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You take a walk down the street, enjoying the feel of the cool evening air. As you walk you are hit by a sudden stroke of genius; an inspiration that leaves you with an overwhelming feeling to document your thoughts…

You lie awake at night recalling some of your experiences in life and the lessons you learnt. Again, you feel the need to share; you know you have to write…

You are at an event or on a trip. It’s colourful, fun, unforgettable. You think to yourself, “why don’t I just scribble something so people would know what it feels like doing something like this or going somewhere like this”…

We could go on.

Having the inspiration to write and actually getting into the grunt work of writing are as far as the north pole is from the south. There is almost usually this gap between that inspiration to write and the actual writing.

Writing requires a whole lot of thinking; and thinking requires a whole lot of work. How to put to writing what you have thought of in your head is not as easy as it sounds. However, below are a few tips to help you get that writing done:

1. Avoid procrastinating or you won’t ever start. Don’t wait till you are in the mood to write because you may never be. Jane Austen says: “I am not at all in a humour for writing; I must write on till I am.

2. Have a notepad where you put down those thoughts in your head; they don’t have to be perfectly written, it’s just you putting them down immediately they come so you don’t miss out on any of those “Eureka!” moments. You may decide to go see a movie or something and come back to them later. The beautiful thing about this part of writing is that as you jot down, new ideas that would connect the dots might just come your way.

3. You don’t have to start at the beginning, if you don’t want to. You could start from the most interesting part. You could start from the easiest part, if the most interesting isn’t; this way you settle in with ease. You could also decide to do the dirty jobs first! That way, again, it can only get easier along the way.

4. After you are done with (3) above, you can now do a draft of how you want your work to appear and then a second draft. Review your work and then give it out to a trusted hand for review.


These are four sure proof ways of getting that writing done. Do you have any other tips or tricks up your sleeve you would like to share? Please, drop a comment below.

A memo is one of means of communicating in a work environment and a major personnel instrument deployed by the management of an organisation to reach out to its internal publics- the workers.

Writing a good memo cannot be over-emphasized because of its importance in the communication process, as well as getting the end-users to act according to the message passed on.

So, what is the best way to write a memo?

Like any other form of writing, it is necessary you ascribe a heading to your memo.

Memo should be addressed to the intended recipient(s). They are specific document which address a particular recipient(s).

Copying other recipient(s), who should be informed about the memo is also a necessity. In case a memo is meant for a department, a copy can be sent to other departments allied to it, as well.

The source of the memo should be identified. This is written in the ‘From’ section of the memo. In fact, the only way one give credence to a memo is to credit it to a source.

It should be dated. Time is of essence therefore, a memo too should also bear the date when it was written and dispatched.

A memo should have a Definite Heading. A specific phrase at the top of the memo helps whoever reads it understand the subject matter or issue contained in it.

Format the Heading. A well written memo has each line of ‘From’ ‘To’ ‘Date’ ‘Subject’ well-spaced out, filled and capitalized.

A memo sample may appear like this:
TO: Name and job title of the recipient
FROM: Your name and job title
DATE: Complete date when the memo was written
SUBJECT: (or RE What the memo is about (highlighted in some way)

When constructing the heading, be sure to double space between sections and align the text.

You may choose to add a line below the heading that goes all the way across the page. This will separate the heading from the body of the memo.

Writing the memo
Consider the audience: Considering who your audience is will influence your tone, level of formality, the audience priority, and even possible questions.

Avoid Salutation: A memo does not need any salutation such as ‘Dear Sir/Madam’. Just go straight to the matter you need to address.

Introduce the Main Issue: This captures the attention of the recipients when a due context is created and introduction of the issue is made, as it is expected of the source of the memo. This should take a paragraph only.

For example:
“As of July 1, 2015, XYZ Corporation will be implementing new policies regarding health coverage.

Provide a Background to the Issue: This, however, should be brief, but must be included to give an insight to the matter or issue on which the memo is based.

Support your cause of action: This is important because you need to let your recipients understand why they should abide by what decision is arrived at and the consequence for a lack of response. The benefits also should be communicated, as this can trigger favourable reaction.

Suggest the line of action expected of the readers: Without this, the memo has not achieved one of its functions, which is to enforce action.

Close with a warm and positive summary: At the end, summarize what has been said in the memo once again but in short lines. This helps to register a strong impression of the issue and the importance of prompt action

Before a transcript can be seen as well done, there must have been series of editing, proofreading or reviewing at the case may be. For the purpose of this discussion, let’s call it the quality control process.

As important as the quality control process is, a good raw file can make the work easier, faster, and even seamless. For a rewarding transcription, watch out for the following mistakes:

Substandard Equipment:
Transcribing from a midget (portable recorder) or any other audio sources can be marred if the equipment is not in a good working condition. Occasions arise when an audio becomes inaudible or refuses to play back, and time is lost trying to fix it or to retrieve the file.

Failure to Check Sound Level:
Always ensure you carry out a sound check on your recording device. Sometimes, you may record an interview and find that the audio is so low, you can barely hear what was said making transcription difficult, if not impossible.

Non-availability of Supporting Document:
In instances where transcription is inclusive of jargons, it always helps to have a document that provides such terms and if it can be helped, their meanings. That way, you are not mixing up words or giving an entirely different meaning to the narrative.

Unrealistic Deadline for Delivery:
Transcription may seem a challenging task, but it may as well become an enjoyable one if the transcriptionist has all it takes to turn out a transcript within acceptably reasonable time frame. There is no need hurrying up and botching the job, when one extra day can make a world of difference.

