With this, my 900th column, I can't help asking myself why I've stayed with it this long. If you've been reading my columns for the past 22 years, you may be asking yourself the same question.
Let's take the second question first.
Ironically, the people who need this column most — that is, the people who don't give a rip about the rules of language and who underestimate both the importance of getting it right and the value of clear communication — are the least likely to read it.
And people like you — people with above average writing skills who are interested in language, who enjoy the challenge of getting it right and who take pride in their ability to express themselves with precision and style — are more likely to keep coming back for more.
Why?
Because you know that developing your writing skills is a lifelong pursuit, and you don't mind being reminded of certain underlying concepts, concepts such as writing helps clarify your thinking and writing on a regular basis makes you a better writer, as I reminded you in my 100th column, or that good writing is edited writing and letting your copy go cold helps you edit more effectively, as I reminded you in my 200th column.
And why have I stayed with it for so many years?
Yes, it's good for business, and yes, hearing from readers like you keeps me in touch with current issues, and yes, it gives me ideas for my seminars and books. But as I said in my 300th column, I've also found that writing this column is a wonderful way to connect with an inquisitive, sharp-minded community of people who are intrigued by the intricacies of language and excited about the countless possibilities for practical applications. A long sentence followed by a short sentence has special emphasis. Beginnings and endings count more than middles. Those principles work for Toni Morrison, Louise Erdrich and Thomas Friedman. They also work for you.
Writing this column has also helped me realize that the principles of good writing are not mysterious or complicated, as I noted in my 600th column. They're straightforward and easy to comprehend. Wordiness will undermine clarity and emphasis. Beginnings and endings count more than middles. Action verbs will energize your writing, as will variety in sentence structure. Good writers care about their topics and are mindful of their readers.
And of course, writing this column has made me a better writer. Writing with a sense of how you, the reader, might respond gets me out of my head and into yours. Writing to a 500-word limit reminds me week after week, month after month, of the value of making every word count.
As I look back over 22 years, I'm impressed with how much has changed and how much has stayed the same. And who knows what the future will bring?
One thing we do know. A facility with language (including a grasp of grammar) will advance you in your career. It will also help you achieve your personal goals. Like writing 1,000 columns.
Stephen Wilbers offers training seminars in effective business writing. E-mail him at wilbe004@umn.edu. His website is www.wilbers.com.
