Today, I finish the thought I started on Earth Day. What does Earth Day have to do with business writing and editing? Well, one of the mantras for Earth Day is “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” Today, l look at writing through a “Recycle” lens.

Recycle – when words become wisdom

At first blush, the idea of “recycling” content sounds bad. The pressure for “new, exciting, original content” is intense. But sometimes “existing content”, “old content”, “previously used content” – pick your term – is in fact the best, most valuable stuff.

Sometimes, an idea or a set of words is so true and so powerful that it stands the test of time. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” or “Be kind” or the Gettysburg Address. These words are repeated and passed on and remembered. They are words that guide us in tough times and see us through to better times. These words eventually become known as something else – wisdom.

Wisdom bears repeating

When you think of the billions of words that are written, very few ascend to the realm of wisdom. But when they do, there is value in repeating them – whether to help us make a difficult choice or to share with future generations. My daughter may roll her eyes as I impart these nuggets. But I want to share my wisdom – such as it is – with her while I can, in hopes she’ll be better prepared to handle life’s inevitable curves.

So looking back over my Earth Day-themed week, I find that “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” fits quite nicely into my writer’s toolkit. What do you think?

Today, I pick up the thread I started on Earth Day. What does Earth Day have to do with business writing and editing? Well, one of the mantras for Earth Day is “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” Today, l look at “Reuse” through a writing lens. (I’ll consider “Recycle” in the days ahead.)

Reuse – Share the Ideas

It’s a no-no on the web to write something once and post it verbatim in multiple places. But as a green business owner, I know that many people are unaware of why operating a business sustainably matters. Repetition is one way to educate people. So I may blog for my website and then re-work the same set of ideas into a client newsletter. Same ideas, different words.

Then I use the web to spread the word. I may share my original blog post through Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and so on. I want the idea to get out broadly, without running afoul of the “original content” police.

Today’s Happy Green Note

I am pleased to report that I have received Bronze level certification from Green America. I am a new member of their Green Business Network and very excited about being a part of this organization.

What’s have you been up to for Earth Day/Week/Month?

Happy Earth Day! I encourage you to take action today – however small – to make our planet healthier. Many small actions can have a big impact.

What does Earth Day have to do with business writing and editing? One of the mantras for Earth Day is “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” Today, l look at “Reduce” through a writing lens. (I’ll consider “Reuse and Recycle” in the days ahead.)

Reduce – use fewer words

In writing for an online audience, fewer words are better. This point was driven home to me at the Nielsen Norman conference last month. Fewer words aids reading speed and comprehension for ALL readers. Web writing requires that we trim the words while retaining or enhancing their meaning. It’s harder than it looks.  “Less is more” on the web, but “less” does not mean “easier to write.”

Client Example

Here’s a recent rewrite I did to say the same thing in fewer words:

Original: “His experience working in the corporate world as a manager level jumped started his entrepreneurial spirit to to where he is now.”  (22 words)

Re-written: “His management experience in the corporate world jump-started his entrepreneurial spirit.” (11 words) 

50% fewer words is a rough benchmark that Nielsen Norman suggests when re-working print content for the web.

So the Earth Day idea of “reduce” is, in fact, very applicable to writing for business. When you pare away the excess verbiage, your meaning shines more brightly.