Tracewell

If you write for business, there will be times you write collaboratively. Whether in a software start-up, a Fortune 500, or a nonprofit, you may develop content with your team or work with an outside writer or editor to translate your expertise for different audiences or purposes. Even if you’re in your own business, you […]

The dense corporate-speak of the business professional and the angst-filled musings of a teenager after a breakup may seem like opposite ends of the bad writing spectrum, but they have more in common than you might think. In my work as a developmental editor, I’ve noticed business writing sometimes suffers from the same problem as

In a previous post, I explained why you should consider writing your book or project yourself rather than hiring a ghostwriter. This post describes how to review your writing project like a developmental editor would in order to decide how best to complete it. As a developmental editor, I get potential clients at all stages of

The topic was timely. “Hot,” even. Nay, “sexy.” The author had a job that lent credibility to his expertise. More than just holding a title, he had garnered awards and press coverage for special projects and achievements. He launched a small consulting practice, landed solid clients of some repute, and was a popular keynote speaker

“Corporations have a hard time finding people who can think and write at the same time,” said an English professor turned publishing consultant. “Better to get a smart writer to write a piece and have an expert verify the accuracy, than have the expert write it and try to edit afterwards. An expert’s badly written

When I was a new writer-for-hire, I was always eager to serve when the phone rang or I received an email from a prospective client. It might surprise you to hear that now, as a developmental editor and writing coach, I often recommend people do not hire a writer at all. I’ve noticed that three

When I started out as a freelance business writer, I didn’t give much thought to anyone’s writing process but my own. Clients would send me assignments to complete independently. I’d cocoon and type. As my practice grew, I got opportunities to take on bigger projects, as a professional writer and editor embedded in work teams.

You’ve taken the time to turn those notes and reflections into writing that might promote a worthwhile idea at work, help your clients, or fit at an upcoming conference. But you’re nervous about sharing it. Maybe you’ve spent so much time in your head that you don’t know if the piece will make sense to