The Importance of Concise Writing

If you've ever had to assemble anything, I'm pretty sure it came with a set of instructions in the box. Life isn't always folded up neatly on a piece of paper, and if it is, then you truly aren't living. Such is taking the correct approach to writing effectively. People have to be able to navigate from point A to point B meaning treat you work like a GPS system. Sometimes the software could use an update to pick up traffic warnings, the new construction zones, or even where the next exit with a McDonald's is located; otherwise, the unit simply needs to be replaced with a newer model. The purpose of our work is to serve as the map that gets us through a process. It must remain consistent enough to stand on its own through the inevitable changes and revisions.

One of the most important points of writing effectively is point of view. Most instructions are simple enough for a fifth-grader to follow because they represent the median comprehension for newspapers, magazines, and assorted mass media. How do I know this? Next time you're on Facebook, take a look through your timelines. What are your friends/organizations discussing? Are their topics photographs? How is their grammar? Do you understand what is being said or asked of you? Knowing your target audience - even if it is the world - means having the ability to tailor your craft to those members. Write clearly to their levels; going into technical detail of how an internal LAN works means squat if all you want to know is how can I access your local Wi-Fi to surf and check e-mail.

Below I am sharing the four B's of becoming a great technical writer:

1. Be clear.
2. Be direct
3. Be to the point.
4. No BS.

Be clear. Gauge the audience for their level of understanding. If the group is part of a particular industry, use their language as it is what the members are acutely familiar with. The same jargon retail managers use with their associates could very well seem Greek to machine operators in a chemicals factory. Different targets require different messages.

Be direct. In my undergraduate days at Henderson State University, I was an active member of Alpha Phi Omega - and chapter webmaster. When we needed a message sent out, the brothers released two versions: one for the chapter, and another for the general student body. The reason for that was fraternity business stayed within the fraternity, while for the fellow students all we had to do was slap our letters on flyers and get the signing approved. Zero in on the intended party.

Be to the point. There is a time and a place for everything, and not everyone necessarily needs to hear a story for every situation. A short monologue is acceptable as an ice breaker; be wary of the audience. By getting to the point, you not only save a LOT of time and energy, but you also showcases those top-notch time management skills. You may even get a promotion, raise, and the proverbial corner office as a result of your great work.

No BS. Always tell the truth and be a team player. Cite outside sources because it is more enjoyable to share the limelight. Any lie starts out small and gets out of control eventually destroys any hard-earned credibility you have acquired from customers, supervisors, and followers.

Pretty easy stuff? Seems that way. At this point, the fun begins by staying within required parameters and using grammar check before releasing documents. To me, there is nothing worse than finding a misspelled word because I was too careless to reread and proofread my own work. By following those four steps, your work is on its way to becoming concise enough without going over the heads of the targeted audience.

2013: Rededications, Not Resolutions

Why would I make a public declaration that I won't be able to live up to in a week, month, next quarter, or even that? That is the reason why I decline to make resolutions every New Year's Day. However, my rededications are more important - and require an active, daily effort.

Here goes:

1. As much as I'd love to lose weight, I would rather be healthy. At the very least, I want to remain able to tie my shoes without having to stop and take a breath in between motions. I'm not saying that I don't want six-pack abs, but I'll certainly tell you that being high-school skinny just ain't happening. The last time that happened, I was pledging my fraternity my junior year of college along with having to manage a difficult housing situation and helping Walmart with a store setup all at the same time.
2. Christianity is a daily struggle. I've never once said I was perfect, yet there was an perception of being a goody-two shoes (I prefer straight arrow, obviously) that never did anything but the right thing. Being "good" has never been equated to being "Christ-like." I've struggled with that for the past 22.5 years, and it is now all starting to make sense. 
3. My pursuit in saving money and cleaning up Ye Olde Credit Report: it takes times, but hopefully soon I'd like to move into a permanent home. Apartment life seems so temporary. I also like stretching out at home and being a real part of a community.

If I can get these right, then I'll have a great year. Once I can get down around 200 pounds, you should be able to tell. I won't see 160 ever again, but anything is better than the 255 I currently weigh.

