Be Concise
Concision. (Sounds like I made up another word.) It's the idea of being concise in our ongoing communication with others, both written and oral.
Many take forever to say so little. These are the same people who spend a lot of time in meetings. Some who may have little to say use lots of words to say what could be said in a few words. It is boring. It wastes time. It reduces productivity. Theirs and yours.
I do not suggest that all of our communications ought to be reduced to one or two words. There ought to be time in the workplace for idle chat. It leads to relationship building and a better quality of life. However, it is sometimes more productive to simply say "blah" rather than "blah, blah, blah".
As a practical matter, it is becoming more and more important to be concise as we drown in this era of information overload. We get more information impressions in one day than our great-grandparents 100 years ago got in a lifetime. Think about it. 100 years ago, you may have looked a seed catalog, a shared newspaper, and an occasional book, if you owned one. Today, we have information coming at us from all directions.
The average working businessperson receives, on average, 150 new communications each day via telephone, voicemail, mail, fax, and email. When email became available a few years ago, it was supposed to take the place of a lot of other communications, including first class mail. The truth is, all other forms of communication have held their volume (or even increased) and we now have email to deal with on top of it all.
Want to be more concise in your communications and save time? Here are two suggestions.
About The Author
Dr. Donald E. Wetmore
Professional Speaker
Productivity Institute
Time Management Seminars
60 Huntington St., P.O. Box 2126
Shelton, CT 06484
(800) 969-3773 (203) 929-9902 Fax: (203) 929-8151
Email: ctsem@msn.com
Visit Our Time Management Supersite: http://www.balancetime.com
Professional Member-National Speakers Association
MORE RESOURCES:
'Becoming Americans': Immigrant writing San Francisco Chronicle ... short stories, novel excerpts, poems, letters and bits of memoir that this anthology of "Four Centuries of Immigrant Writing" collects. ... |
Local man wins prize in writing competition Iowa City Press Citizen A local man has won a runner-up prize in an international competition for writing. Zach Falcon, 37, of Iowa City, earned the recognition for his story "The ... |
Writings left behind by Vonnegut Philadelphia Inquirer As for writing left behind at his death, here we have Look at the Birdie, a collection of previously unpublished works that Vonnegut wrote in the 1950s or ... |
 PerezHilton.com (blog) | Steven Tyler Is Just Writing A Book! No Drugs (Allegedly) PerezHilton.com (blog) A spokesman for Steven Tyler has said that the Aerosmith frontman is just taking a quick break due to a shoulder injury and he is working on his ... |
 Hindu | 'Writing is a solo pursuit' Hindu I really believe what happens in the writing experience happens in the reading experience. If there is velocity in the writing, then there will be the same ... |
Prof finalist for fiction writing Sioux City Journal Tricia Currans-Sheehan's "The River Road: A Novel in Stories" was named a finalist in fiction and received Honorable Mention in the Nashville Book Festival ... |
 Baltimore Sun | An appreciation for Sister Maura Baltimore Sun Here's an excerpt: Sister Maura considered writing to be work, and if nothing else, I was going to learn the value of that work during my numerous courses ... |
Texting infecting writing The Spokesman Review “I've caught myself using texting shortcuts in regular writing. I just correct it when it happens,” said Scott Hickey, as he sent a text message before a ... |
Cruz's record label wants him to stop writing hits Ireland Online He said: “I kept writing them and the record company kept shouting at me because I kept giving all the songs away. “I'm not really precious like that. ... |
 Jamaica Gleaner | Writing like a Jamaican, in Morocco Jamaica Gleaner Jamaican-born writer and teacher Jacqueline Bishop's philosophy is that great writing can be taught. It is a skill that can be mastered, ... |
Grow Your Ideas Without Letting Words Grow Like Weeds
Q: How do I expand on an idea without getting too wordy?A. Before you begin counting words, focus on holding the reader's interest.
Seven Compelling Reasons to Get Your Name on a Book Cover
Have you ever considered writing a book? If so, maybe you've already established firmly in mind your exact purpose for becoming an author. Your reasons may match one or more of those below.
How to Build A Success Freelance Career (Part 1)
In the current job market, many editorial workers have turned to freelancing as a matter of survival. I receive many queries from applicants regarding how to go about freelancing.
Mexican Living: Lets Be Perfectly Clear
Readers often send me interesting and exciting e-mails about the op-ed pieces I write and manage to publish. As a writer, I get all sorts.
How to Relax Your Writing
Q. My writing sounds stiff and stilted.
Write On! - Key Components of Successful Business Communication
Written communication is often the first impression you make on potential customers, business partners, or employers. Because of its significance to your marketing message, it is one of the most important aspects of your business.
A Plan
All writers should use a plan whether written or reflected. This includes the initial idea, the content or main points, and the conclusion whether it is an article, a short story, a chapter, or a complete novel.
Slow Pokes: Short Story On The Changing World Of Writing
"No one will ever know who I am, I'm a nobody-writer from nowhere? I've had a thousand rejections from all the major publishers. It seems my destiny is never to be read, another nameless soul lost to the sands of eternity.
Top Seven Ways to Select a Book Topic That Sells
Authors need to write their book according to their target audiences' needs and wants. You can sell many more copies when you address these seven ways to select a topic that sells.
8 Tips to Get Publishers to Notice You
If your articles aren't getting published very often, or you just want to increase the chances of them being published, then you will benefit from the tips in this article.1.
An Inside Look at Proofreading
This is the ideal topic for us all to think about. We do it everyday, especially those of us that use the Internet the majority of the time.
Mission Possible: Get Published with Goals, Guidance, and Persistance
You send me an e-mail. You tell me you've written over three hundred poems since you were 16 (in your teenage angst stage).
The Demon Fear
You have a great idea for a poem, a story, an essay, an article, a book, or a novel, but you hesitate to write it. Why?Fear is the key to a writer's procrastination, hesitation, and dawdling.
Use Real-Life Templates For Writing Success
At some point along the way, most of us have used what arecommonly called "fill-in-the-blank" writing templates. Wemight have used them to write a letter, format an essay, orset-up a resume or CV.
Hey Cient, this is Me! Find Your Writing Voice and Sell Yourself
In a crowded market, clients will be seeking personality as they read what you've written -- they'll click right past pages that feel "been there, read that." They're looking for a voice that says, "Hey, client, this is me!"They want to know not just what you deliver -- but how.
Pairs/Groups Of Words Often Confused - Part 2 of 6
BAITED, BATEDBaited usually refers to traps or snares. When the reference is to someone who is hardly daring to breathe, the correct word is always bated:"She watched with bated breath.
Kick-Start your Juices
Listen, consider this scenario.You have a deadline to honour.
Beginnings
Just about everyone is familiar with this beginning: "In the beginning God created the heavens and earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep .
Where to Look for Your Next Project when You're Writing for Profit
When my first book "Starting Your Own Business" was published way back in 1995, I thought that was it. I reckoned I'd never write another one.
Time to Write
SO YOU WANT TO BE A WRITER?Many people have entertained the idea of being a writer. They feel the passion to write.