Absence of Clear Instructions:
In this case, there is no guide for the transcriptionist in the work process and this hinders a good delivery. Clear instructions provide a framework for the task ahead, reducing poor feedback and helping to enhance the quality of the output.

Low Cost Option:
Cutting cost, when it is obvious such action could jeopardize a good transcription job in any area of endeavour, is suicidal. Remember quality and accuracy should not be sacrificed.


Do you have audio or video files you want to convert into written materials? The Ready Writers will be glad to be of service to you. Contact us today.

Writing is absolutely essential to modern life. From news stories, social media posts, and art to politics, academics, and business, few other skills (if any) are as important or influential as the capacity to express oneself clearly, intelligently, and convincingly via the written word. It’s no wonder, then, that the search phrase “How do I become a better writer?” currently fetches more than 51,000,000 results on Google. Unfortunately, much of the existing advice for improving one’s writing is either far too generic (e.g., “Write with your heart!”), too simplistic (e.g., “You need to write everyday!”), and/or flat-out mistaken (e.g., “Never write in the first person!”). In reaction to this, I’d like to humbly offer a detailed discussion of 5 specific strategies for becoming a better writer that actually work.
The State of Modern Writing
I’ve been writing professionally for more than 15 years now.
Much of that time has been dedicated to academic and technical writing, including university essays, research papers, funding applications, and graduate school submissions.
More recently, I’ve been writing and editing web-based content for businesses operating in the corporate world, with a particular focus on content marketing, internet marketing, entrepreneurship, and startups.
(I currently work as a writer/editor at The Startup and as an editor at Appster.)
From academic authors, post-secondary students, and administrative bureaucrats to corporate clients, self-proclaimed content marketers, and everyday bloggers, I’ve come across a lot of writing over the past one and a half decades.
And whilst I’ve had the pleasure of reading and learning from the brilliant insights of countless exceptional writers — many of whom are exceedingly more talented than I am—I’ve also come to realize that there’s a huge amount of awful writing to be found in both print and digital media.
Especially within today’s unprecedented and exponentially increasing rates of content creation (giving rise to what Mark Shaefer calls “content shock”), there really is no shortage of seriously bad writing.
By “bad writing” I mean problems such as:
• Spelling, grammar, and syntax errors;
• Incomplete sentences;
• Improper formatting;
• Logical fallacies;
• Poor organization; and
• Lack of clarity and intelligibility.
Mounting data suggest that the writing skills of many Americans are inadequate at present and worsening over time.
For both school-age children (from grade school all the way up to college/university) and working-age adults, deficiency in written communication is becoming both more common and more pronounced (sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, .
Reflecting on his experiences teaching undergraduate and graduate-level students at schools like Harvard, Yale, and Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism, Verlyn Klinkenborg insists:
“[Students] can assemble strings of jargon and generate clots of ventriloquistic syntax. … But as for writing clearly, simply, with attention and openness to their own thoughts and emotions and the world around them — no. That kind of writing — clear, direct, humane — and the reading on which it is based [are absent]”.
A 2016 article on inc.com reports that “blue chip businesses are spending as much as $3.1 billion on remedial writing training — annually. Of this budget, $2.9 billion [i]s spent on current employees — not new hires”.
Clearly, then, poor writing is not only intellectually impoverishing but also economically burdensome.
By no means am I the first to try and offer some potential solutions to the crisis of contemporary writing.
In fact, proposing one or more all-encompassing fixes is not actually what I hope to accomplish with this article (nor could I do so even if I were to try).
Rather, I wish to humbly discuss 5 specific strategies that I’ve used over the past 15 years to gradually cultivate and refine a set of writing skills that has allowed me to achieve success in academia and more recently in business.
Some of these methods are rather practical, straightforward, and likely to improve your writing relatively quickly; others are more conceptual or theoretical in nature.
The latter will require considerable effort on your part to learn and utilize, and might require many months if not years to give birth to noticeable changes in your writing.
(Note: I have laid out the different strategies in order of less to more practical, i.e., strategies 3, 4, and 5 are more practical and straightforward to apply than are strategies 1 and 2. Feel free to “jump around” the article as you see fit).
The 5 key strategies are:
1. Studying philosophy to revolutionize your thinking;
2. Creating comprehensive and highly detailed outlines for your projects;
3. Emulating your favourite writers;
4. Upgrading your vocabulary; and
5. Enhancing your practical mastery of grammar, spelling, syntax, and citation systems.
Learning how to become a top-tier writer involves a tremendous amount of time, energy, work, and dedication.
Don’t let anybody try and convince you that a fountain of quick-and-easy shortcuts to perfecting your writing can be found.
Yes, there are minor tips and tricks that you can implement to slightly refine and enhance your skills here and there.
However, the real gains come after months and even years of dedicating yourself to practicing the kinds of intricate and experience-based strategies.
Good luck!

Read more at: The Writing Cooperative
Credit: The Writing Cooperative

Curriculum Vitae is your own way of communicating your abilities, experiences, qualifications and the likes, to an employer and securing a job you desire.
Writing your CV, of course, require conscious effort and knowledge to bring out the best you can into a job interview of choice. Therefore, it is important you take note and avoid mistakes that can mar this opportunity.
Employers have also identified some flaws that hinder the chances of job seekers from job opportunities because they do not know or are careless about them.
For the purpose of this writing, we would list and discuss these ten mistakes you (job seekers) must refrain from in order to scale through your job interview and get the appointment afterwards:

Irrelevant information:
No employer has the whole of time to check through your CV. They scan through your CV within a minute or less, so do not fill in needless information that would only jeopardize your chances. Data like religion, height, weight, etc, should be excluded.

