This poster hangs above my desk.
It is a reminder to be willing to delete bad writing. I hope my ratio of good writing to bad is better than 1:91 but bad writing is bad writing.
The lessons for us all are:
Most people don’t realise how unclear their writing is. Clear writing isn’t just about grammar or big words. It’s about stripping away the clutter so your message gets through. If your writing is cloudy, your meaning gets lost. Take a fresh look at your last email or
Matthew Butterick has a great website and book called Typography for Lawyers. Inspired by that, here is lesson 1 of typography for accountants. You can make your documents clearer and easier to read with some simple changes that will take you less than 5 minutes. The secret lies in making
What can accountants learn from writers? Great writers don’t just write—they read, a lot. They learn what works and what doesn’t and sharpen their own skills. Accountants who want to communicate more clearly should borrow this habit. Next time you read a finance report (or anything) written
Don’t write your finance reports like detective stories. Don’t make your reader sift through pages and pages of clues before the real findings and recommendations are revealed on the final page. This problem–cause–solution approach where you describe the problem/issue, then explain why it has occurred