Why Strive to Write Well?

Your Writing Style and Substance Help Define Who You Are

As, or in some settings and situations MORE, important than your clothing, grooming, manner, body language, and such are your words--what you say and how you say this in speech and in writing defines you in the world from the casual encounter to the high-stakes meeting or interview (or even dinner date). Do your words convey who you are and who you want to be? Do they say, "I am an intelligent, sophisticated, and articulate person, and I know who I am and what I am doing"?

You create an image of yourself when you speak and often even more so when you write. When people read what you have written, they use it as data to help form their opinions of you. Your credibility is always at stake, and the way you write helps determine the person you present. It also helps determine how well you communicate. Are you appropriately responsive and proactive? Are you genuine, credible, professional? Are you a leader, someone with substantial ideas and plans to implement positive change? Are you sharp, funny, insightful, interesting? In today's world, many people who read what you write will rarely or perhaps never meet you in person, so your writing IS you. Are you doing yourself justice in this regard?