Hiding significant information:
What else does your CV do if not to sell your personality vis-à-vis the job you aspire for and this should be communicated right away to your employer in your CV. You can use highlights or bullet points to emphasize your strong areas and important information.

Ambiguous expressions:
On no condition should you use words or phrases like ‘several’, ‘a few’, ‘many’ in your CV, which are not definite enough. They can only make your CV unclear and hence, become unacceptable to your interviewer. Especially when you are meant to state the years of work experience, mention exactly the number of years, designation or role, and nothing more. Perhaps, you made significant sales in your previous employment, state precisely the figure or amount for your interviewer to know that you are sure of your responses, and that you are not faking it up.

Wide or close gap between employment dates:
The onus lies on you to explain the reasons you were out of employment for such a long time maybe due to a professional course, travel, or any other necessities, etc. In case it is a close gap in date, which some employers frown at, you should let them know the reason too. You may offer that the close dates or short stay in an employment is occasioned by a job opportunity in your professional field or interest, necessitating the shift, other than one you are doing to while away time, etc.

Being economical with the truth:
Know that your CV is representative of your worth. However, do not include a qualification and work title that you know nothing about. Saying exactly what you are or have (qualities, previous salary, grade level, skills, etc) other than the opposite, presents you as an honest person and that could be just what the interviewer or employer needs to approve you as the best fit for the job.

Too lengthy expressions:
Describe yourself or ability in the shortest possible way because it will help you keep your employer interested in going through your CV, other than a wordy or lengthy material, which they may not be able to cope with. Adopting a short but precise CV help keep your material to a maximum of two pages, which is acceptable for the so busy employers who sometimes have a bulky applications to attend to.


Heavy graphics design
The most important are your experience, qualification and skills, which sells you better other than a CV with heavy graphics designs. Employers are interested in what you have got to offer other than mundane add-ons (though they may cite it in the course of interview). Let your CV be typed in a screen friendly fonts or faces like Ariel, Times New Roman, etc. and with a size not exceeding 10 or 12 for the body text, while the heading and subheading take a larger size.

A clueless introduction
Instead of a vague introduction, we recommend a direct expression of your ability or experience with words like “A sales representative with 10 years of work experience in the financial sector”. This is acceptable than saying ‘results-oriented, team player, achiever,’ etc. Mind you, the interviewer’s first port of call might be your introduction and if you can get the required attention there, you will be good for it.

Enlisting Referees
Except it is called for, do not, for any reason, list a number of referees, which takes up a lot of space in your CV. Better state that ‘References will be presented on request’. Preferably too, list your references on another sheet of paper for evaluation by the employer.

Grammatical error
This is termed a character killer by some people and we say here do not allow your chances of getting a job be ruined by any error in grammar, spelling, or expression. Therefore, make effort to check through your CV draft for possible errors and get someone else to do this bit with or for you.

Report writing skill is one of the major hallmarks of your professionalism.
If you do a good job and you do not communicate it in a good way, it is like building an edifice in the dark. No one will notice it. And if your hard work is not noted, you will not get the credit you deserve.
Writing a report is one thing, but without observing certain nuances that make for excellence, your report will not command attention, talk less of commendation.
At this edition of ThriVe Academy Session for Professionals, we will be discussing in toto How to Write Attention-Grabbing Reports. This session is a must-attend for all professionals who desire to scale their performance and delivery.
Please find belowthe details of the event:
Date: Thursday, August 24, 2017
Time: 2pm
Venue: 1, African Church Close, off Coker Road, Ilupeju, Lagos.
Attendance is free. But pre-registration is compulsory. To register, please click: www./ThrivewithBabs
PS: You may come with samples of your past reports for analysis.

Having a copyright means you have an intellectual property it protects from illegal usage. Copyrights is same as patency credited to producers of goods etc. Enjoy all that's there for a wholesome rewarding experience.
#ThriveTuesday

#StressFreeSaturday

When last did you watch a Bollywood production? What about a Korean movie or Mexican telenovella? Tell us how well you think the translation helps you enjoy these shows better.

Are you growing audience, losing them, or not making them at all as a result of a lack of skill in this art? Don’t worry, help is here.
As with writing on any platform, it is pertinent that one knows to whom they are writing (the target), why they are writing in the first place, and how beneficial the content is to the reader. It is until this basic foundation is set that one can say they are really ready to communicate.
Now, social media writing is not exactly a very different ball game from the writings in a book and the pages of the newspaper. But it is different.
Social media writing involves a lot of ‘briefs’ that MUST make sense otherwise you lose readers. In fact, developing content to be taken seriously on social media is a lot harder than it looks; and that is why it is important to learn the art.
Below are 5 tips to help you get better:
1. Write like you were conversing with a friend, colleague on a round table, or on a picnic if you like. It is SOCIAL MEDIA. I don’t think anyone likes it too serious there and so refrain from soaking your content in professional jargons. Keep the tone casual. But while you are it, try as much not to alter spellings or punctuations so everyone can be carried along (‘info’ for information is okay, but u for ‘you’ or ‘4’ in the stead of for should be avoided). Apart from carrying everyone along, you also would want your content taken seriously right?

