The process of writing
For effective business writing, it is recommended that one should follow the three fundamental steps. These steps are designated, planning, writing and completing. Stick to these three steps and you will be guaranteed efficient communication through writing. Without proper communication one cannot disseminate good ideas that go to waste. These steps should be followed precisely, particularly for the immature writers. Before undertaking the writing process, build up a picture of who your readers will be. Will they be leaders, directors, or technicians? (Bovee 175)
Planning
Planning for writing can be done anywhere, in the living room, office, or even the kitchen. Planning mainly entails understanding the topic you intend to write about before you get down to the actual writing. Planning will depend on the enormity of the venture. Do not be put off by the scale of the task that lies ahead. You need to get all the ideas that are related to your project, break them into manageable chunks and solicit information from relevant sources (Bovee 175). You can plan by writing down any idea that comes to your mind and reading through, this will help you generate more ideas. Alternatively, you can plan using a rough draft. Just pick any one idea and begin writing as if you were drafting a full report (Bovee 176).
Writing
Essentially, writing requires you to put down the ideas logically while enriching them with examples or figures. Writing should be done with the reader in mind, keep reminding yourself of your typical reader as you write. Writing is often the most challenging step in the writing process. However, a kin, sober approach will bail you out. Some techniques can help you overcome the “writer’s block” which is the bane of most writers. The first is writing freely. Plunge straight in. Do not wait for inspiration. Do not worry about grammar. Just write. The second one is clustering your topics or ideas to enable a sequential flow of information. It is recommended that you write in the third person (Bovee 177).
Completing
This refers to editing your writing. It can easily be done through stages or phases. In the first phase, focus on the clear mistakes, grammatical mistakes and spelling. In the second stage, try to read your work aloud and focus on correcting sentences that appear awkward (Bovee 177). Test the structure and links between sections and work towards proper and adequate dissemination of ideas. Make sure that your workflows are smooth. Use economy of expression, wordiness and redundancy make your writing difficult to understand and boring. Modesty is recommended, especially for inexperienced writers. The foremost aim of completing the writing process is to reach out to a bigger audience (Bovee 178).
Conclusion
For any effective business communication, you must always use the writing process. The three steps outlined in the process are dependent on each other; a good plan will lead to good writing and therefore a good completion.
Differences between routine and good news messages on one hand and bad news messages on the other
Routine messages are messages that are used to communicate within or between firms in the course of running the day-to-day activities. Routine messages could be the initial message or a reply to an earlier written message. To write this messages you need to put forward the main idea of the message, drum up support for the idea and end amiably in perspective. The main body of the message could be lengthy or short depending on the content. The two most common types of routine messages are good news and bad news messages. These two types of messages are different in kind of information relayed. The approach to writing these messages is guided by the intended user in mind. This should be done carefully, especially for the bad news messages (Bovee 255).
The first difference comes from the purpose of writing the message. Routine good news messages are used to relay positive information to the staff of a company or a different firm. Bad news messages are used to relay negative information to the staff of the same company or to a different company (Bovee 255).
Secondly, the two types of messages differ in the language used to relay the information. Good news should be relayed in a straightforward manner. For messages such as employment offers, use of precise wording with a warm approach to make it as attractive as possible is frequent. As for bad news, the writer chooses his or her words correctly because of the sensitivity associated. Bad news messages evoke negative emotions in the receiver. Dissatisfaction, anger and irritation are common consequences of bad news. The message is stated in clear, tactful manner. Emphasize the reasons for the message rather than the message itself (Bovee 257).
Thirdly, routine good news messages differ from bad news messages by the situation that has prompted the writing of the message. Good news messages are associated with fine moments for the writer who may be a company director who is congratulating a staff member or who is seeking to recruit more staff for company expansion. Bad news messages on the other hand express dissatisfaction and disappointment by the writer. It may entail termination of an employee’s contract or expression of dissatisfaction in the contact of another firm (Bovee 259).
The fourth difference is in the composition of the message. In the good news messages, the writer does not waste valuable time justifying the message. For example, a person who is seeking employment will not require a company to put down pages of reasons for him to join unless his of a rare profession. For bad news the writer aims to lessen the impact, therefore, there should be a smooth shift from the message to the reasons. The writer should justify his dissatisfaction with the employee or company (Bovee 260)
Conclusion
Routine messages, both good news and bad news messages are essential for communication in a business setup. These two types of messages differ considerably and the writer should always approach them differently.
Elements of visual design
Visual design refers to the overall look of objects and images that are displayed in photographs, pictures, text documents and other forms that are perceived by the eye. Visual design is accomplished by elements, which include; contrast, continuity, emphasis, simplicity and experience. Designers employ these elements to effectively communicate information through perception by the eye (Bovee 410).
Contrast, as it applies to visual design, is defined as the variation in visual properties that enables the distinction of one object from another and the background. Contrast is established by the difference in color and its intensity. For visual communication, contrast is employed to enable the viewer to see the images clearly for better understanding. Contrast is incorporated in written materials for better reading and understanding. Contrast is mostly used to achieve comparison of two or more entities (Bovee 412)
Continuity refers to announcements, messages, statements and graphics that are normally displayed within or between programs. They are played as part of the normal schedule and in most cases; they are followed by a description of oncoming programs (Bovee 412). Continuity can be in form of speaking by the announcer or displayed in words on some graphical background. In most cases, continuity is followed with displaying of the broadcaster’s logo. Advertisements on T.V are may not be considered as part of continuity. What is implied by the term continuity as far as T.V is concerned is still subject to discussion? Many countries and broadcasters have their own understanding of the term (Bovee 413)
In visual design, emphasis refers to exaggeration applied to images and text, which makes them appear different from the rest. The exaggerated words or images will stand out from the rest, catching the attention o the reader or viewer. In writing emphasis is applied to the keywords and this is normally achieved by using a different font style, color or capitalization (Bovee 415)
Simplicity refers to the state of a thing being easy to do understand, comprehend. Simplicity is mainly used in photography where it is vital for good photography. It is achieved by getting close to the object and minimizing distraction from background. (415) in writing simplicity is intended to make your simple and clear. This is achieved by imagining what you want to say, gathering the necessary information, outlining and writing down your draft. After writing the draft, read, clarify, and ensure words are in the simplest form (Bovee 416)
Experience is defined as the accumulation of knowledge or skill that results from direct participation in events or activities. It is gained in a varied period depending on the kind of profession and the individual. In visual design, experience is the most valuable tool. It is gained through endless participation in visual designing work and design is an art the more the experience the better the job (Bovee 417)
Conclusion
Visual design is an integral part of today’s world. Its importance cannot be overlooked in business communication especially in a competitive environment. Always employ the best visual design for success.
Works Cited
Bovee. Business communication today. New Delhi: Dorling Kindersley, 2006.