Unlike Knowing Tax Law, You Have To Write

Everyone needs to know how to write. You don't have to possess an accountant's knowledge of IRS rules, or an attorney's knowledge of tax law. But you need to be able to write. From business letters to emails, at some point, we have to put our words on paper.

However, you will never improve if you don't practice. By delegating your writing to your administrative assistant, you are delaying the inevitable, and you will be ill-prepared when the time comes for you to write your own words.

If you are uncomfortable with writing, start by breaking your sentences into short, concise chunks. Keep the structure of your sentences simple, and as always, write what you know.

Write around what you don't understand until you have more experience. "Whom" stumps the best of us, for example. If you are unsure, structure the sentence to avoid the usage that scares you, until you are on firmer ground.
Don't trust "whom?" Instead of: "Mary, with whom I went to the store, loved the walk along Elm Street," write: "I went to the store with Mary. She loved the walk along Elm Street."