2. As has been mentioned above, the tone must be appropriate. It is this tone that helps readers decide follow, like or share your content. As a matter of fact, if tone is wrong from the start, odds are that reader gives up half way.

3. Keep it short and simple. Concise, more like it. Most people visit social media for relaxation, and they are not to be burdened with a long piece, with so many words of the same meaning, except it is intended to be a lullaby.

4. Make sure content is relevant, something your readers (if you really took time to research them) can easily relate with. Don’t leave them wondering how the piece has anything to do with them.

5. Let your words or language be active. Use action words most of the time and see that there is a call to further action from your reader. Is that not the point of the writing in the first place? “This book is the best ever written, GO GET your copy,” “Nigerians, LET’S TELL ourselves the truth,” are examples of a call to action.



NB
These are just basic tips. The more you practice, the better you get and probably come up with your own tips.

Transcription is the art of converting speech contents like audio and audio-visual, etc, into texts or words. Spoken words in form of speeches, lectures, sermons, etc. can be written down in readable text forms, which can be stored same way as the audio and audio-visual.

Because people generally talk faster than you can write or type, many people struggle when faced with a transcribing task. But, it doesn’t have to be that way.

To gain proficiency in the art of transcribing, follow these simple tips;

1. Be assured of your competence:

When writing, or when typing, you use the keyboard. So, be sure of your ability to type as quickly as possible. You also need to learn to gain some mastery in typing and have a technique that increases both speed and accuracy.

At times, transcription come as an impromptu job, so it requires an all-time preparedness.

2. Ensure you have the right working tools and sitting posture:

Ensure you have a desktop keyboard tilted towards your direction for convenient typing. A comfortable seat is a necessity, allowing for the right placement of hands and forearms. Place your feet flat on the ground so you bend your knees comfortably. A footrest can also provide a soft padding for your feet while you work along. Use a headphone with a long cord so as not to restrict the movement of your head when you turn it sideways. Take rest at regular intervals to stretch yourself and ease off pains from your ears, legs and perhaps your eyes.

3. Get required software handy:

It may amaze some of us to know that there are free tools online that make the task of transcribing slightly less tedious. A voice control software, for instance, helps you control the tape with the help of applicable keys or pedals as the case may be, slowing down the pace of the recording so that you can hear better and type at the same speed as the recording. The gives you the advantage of a quicker or faster pace of work.



To be continued

Conscientious: Taking care to do things correctly and carefully.

When you want to make your writing more powerful, cut out words you don't need--such as the 10 included in this post:

1. Just: The word "just" is a filler word that weakens your writing. Removing it rarely affects meaning, but rather, the deletion tightens a sentence.

2. Really: Using the word "really" is an example of writing the way you talk. It's a verbal emphasis that doesn't translate perfectly into text. In conversation, people use the word frequently, but in written content it's unnecessary. Think about the difference between saying a rock is "hard" and "really hard," for example. What does the word add? Better to cut it out to make your message stronger.

3. Very: Everything that applies to "really" applies to "very." It's a weak word. Cut it.

4. Perhaps/maybe: Do you want your audience to think you're uncertain about what you're saying? When you use words like "maybe" and "perhaps," uncertainty is exactly what you're communicating.

5. Quite: When someone uses "quite," he or she either means "a bit" or "completely" or "almost." Sometimes the word adds meaning; sometimes it's fluff. Learn to tell the difference--but, when in doubt, cut it out.

6. Amazing: The meaning of "amazing" is causing great wonder or surprise--but some writers use the word so often that the meaning gets lost. How can something be amazing if everything is? Ditch this diluted word.

7. Literally: When something is true in a literal sense, you don't have to add the word "literally." The only reason it makes sense to use the word is when it clarifies meaning (i.e., to explain you aren't joking when it seems you are).

8. Stuff: Unless you are aiming at informality, don't use the word "stuff." It's casual, it's generic, and it usually stands in for something better.

9. Things: Writers use the word "things" to avoid using a clearer, more specific word that would communicate more meaning. Be specific. Don't tell us about the "10 things," tell us about the "10 books" or "10 strategies." Specificity makes for better writing.

10. Got: Think of all the ways we use the vague word "got" in conversation: "I've got to go," "I got a ball," or "I got up this morning." Though it's fine for conversation, in writing, "got" misses valuable opportunities. Rather than writing a lazy word, look for clearer, more descriptive language: "I promised I'd leave by 9," "I picked up a ball," or "I woke up today," for example.

Whether you've been writing for a few days or for many years, you'll benefit from evaluating the words you use. Cut the filler to make your writing stronger.

Begin the writing of your business proposal by getting qualified professionals to handle that responsibility for you. You sure will get the desired business relation or deal the proposal is intended for.

The Ready Writers are the professionals who will help you identify the problem(s) of the client. All that your prospect want is a detailed and convincing information, as well as thoroughness, clarity and consistency.

You will get not only that but it will also help get your competitive advantage out there and make the document attractive in terms of cost.
#ThriveTuesday

Who writes or reads faster of the pairs: the hand or the pen; the mouth or the tongue?
Whatever your answer, share with us.

