Larry Villa of Douglass Screen Printers, Inc. attends SKillpath Business Writing Seminar
Published: December 23, 2005
By Larry Villa
Douglass Screen Printers, Inc.

Larry Villa, Executive Assistant with Douglass Screen Printers recently attended the Skillpath Business Writing and Grammar Seminar in Sarasota, Florida. This seminar covered basic, intermediate, and moderately advanced writing skills over a two day period. The first segment of the seminar discussed:

• Sentence patterns - how to properly word your sentences.
• Identifying areas of your writing that need polish.
• Understanding how business writing differs from other forms of writing.
• Recognizing the five major functions of business writing; inform, request, record, instruct, and persuade.
• How to keep your target audience tuned in.
• How to Freewrite. Freewriting is when you begin writing your letter or document with out the formatting, spelling corrections, etc. There are 5 easy guidelines to follow; 1) set a five-minute time limit; 2) write without stopping; 3) write as quickly as you can; 4) write with NO FEAR; 5) no editing.

Other topics discussed were how to arrange your paragraphs for the most effectiveness; how to use short words and phrases for transitions; how to get your point across more clearly; when it is okay to use acronyms, abbreviations and jargon in a business document; guidelines for mastering the most commonly used punctuation marks; how to emphasize your words; how and when to use nouns and pronouns; when to spell out numbers; how to grab your reader’s attention; how to write an ending that motivates your readers to take action; how to use parallel language and non-gender-based terms; addressing people as they prefer using Mr., Mrs., Ms.

Also discussed was how to choose a business writing style manual that works for your organization. One important topic discussed, that effects everyone in business today, is how to effectively write an email that is short and to the point, but that will be read. These techniques include being short; being clear; getting to the point quickly; proofreading for spelling, grammar and punctuation; not expressing anger; knowing the abbreviations; using emoticons; making your subject line descriptive; making sure to attach the previous message; avoiding using ALL CAPS; and knowing your company policy. The last segment of the seminar covered report writing, proposals, press releases, editing, and proofreading.

ABOUT DOUGLASS: Douglass Screen Printers is located in Lakeland, Florida. Founded in 1964 as a commercial screen printer, the company’s team of dedicated and diverse artisans produce screen and digitally printed decals, posters, banners, signs, tags, vehicle wraps, and nameplates. Corporate products are sold domestically and internationally to companies interested in maintaining a premier position in their markets. Douglass is certified by NWBOC, WBENC, 3M, the State of Florida, and the U.S. Government Printing Office in a variety of areas. The company is a generous patron of the arts and the Lakeland business community.