At work, written communication can include anything from emails to contracts. It is a central part of the workplace across many industries and is the professional pathway to keeping in touch, solidifying business agreements and collaborating. You can demonstrate proficiency in written communication by composing clear, concise and error-free messages.

Improving your written communication skills may be one class away. You can get started by inquiring with a local community college or university about taking a writing class. You can also explore free online offerings through resources such as MIT Open- CourseWare or Stanford University’s Adventures in Writing, both of which allow you to benefit from the course content of an esteemed institution in a more casual and cost-effective format.

There are opportunities for improvement in your daily activities as well.

Read

You have likely heard that reading can help you to become a better writer. There is a great deal of truth to this, as reading helps you to expand your vocabulary. The more you read, the more you are introduced to terms that you can use to compose professional communications.

The goal is to incorporate diverse content into your reading to become acquainted with language that can help you to communicate with words more efficiently.

Proofread

Proofreading after you have completed the first draft of an email, proposal or letter ensures that your message is clear and correct. Also, remember to use the spellcheck feature. Your written communications reflect you and your work, so it is important to review them before they are sent or submitted. The OWL Purdue Online Writing Lab is a helpful resource that can be used to determine what to check for while proofreading and how to correct errors.

Know your audience

You can improve your writing by tailoring your communications to the person who will be reading it. For example, if you are sending an email to a manager, it may be wise to steer clear of “text talk,” such as “LOL,” “BRB” or “SMH.” Similarly, sending a very formal email to a work friend you have known for many years may not translate correctly. The same is true for sending a message laden with technical jargon to someone who is not familiar with such terms. Express yourself clearly while keeping in mind the communication style of the recipient.

Exercise

Physical activity certainly cannot hurt your writing skills, but in this case, we are referring to writing exercises. These are constructive activities that help you practice written communication through different themes.

WritingExercises.co.uk offers free prompts that can help you work on your skills and explore different writing types and terms. Setting aside about one to two hours per week to complete writing exercises can help you to significantly improve your skills in the long run.

Get a second opinion

Having a trusted colleague, friend or family member review your words can assist you with improving your writing skills. This will not only help you to catch any errors or typos that went unnoticed during the initial proofread, but allow you to note feedback that your trusted reviewer has about your writing style or structure.