“I need an editor.” “I need a copy-editor.” “I need a proof reader.” “Oh, I need someone to review my work.” Who or what exactly do you need?
Some people use these words inter-changeably, with the assumption that one cannot be that different from the other.
Let’s try dissecting the two.
Editing and proofreading both require making some changes on a written work, but that is as far as the similarity goes.
Editing:
An editor in this case sees to the internal consistency of a work. A very quick and simple example: if it is ‘Vivian’ in page two, it should still be ‘Vivian’ and not ‘Vivienne’ in page ten.
An editor ensures there is no ambiguity of any kind, and thatthe meaning is the same to everyone who picks up the work. In other words, editors see to the clarity of an author’s message.
Editors also ensure continuity of storyline in the case of novels or other narrative works. Chapter one should not talk about a certain Mr. James and his gang who robbed two banks in a day and then he and his gang are not to be mentioned or linked to the rest of the story. So why were they in the story in the first place? There must be something taking the reader back to that incident.
In a nutshell, editors make a work clearer and more understandable This is why they are expected to have the requisite knowledgeon the subject of any work; fiction or non-fiction, which enables them remove, reconstruct or re-write entire sentences or paragraphs. Yes, they enjoy that liberty by reason of their craft.
So, we can see that an editor’s work can be simple or compound, depending on the experience of the author.
Proofreading:
A proof reader comes in after the editor is done with his part of the work. They deal with the final draft but do not necessarily have to have expert knowledge of subject of work.
Basically, a proof reader has no business with content, as they are not paid to make any major changes, even if the work sucks. They can, of course, point out certain parts of the work for revision or even make suggestions, but that is as far as they can go. They do not enjoy the liberty an editor enjoys in that regard.
A proof reader takes care of spellings, grammatical and typographical errors.
A proof reader takes care of other things like page numbering, footnotes, page margins, style format, etc, things that an editor may have overlooked or not have the time for.
In a nutshell, a proof reader formats. They see to it that the manuscript is ready for the print.
So, when next you ask for help, know exactly what you want and be ready to pay for it!

A rejoinder, also known as the letter to the editor, is simply anarticle written for the purpose of correcting a wrong impression about a personality, idea, issue, etc. in a published article. It also gives room to the writer to respond or give a feedback on an issue in need of due attention.
Writing a rejoinder is commonly used forthe print medium: newspapers, magazines, newsletters, etc. but it does not secludeother news media like broadcasting, social media, and other wired services. The basic need for a rejoinder is to either correct, clarify, elaborate, discard, support, etc. a cause, opinion, issue, argument, and so on.
As the name connotes, it is addressed to the editor of a concerned news medium. The rejoinder is an avenue to state in clear terms the true state of affairs other than allowing the earlier false impression take preeminence.
Having the freedom of expression, as offered by a rejoinder does not permit for an equally wrong response. Not at all. This is why caution must be exercised to disallow any use of unfriendly or inciting words, no matter the issue at hand.
For the sake of this writing, The Ready Writerswillguide you through what we call the acceptable expectations in putting together a convincing rejoinder. Please take note of the list below:
1. It is a piece intended for a particular recipient, hence, it must be duly addressed. The name, designation, and organization must be stated.

2. Ascribe a title to the rejoinder for proper referencing. Better still, the title of the mentioned article remains but is preceded by ‘RE:’Like any other form of writing, the title should hold in view the matter necessitating the rejoinder. For example if the article talked about inflation you can work with the following:
Re: Inflation rate hits 10 percent in first quarter of the year.

If the purpose is to correct a wrong notion, then writing the article gives you the leeway to substantiate yourself, a person, or any other controversial issue lifted in the article in question.

3. Respond to criticism in a positive manner.
4. Keep reasons to the point, brief and factual.
5. Get someone to help you evaluate the rejoinder in relation to the published article.
6. Major points are key, therefore talk about them.
7. Let the key points be highlighted for easy identification in the article.
8. Be certain about the recommendations given to clarify the controversial issue.
9. Clarity is of essence; make effort to achieve this in the course of writing.
10. Sincerity is another watchword. Ensure you depict it in the most acceptable way.

The dash and hypen are two punctuation signs that get some users confused owing to their similar look. But really, a dash is a dash; and a hyphen, a hyphen. Both signs are different, and so is their usage.
A hyphen joins two or more words together while a dash separates words into parenthetical statements. A parenthesis contains that word or phrase not required for the meaning of a sentence. In other words, with or without them, a sentence retains its meaning.
A hyphen joins words or parts of a word together as can be seen in the following examples:
• In compound words: Mother-in-law, Send-off, self-respect, state-of –the-art-equipment, etc. Also, it is this same sign we use with our compound names likeFani-Kayode.
• To tell one’s age:A two-year old girl
• In numbers above twenty: Twenty-one
• With prefixes: Ex-governor, re-make…
A dash on the other hand, separates words or phrases from the main sentence. It can be used to replace brackets [just as what is contained within a bracket neither adds nor remove from the meaning of the sentence proper], although not very formal when writing. These parenthetical statements separated by a dash only give additional info should it be needed by the reader.
A dash is also used for emphasis at the end of a sentence; just like a colon ( but less formal than a colon.
Examples of the use of the dash:
• For emphasis: If you don’t tell me what I want to hear in 5mins, I will walk you out of my property – and I mean it. Staying true makes one beautiful – really beautiful.
• For separating parenthetical statements: Mrs Williams – the lady who just gave a speech – will be leaving for Austria tonight. The condiments – pepper, salt, fish, and spring onions – are ready.



Note:
• The dash has a space in between, while the hyphen is used without any spacing.
• The dash is longer than the hyphen.

There is no fast rule governing the writing of a good memo, but observing the basics would help do a good job- a memo that would deliver on its purpose.

