Introduction to Business Writing

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Reviewing and revising a rough draft transforms your writing into a finished business document. This is a crucial step and should be done with a great deal of care. Approach it rested. As a matter of fact, when your rough draft is complete, set it aside for a day or two. Distancing yourself like this will do you a world of good; it will clear your head. When you return to your draft you will be able to review and revise it with a sharper, more objective and critical eye, first as its reader and then as its writer.

Adopting the reader's point of view will allow you to assess whether or not the writer's objective was met. Being both reader and writer places you in a unique position to analyze what you have written. After all, you are the only reader who knows what the writer was thinking and what the intended scope of the document is and what message it is supposed to convey. This is a distinct advantage. Be painstakingly honest with yourself, and fussy, too. Remember, whether by a large or a small degree, once you have reviewed and revised your draft you and your writing are going public.

Critiquing your own writing can be a daunting challenge, but with practice and a good set of guidelines, this step of the writing process does become easier. A handful of key questions encompass the main points that review and revision should cover. By approaching the process with a checklist, you can divide the task into smaller ones, each of which can be tackled individually. When you have completed your checklist, ask one of your associates to give it a final read. In-house collaboration will help ensure that your final document meets its objective. Check the list twice, in other words.

• Review and Revision Checklist