO, but if you want to connect, you should respect their differences.
Communication connects people.
3. Find the good and compromise.
Rarely do I find that one method is all good or all bad.
Typically, you find good in the yin and the yang of the different styles.
- A causal style keeps your message simple
- A structured approach keeps your message clear
- A compromise of both keeps your message uniquely yours.
Keep it simple, clear & uniquely yours. I like that.
What do you think?
After all, there is no right or wrong – just different.
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Helping you Keep it simple, clear & uniquely yours – contact me for help with your business writing needs.
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Textists? Please, I’m still adjusting to seeing words like “co-author” and “co-worker” unhyphenated.
I totally agree with your compromise. Clarity is the single most important part of written or verbal communication. Sometimes that means bending or breaking long held rules of grammar.
One writer I know refuses to use contractions in articles, saying they’re too casual, but sometimes that overly-professional style feels rigid and cold. Not very readable.
Another writer I know to use fragments (like the one I wrote above). But sometimes intentionally breaking the rules improves your copy. (Purists are probably cringing that I just started a sentence with a conjunction.)
I think Winston Churchill summed it up well in his line about never ending a sentence with a preposition. It’s been quoted and misquoted so many times that all I can remember are the last few words: “…up with which I shall not put.” Amen, brother Churchill. Amen.
Hee-hee, Paula. I invented the word to go with the Purists. I’m evil, I know. 😉
I couldn’t help thinking of the purists with every “rule” I broke in this post. I’ve never been one to follow the crowd, but I respect your right to follow all the rules you want to abide by. And I do follow more than a few myself. Just not the one about starting a sentence with AND or not using fragments. 😉
Thanks, Paula, for your view.
Refuses. Another writer I know refuses to use fragments.
But you knew I meant that, right Cathy? (I wish!)
Of course I did, Paula. Nonconformists always understand. 😉
That we do!!
Cathy, I agree that bending a few rules and having a more relaxed writing style is often the best way to go.
But I’m no fan of shortcuts like “U are the fiduciary we will need ur social.” That’s OK in texts between friends and on Facebook posts, but it doesn’t belong in professional communication.
We are in complete agreement on that last one, John. Somehow the fact that it had to do with the death of Lynn’s father made it even worse (in my view). Perhaps the sender thought it personalized her response.
What’s really ironic is Lynn teaches business writing and is someone I follow for excellent business writing advice.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, John.
Cathy, I am probably a bit of a punctuationistic perfectionist, but I still make more mistakes than anyone else. I try to find them, but they are easier to see in someone else’s article. Personally, I try to forgive them as much as I forgive myself, but it doesn’t work that way. I find I want to kick myself when I make a mistake and kick the other person for theirs. As for texting–I don’t send or receive.
I do love the idea of celebrating the differences. 🙂
Wow, that’s a mouthful, Ann. 🙂 Easier said than done, I know, but don’t beat yourself up. If I did that over every typo I do, there would be nothing but pulp remaining, and then how could I type? 🙂
Between that much-loved English teacher and my own Mom, who was a stickler for good grammar, it was hard for me to blog in a conversational tone at first. I kept hearing the voices of those two well-meaning ladies in my head! LOL Yes, I just typed LOL and guess what? It’s not wrong. Just different!
Sister Theodora was my 9th grade English teacher and I credit her for teaching me the “rules,” but in a very good way. So, I know what you mean, Martha. I often feel her presence. 🙂
She also was a champion for raising money for the missions.One of my favorite fund-raisers of hers was a music box where you put a nickel in, a hand came out & scraped it into the box, all the while playing ♫ Put another nickel in ♫
I figure someone like that is probably smiling down from heaven over my LOLs 🙂
I hate rules, but I also hate a sloppy disregard for them. When rules are set aside for good communication, that’s just fine by me.
Sounds reasonable to me, David. 🙂 Thanks for your point of view.
I am sure that I live the dichotomy, as well. For my professional efforts, I am almost a devoted purist. For my blog efforts, though, I drop into vernacular usage, incomplete sentences (but NEVER a misplaced or missed comma)…whatever it takes to grab attention and keep it focused.
I share your dichotomy, Roy. However, I’m sure I’ve misplaced or missed a comma or two. I’ll see if I can find them. 😉
Thanks for dropping by here while dropping into vernacular usage. 🙂