In other words, consider the following key points as they will serve you well as you go about writing your memo.
Be Brief:
This is necessary but not a green light to keep the detail out. Brevity simply means you have to be precise in your writing and leaving out any non-useful content. Choosing the right words of expression in your writing will help you avoid verbosity.
Explain Key Results:
This is necessary since it will save the readers the stress of having to interpret the relationship between data and figures contained the memo. You should do this bit for them beforehand.
Avoid step by step calculations:
Like it’s said above do the bit for the readers in a brief and succinct manner they would appreciate. For better results put details in a separate report to be handed out to the recipients or readers.
State the winners and losers:
Decisions would not always favour everyone, hence, there are those who would benefit while others would lose out. So, it is needful you state winners and losers alike. This helps the source of the memo to predetermine the actions from the group(s) hurt by the information contained in it. Besides, the source of the memo could also devise means to lessen such losses to be borne by those affected.

Predict possible questions:
Being on a safer side is preparing for any eventual questioning by those whoseinterest might be endangered by the memo. It is needful to have done a good work on possible answers that could help safeguard a notion that the decisions taken cannot be substantiated or held for long.

Avoid technical terms:
Nobody has the time to check all the big vocabulary up in the dictionary. For this reason, use words that everyone could possibly relate with. Even if you must use the professional terms, explain the meaning in simple explanation.

Use tables:
If atable would do a better presentation, who says you should not use it? Go ahead and state the variables in a tabular form where all items can be seen and understood. In fact, experiences show that tables enable one use limited words.
Be intelligent:
Writing a good memo entails an approach that would make the intention of the source very clear to the recipients. The memo contains your intention and you can only make the recipients be part of it if you bring it to their level of understanding where the import of the writing or the message is not lost.
Aim at results, not your opinions:
Dish out all the facts. This is like the roadmap to your destination. It helps for taking the readers or recipients from a point of non-involvement to that of full disclosure and a call for an acceptance and corresponding involvement.
Assess approach, not ends:
It is good to do an evaluation of the means adopted in reaching the recipients or readers of the memo, as to whether it is the best approach for the purpose for which it was intended. Care should be taken not to make a comparison of whether it is good or bad.
The Ready Writers is out to help our readers become better writers. Do you have questions on any particular issue for us? Feel free to drop your questions or comments below.

Here is one.

By definition, a press release is a written communication, giving details about an event, circumstance or other happening, usually on behalf of an organisation or entity.

One of the most important things to do when preparing your release, is proper research. Research the particular release online to have a picture of the appropriate tone, language, structure, and format.

Make deliberate effort to avoid jargons or technical vocabulary and if they must be included then, define them.

Draft the release to suit a particular media outfit and to specific reporter in charge of the beat the press release covers.

The timeline of release is key as it must show the news content is current and not an old information.

In writing a detailed release, it is important there is a call-back to the source for either an update or excluded information.

Endeavour to include the company name, title, and subhead, if any. The first paragraph should contain these editorial items to serve as visibility through search engines, other professionals and readers.

Press release meant for news media should be printed on the company’s letterhead.

Do not forget to include a “call to action” in the release. It enables you tell the audience what exactly you intend they do after digesting the information. Of course, it should also include the contact- phone number, website address, email, etc. of the executive who authored the release for clarification and other exigencies.

It is advisable the release is fully written before putting the headline. The headline, of course, must be catchy enough, concise and factual. Copy editors would determine the real headline they choose to give to the publication edition that will finally get on the pages of their magazines and newspapers.

Let the headline of the press release describe the email you will send to editors. Deliberate attempt is also needed to write an attention-getting release.

Sending release through email demands that you become careful that formatting is not used too often. The use of multiple colours, too, should be discouraged, as it puts off possible recipients of the email.

Try not to send the release as an attachment. If the occasion demands you use anattachment then, use plain text or Rich Text Format file. Some recipients prefer Word documents, in its various new versions, (.docx) or (.doc). PDF could be employed if a whole media kit bearing a number of graphical contents is to be sent.

Fluke: A lucky or unusual thing that happens by accident.

Business Dictionary defines a progress report as “An assessment that takes place during a project or process, that conveys details such as what sub-goals have been accomplished, what resources have been expended, what problems have been encountered, and whether the project or process is expected to be completed on time and within budget”.

When writing a progress report, certain elements are very important. Let’s take a look at them:

The Heading: Like other forms of writing, a progress report offers a title, date, names of both writer and recipient, and their positions. This should be well-written in the right positions.

The Introduction: Basically, this first part of the report should contain the purpose of writing, the timeline, the scope, the sponsor(s), etc.

The List of Completed Projects: It is important you list those projects you and your team havedone in the past showing the date, project name and duration in a tabular form for easy analysis.

Problems Encountered:Even with the best planned projects, challenges are commonplace; hence, these must find a good mention in the report. The writer of the progress report must state what was done to overcome those challenges, and recommend possible actions, if any, or offer advice on sources of assistance in future endeavours.

State Any Future Tasks: Since this deals with a project, it is not sufficient tostop at what has been done without mentioning what plansare there to be executed in the continuation of such project in the future. This, of course, must entail the date, duration, stages,personnel, sponsor(s), project supervisor(s),location, etc.

Summarize the Report: Briefly state achievements recorded, challenges faced, recommendations offered andother outlined tasks in the project continuation. This section should contain information about every stage or sub-section in the report but in short and clear notes.

Note:
Project report writing is an official document prepared in succession and which offers a guide to management decision making, therefore, each stage is represented by a report topic identifying the particular work done, present stage reached, etc. Project report may take the form of memo, verbal account, business letter, email, etc.