2012 In Review

2012 has been an interesting yet strange year for me. From the big dreams of an undefeated basketball season in city league to snow on Christmas Day and the ensuing moments of retrospect, I'm certainly glad to have made through this point. While not everything has gone my way, being able to adapt to the circumstances has been the M.O. for the year. For example:

• January brought a new year to step up and do better than 2011. Aside from the weight gain, I was mostly successful. Unfortunately, our city league basketball team (Sparkle Motion) went 3-8 for the season. At least we were the best-looking team out there.
• February gave us another Black History Month. If you've read either the Facebook posts or my tweets, then you learned something different for all 29 days of the month. I'm going to do that again. 
• March presented more Madness: I gave up alcohol and in-game swearing during Lent. Ask my wife and closest friends how that went. I'm pretty certain Jesus was tempted in the  desert those forty days; my going without beer for that long was tough.
• April led to meeting my nephew. Aston is the new generation, and over the past eight months the boy has grown so quickly. I've also discovered how fun it is to be an uncle.
• May: Beautiful month! We both got new jobs! Yes, kids, I finally quit Walmart. The irony in that is how long it took me to realize that being an overqualified hard worker isn't worth two cents when it comes to professional development and advancement. The peon existence is for the birds. My last week there also showed who I could talk to at work, and who to stay away from. People are not always who they appear to be.
• June: We paid off the other car! My wife went back to commuting to LR to a job she loves instead of essentially walking to one stressful building. I also got (some) weekends off for the first time in nearly ten years. The downside is I lost one of my closest cousins 6/16 in a tragic accident. RIL, Jason D. Cole. 
• July was spent learning my job - and doing almost everything wrong during that time. Fortunately, I corrected myself in time to receive the benefits i.e. a raise, health insurance,  etc.
• August allowed us to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. The day on the Lake Hamilton cruise was relaxing though we both preferred to have gone back to Biloxi. It also signified that the upcoming school year was the first time in nearly eight years I wasn't in the classroom; the odd thing is I don't really miss it yet. I also posted my most sarcastic tweet about why #imnotarepublicanbecause I'm black and would rather think for myself than let Massa tell me what to do. Oh the hate that ensued following that one!
• September pushed my thinking toward the long-term future by finally making real retirement plans other than working til I dropped dead. That also seems to be a viable option in this economy, sadly. I also discovered how much weight I had gained from the end of basketball season to my annual physical.
• October was my longest month. I worked seventeen consecutive nights; after those 204 hours, I have now realized that 1)I'm here for the check, and 2)that is how I spent my twenties. I don't want to ever do that again. We also found a new church home [Mt. Zion MBC, Benton, AR].
• Remember that job change June 1? I finally got to take some semblance of a vacation in November. My wife celebrated what was one of the more fun birthdays I've ever seen, and two days later, President Obama was re-elected! As a nation, it saddened me to see how far the United States has not come in the way of race and working for the common good of all people - and I'm not talking about the individual who spit on my car solely for its bumper sticker.
• December means three things: I turned 34, Arkansas had a white Christmas, and the year is over!

Honestly, 2012 was a good year with some imperfections. May my 2013 be greater than this one was; I'm praying to write for a living, an addition to our lives, and for a new home. For the rest of us, may the year bring great things!

I'm Grateful For...

Over the year, I can say that I am grateful for a lot of things and a lot of people. This is likely to read off as a list, but it is personal. That being said, here goes...

• I'm grateful for the new job and not having to lug around two tons of dog food every night anymore. I finally can use my head AND my academic background. The other benefit means that I get some weekends off for the first time in nearly ten years. 
• I'm grateful that I am still married to my wife. God is watching our marriage.
• I'm grateful that amid all of our new toys, we still have time for each other. Sometimes it takes a little bit to turn off the computers, tablets, smartphones, TVs, etc. and simply chill out. 
• I am also grateful for not having to work in retail anymore. No more Black Friday at Walmart, no more working miracles for a 50-cent raise. I'm worth a lot more than that.
• I'm grateful that both cars are paid off!
• I'm grateful for our church family. I felt like one of those highly touted athletes being recruited by a top-notch program, and when we joined Mount Zion, it all came to fruition.
• I'm grateful for my friends, all of you. Basketball teammates, brothers, best friends, co-workers, barber, and everyone else in the mix - you all have added greater value to my life. I just wish I had gotten those Christmas cards out. 
• I'm grateful for my nephew Aston. Big boy is a linebacker in training, just you wait. Alan should have a Charles Haley Dallas Cowboys throwback jersey in his size for the boy.
• I am grateful for winners: the Miami Heat, President Barack Obama, Henderson State football, and any Razorback who was drafted before we went to Coach John L. Smith's epic failure of a season.
• I am grateful for people showing their true colors. I now know what you were all about, and I forgive you.
• I'm grateful for my late cousin Jason D. Cole. God gave him thirty years with us, and one day we'll all be back together in Heaven. Death comes and though we are never prepared for it, the life J. Cole led  was one which we all have come around his two daughters. RIL, cuzzo.

Let Christmas not just be a time of gimme, gimme. Slow down, thank God (or your higher being of choice), and be appreciative of what 2012 has brought us. Merry Christmas and God bless!

Opening Shots

This is my first - and likely my shortest blog. Over the next year or so, ideas, short stories, and random thoughts extrapolated from my mind will be birthed and hopefully nurtured into a collection of mature concepts. I'm new to this; as I figure it out, I'll improve it to something worth reading regularly.

Follow me on Twitter @cedteaches