Some people believe that great writing is a gift, you are just born with the talent.  It’s a romantic notion, but the reality is, like most things in life, a small amount of talent combined with a large amount of effort is what really drives expertise and success.  Pair that with the latest insight on how the brain responds to words, phrases and stories, and the criteria for making better writing choices is easily at hand.  And it’s surely worth the effort as effective business writing is an essential skill to persuasively communicate, nurture and sell your ideas so they can create an impact in the world.

In “The Science of Great Business Writing” HBR article from Bill Birchard, an author and writing coach, he draws on the latest scientific literature to identify eight features of impactful writing:  simplicity, specificity, surprise, stirring language, seductiveness, smart ideas, social content, and storytelling.  Cheat sheet notes are below for easy reference.  Check out the full article for more tips on using the Eight S’s to connect with your audience and get your messages to stick.  

Simplicity

Keep it simple.  Simplicity reduces the cognitive load of your audience while increasing credibility.  This is counter-intuitive to the way a lot of business people write with their complex language, big words and fancy acronyms.  Instead, go for short sentences, familiar words, and clean syntax.  Embrace the power of the deleted word to cut the extraneous.  Use the active voice.  

Specificity

Specifics awaken and engage the brain in a more meaningful way, so get into the detail to more vividly communicate your message and telegraphically transfer meaning.

Surprise

We are always making nonstop predictions, which includes guessing the next word in every line of text.  Confirming the readers’ guess is OK, but it probably means your writing is a bit boring.  So reward your readers with some novelty and use the element of surprise to make your message stick.

Stirring Language

In business, we always think to start with logic, but first and foremost, we are emotional beings and that’s how we are wired.  We process the emotional connotations of a word much faster than we understand its meaning.  So we reflexively react with feelings, like fear, joy, awe, and disgust, while reason follows.  We then combine the immediate feeling and subsequent thought to create meaning.  Dial-up the tension and commitment in your language. 

Seductiveness

Seductive writing in business.  That’s right!  We are wired to savor an­tic­ipation, so why not create a state of uncertainty so that you can lead your audience to something better.  Especially when that better thing is your idea.  Start with a question.  Pose a conundrum.  Your goal is to create space and interest for your idea to grow in the mind of your audience.

Smart Thinking

People love feeling smart, I know I do.  Plus the science says so.  That moment of discovery when two disparate things connect into a more powerful whole.  Probably the way you felt when you came up with your idea.  Why not give your audience that same ‘aha’ moment?  Lay out the trail of sourdough breadcrumbs for them to go on their own journey of discovery.  Channel your inner Sherpa.

Social Content

Don’t edit out your personality, edit it in.  We are wired to crave human connection so bring your full, authentic self into your writing.  The audience should literally hear your voice when they are reading it.  Think vocabulary, wit, syntax, and sensibilities.   Get in there!  You’ll also probably enjoy writing more with your own unique style.

Storytelling

Few things beat a good anecdote.  We’ve always been wired for stories.  Stories, even fragments of them, captivate our brains. Interest, understanding and recall all increase.  So go spin a yarn.  And make it human.  See point above.

So that’s it.  The eight S’s of scientifically better writing.  Whether you are cranking out an email or polishing that board deck, leverage the power of science to make your ideas truly shine. 

https://hbr.org/2021/07/the-science-of-strong-business-writing