What stage in your writing evolution brings back the strongest memories. Care to share?

Could anyone say precisely the number of languages in the world? The world population itself is an approximate figure, and words like “about”, “around”, etc. precede generally accepted figures.
With the multiplicity and diversity of languages in our world today, mutual understanding and communication is made possible through translation.
Effective translation requires that due attention be paid to the basics of the languages involved: that of the speaker and audience. The translator must ensure that he does not derail from the original language in order to render an accurate translation.
Let us consider the following tips translation:
1. Do not interpret or translate word for word. This is the undoing of starters or inexperienced translators who prefer picking each word out to do this bit.

2. Understand the message being relayed in the original language of communication and say it in concise and precise interpretation. Take for an example, this Igbo statement: O sirik’unujike e meeya. This translates thus: He or she said you should use force or strength to do it.

3. It is advisable to interpret at same pace or speed as the speaker. This is important in order not to lose out on the spoken words. Such situation would not also give room for collision of speech from both parties involved: the speaker and translator.

4. A translator must be an embodiment of vocabularies and language expressions pertaining to his basic medium of communication. This makes his duty as an interpreter an easy one.

5. Do not say what the speaker does not say or imply. You are not meant to add to the original statement rather, translate as it was delivered by the speaker.

6. Breath control is of essence and it must be considered for natural and acceptable delivery.

7. You must be at alert and should not be caught unawares by the speaker or the speech.

8. Take note of the need to change the language of translation when the speaker changes that of the original language. For instance, a preacher is delivering a message in Yoruba language and an English language interpreter should change to the speaker’s language if he or she changes.
BONUS TIP
9. For subtitling of films or music videos, it is professional to translate the lines or lyrics at same frequency as the speech or song.

It is possible for you to have a flair for writing but because of some criticism of your work, you feel you are not meant to be a writer. In spite of those doubts you might have, here are some indicators that you are meant to be a writer:
1. You have a childhood passion for writing: There is a tendency that if as a child you loved to use pen and paper mostly to write (and not to draw), then you are probably meant to be a writer. Children mostly know what they love and are meant to do, even if they cannot express it.
2. You daydream about writing: When you find yourself frequently mulling over an unwritten story in your mind especially when you are not in an environment that would permit you to write, you are probably meant to be a writer.
3. You don’t mind writing for free: Do you readily accept or even search for opportunities to write without getting paid for it? That could be another sign that you are meant to be a writer.
4. Your excuse for not hanging out with people is because you want to write: This is quite straightforward; that is, if you would rather stay indoors and write than hang out with your friends, it’s clear you love writing and you are probably meant to be a writer.
5. 5. You have great admiration for writers: When the people you admire most are authors like Shakespeare, J.K. Rowling, Chimamanda Adichie and John Grisham, then you are probably meant to be one too. Also, if you also have natural talent for using elevated language and you tend to use it most times in your writing and speech, then, that is another indicator that you are probably meant to be a writer.
6. You feel empty on the inside unless you write: Do you sometimes get bothered or feel somewhat incomplete because you haven’t written for a long time? That is a sign that you are meant to be a writer.
Now, if you found yourself nodding in agreement as you read this piece, don’t quit writing yet; you are probably meant to be a writer. You just have to keep writing so that you can get better at it.

Justice; A just behaviour or treatment

The faintest pen is better than the sharpest memory – Chinese Proverb
Do you find that debatable? The import of the statement is that once you write something, it is cast and can be referred to, unlike what you store in your memory which you may forget.
Writing your ideas and thoughts makes them concrete, so that you do not forget them. It also gives you the opportunity to share them with others.
If we attempt to keep all information we get in our memory, it may leave us disorganized and we can miss many opportunities.
Thoughts and ideas will keep flipping through your mind. When they come, it is important to write them down. In fact, many people have aborted multi-million dollar worth of ideas by not writing them down.
Even if you are not implementing them immediately, write them down. As you write them down, you take time to conceptualize and brood over them until they are formed and then you can start executing them.
Some ideas require future implementation, but as you take time to study about them, you gather resources and over the years you have a full picture of what the idea is about. Having a journal is useful for this purpose; you can review all that you have studied and that way you are ready for implementation.
It will be a wonder to people how, all of a sudden, you are implementing your idea. But you did not start immediately; you had been brooding upon it, working hard at it and putting pen to paper. What people see is a result of months of hard work.
Writing helps to keep your dreams alive. When you write down things, it may even be so many years later that you review them. You will discover that you intended to chart this course or that. You may have forgotten about an endeavor or an idea due to busy schedules, but because you penned it, you can come back to it, flesh it up and give life to it.
At The Ready Writers Consult, we encourage you to keep writing your ideas. Who knows, you may be the one who will discover the solution(s) to Nigeria’s challenges or the cure to AIDs.
Imagine what our world would be without books and materials, information from previous generations would have been lost.
You do not need any special skill to write your ideas; take a pen and write the ideas and beautiful thoughts flipping through your mind. Before long, you will observe a pattern, a train of thoughts.

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1. Know the Rules
This doesn’t mean to simply remember what you learned — or what you think you learned — five or fifty years ago. Careful writers continuously educate and reeducate themselves about grammar, syntax, usage, and style. In preparing to write my posts over the last few years, I have engaged in extensive research, consulting print and online authorities to confirm or correct my own understanding of what constitutes good writing. Confront your prejudices, and check your recall and understanding of the basics. Most important, don’t believe everything you think.

