Start with a plan

One of the most difficult hurdles an inexperienced writer has to overcome is staying on track. The easiest solution is to start with a clear plan and stick to it. Perhaps write out the main headings as bullet points before integrating them into your copy.

Don't repeat yourself

There's nothing more frustrating than reading the same piece of information twice. Following a pre-defined plan can help you avoid this pitfall.

Give your readers what they want

To reiterate my earlier point, value is key. Value could be information, opinion, or simply humour - but the value readers gain from your copy is what will keep them reading. If you're writing a newsletter, it's no use filling it with information about your company - unless it's directly relevant to your readers. If you don't have anything of value to promote, don't write the newsletter!

Keep it short and sharp

Forget 'padding' articles with extra sentences. Every unnecessary piece of writing dilutes your copy. With every piece you write, ask yourself "do I really need to say that?" and "is there a more effecient way of phrasing that?". Try stripping one sentence from every paragraph. Try taking a word out of every sentence. Be ruthless - remove the junk and concentrate on your core message.

Check your spelling

Nothing screams unprofessional like a glaring spelling or grammatical error. Always check your spelling - and then check it again - and then get somebody else to check it. And remember that a spellchecker will not pick up instances where you've simply used the wrong word.