How to get read when you can't write; organization and succinctness are keys to getting the words out
OfficeSolutions

IT'S NOW EASIER THAN EVER TO BE AN INEPT WRITER AND STILL GET YOUR POINT ACROSS. The sentence as we know it isn't quite dead, but readers' dwindling attention spans mean they require fewer words. In addition, word processing software has made it easy to use visual cues to compensate for any grammatical deficiencies.

You've probably noticed that poor writers tend to substitute quantity for quality because they never got beyond those 500-word essay days in school. They use padded phrases and repeat their points, thinking the key to success is to hit a certain word count. If you can't write, let this be your Golden Rule: Less is more.

GET ORGANIZED

Before you type the first word of any business letter, presentation, memo, or e-mail, devise a plan of attack. It doesn't have to be elaborate, so forget about numbered outlines and stacks of index cards. Instead, make a simple list of each point you want to make. Next, assign each point a numerical rank. No. 1 should be your main point.

The concept is called building an "inverted pyramid." Visualize a pyramid with its tip on the ground and its wide base on top. When you present points in this format, if readers only skim your first few lines, they'll get the brunt of your message.