2. Be Open to New and Unusual Usage
Language changes, and writers must change with it. This doesn’t mean that you should abandon your high standards and accept colloquial language; some contexts simply do not allow for a relaxation of the rules. But most forms of writing are flexible, and you should be, too. Adapt the language to the content, but consider also adapting the content to the language.

3. Verify
When in doubt, look it up. When not in doubt, look it up. Don’t be content with spell-checking programs; check not only definitions of words, phrases and expressions but also their connotations. When discussing a person, place, or thing, don’t simply double-check the spelling and treatment of the term; reacquaint yourself with the person, place, or thing to confirm or correct your impression that the reference is appropriate for the content. (And check your facts.)

Credit: Daily Writing Tips

Life had changed for me. I never realized it. Moonlight walk changed into late night strategy workshops. Candlelight dinner turned into business meetings. Sweet and short phone calls from her transformed into long hour teleconferences. Gifts were no more priority now — there should be some tangible return whatever we invest, after all. Spending even 5 dollars on the bouquet for the Valentine’s Day seemed meaningless — you would lose at least half an hour searching for a parking space in the downtown.

Overall there was no respite from the hectic office and the future planning. Whenever she, in a very mild attempt, tried to express her feelings, I had pre-defined answer, “these all are for us only, darling” and she used to be quiet for another month or so.

Recently I had to go to Holland on a business trip for a week. I was working on an important assignment. I didn’t have even five minutes to talk to my parents who traveled more than fifteen hundred miles just to meet us. I called her to inform that I had to leave that evening. It was not new to her. It happened many times, and every time, in evening, I found her standing at the door, smiling, with my suitcase packed with all the necessary stuffs.

I checked in to Crown Inn in Eindhoven. It was 3 PM. I wanted to rehearse my presentation before I meet the senior management. I was sure that she would have kept the file. In past, she never missed what I needed, never ever. But I could not control my anger. I opened my leather cased Samsonite and file was not there!!! I took out or rather threw cloths one by one on the cozy floor of Crown Inn.

“Here it is” phewwww… what a relief.” I sighed. I knew she never missed even my minute taste and never ending petty demands. And for this important file, I had specifically reminded her.

I opened the file. There was a pink envelop, something similar to what we used to exchange, long time ago, before our marriage. Those days, loves were not made on the Internet. It had been more than twelve years.

I opened the envelope. It had our family photo, with her and our two little ones. We all were smiling. There was a pink greeting card with a red heart printed on it. Inside the card, it read, “Miss you my dear Teddy Bear.”

When I was returning, at the Schiphol airport, after many years I purchased something for her… just for her… a pair of diamond earrings. I was missing her badly, as never before.

END

Credit: Your Story Club

Formal writing has been beset with a number of errors which might not be noticeable to the writer at the point of writing or editing. That is why we have to consider few of those errors here in order to draw our attention to them. Besides, errors notable here are meant for seeking redress so as we continue to write, we ensure those errors do not show up in our writings.

Take them one after the other:

Affect/Effect: Affect is a verb while Effect could either be used as a noun or a verb.



The weather is affecting everything in our environment. (verb)

The effect of the weather is telling on me. (Noun)

Let us effect a change in weather condition. (Verb)



Apostrophe: This punctuation mark is used to denote possession or contraction of words. Care should be taken when using it in both cases.



For possession: This is Bola’s bag.

Is that not Bola’s bag?



For contraction: Isn’t she informed of the meeting? (Isn’t = Is not)

It’s not late to get on the journey. (It’s = It is)



For plural nouns ending in “s”, it is advisable not to include an apostrophe, as in Teachers office, policemen truck, etc.



For singular words ending in “s” such as a name, the apostrophe comes at the end.



James’ book is over there.

Silas’ pen is with me.





Note: Do not use apostrophe if only a letter is involved, as in:

There are two ts in Tattoo.

Since “ts” could confuse the reader, it is better to say:

There are two “t”s in Tattoo.



Could’ve/Should’ve/Would’ve: The full forms of these are could have, should have and would have.



Its/It’s: The former (its) is used for possession while the latter (it’s) is the short form (contraction) for “it is” or “it has”.



They’re/Their/There: There is the short form for “They are” while “their” is showing possession and “there” is indicating a place or idea.



Example: They’re fond of doing that.

That is their kind of food.

Let us go over there.



Theirs/There’s: “Theirs” indicates the third person plural noun while “There’s” is a contraction for “there is” or “there was”.





To/Too/Two:

“To” is a preposition indicating a place; it also serves as an infinitive when it comes before a verb.



E.g.: I am going to Lagos. (place)

To go home is the next option right now. (Infinitive)



“Too” is used in place of “also” or “as well”.



“Two” is a number.

Often Misused Words

Decimate: To decimate means to reduce by one-tenth and not to reduce to one-tenth.

Literally: This word simply means just saying the fact without any exaggeration.

E.g. Literally, I did not have any excuse for coming late.

But it is wrong saying: Literally, I died of boredom. This is an expression indicating that in actually fact you died, which is not true. Of course using “literally” is unfit for that purpose.



Lose/Loose: “Lose” is a verb and the opposite of “win”. But “loose” is an adjective- the opposite of tight. They should not be confused in writing or expression.



Weather/Whether: “Weather” is the atmospheric condition of a place at a particular point in time, like rainfall, sunshine, cloud-cover etc while “whether” is indicating a condition and it is conjunction that offers alternatives. It is also used in place of “if”.



E.g.: Whether Arsenal win or lose, …