​Years ago as a reporter in Washington, D.C., I watched the New York Times reporter covering issues before Congress and noticed how few notes he took. He used a small flip pad, and jotted down a couple of things on each page. I wondered how he got the story right, but the next day when the newspaper came out, he always captured the main points and wrote the article from an accurate perspective.
 
Taking solid notes is tremendously important to writing a thorough story that best reflects reality. It’s hard to do. When you take fewer notes during an interview, it’s logical that would detract from the final product.

But, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to adhere to the “smaller notepad” perspective. I have a standing joke with a friend about bringing a tiny notepad with me wherever I go. Someone blabbing away says something noteworthy and I write it down. A unique web site is mentioned and I want to check it out, so I scribble it on paper for future reference.  And so on.
 
The tiny notebook fits in my pocket. If I wear a sports jacket, it slides right in. It’s handy. It gives me confidence that I won’t miss something.
 
If you look for new ideas or want to remember something important later, carry a little notepad around. You can frame your next story, save an idea, awaken yourself to a perspective you hadn’t considered. Write it down and make sure to read it when you get back to your office.

​Is the written word more powerful than the seven second blurb on a video? Probably not. Those of us who are writers lose this war daily. Images gain attention. Words on paper fade away.
 
It’s a sad state when you think about our current world, because in the rush to judge, our focus tracks images more intently than it does a lengthy written story. Reading a story takes time, concentration and effort. You must consider perspectives. You have to digest information. Getting on YouTube or watching a short news clip is far easier. You watch, you’re done. But did you think about what you saw? No, because your attention is quickly directed to the next news clip or you search for the next video you want to click on.
 
Public discourse loses as our attention spans shrink and follow images rather than spending extra time reading and digging into the issues more deeply.  What’s a writer to do?
 
We must be translators of information, taking complex policy issues and simplifying them in a manner that others can easily understand. The language we use must be clear. If you obfuscate or take multiple sentences to explain a process, you will likely lose the reader. Keep explanations short. Finally, writers must engage. Think about what interests a reader. Keep that in mind as you explore an issue. If your end result is a story that you enjoy reading, then you’ve probably been successful.

Writers will not turn around an angry mob. But we can certainly provide thoughtful opportunities for others to read more deeply about some of the complicated issues we face in today’s world. If we get additional people cracking open newspapers, magazines and journals, we’ve done our job.

Let’s say you are upwardly mobile. Most of us are, at least to a certain extent. We want to improve our lot in life. When that comes to work, it means you find a way to help the company or improve the bottom line of your business.
 
Everyone’s job ties to the profit margin in some way, shape or form. For some positions that connection is more tangible. Regardless of your station within the company, improving your writing skills is one thing you can work on to increase the value of your contributions to the business.
 
Clarity, simplicity and connectedness of your written communications are outcomes you should strive for. Take a class. Hire a writing professional to coach you. Seek feedback from others in your organization. The point is to look at the effectiveness of your professional writing and find new ways to make it better.
 
Don’t get held back. Poor writing can hold you back from that promotion. Sending an incoherent email or publishing a memo with grammar mistakes create bad impressions that reflect poorly on you. Good writing helps you move ahead. Work on it. It’s a smart professional move.