{"id":70769,"date":"2017-11-04T07:26:11","date_gmt":"2017-11-04T07:26:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dnllegalandstyle.com\/dnl\/?p=16086"},"modified":"2017-11-04T07:26:11","modified_gmt":"2017-11-04T07:26:11","slug":"turn-lawyers-better-writers-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dnllegalandstyle.com\/dnl\/turn-lawyers-better-writers-2\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Turn Lawyers Into Better Writers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify\">By and large, lawyers fall into two camps: those who won\u2019t admit their writing needs help, and those who don\u2019t realize it.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Set aside your ego. It\u2019s time for some introspection and, hopefully, action.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>Be Honest With Yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Good legal writing is not about using a lot of words or complex terminology. Instead, it is about how well your audience comprehends your message.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><em>1. Consider Your Education.<\/em><\/p>\n<aside>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cDon\u2019t let schooling interfere with your education.\u201d<br \/>\n\u2014Mark Twain<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Yes, you are well educated and academically accomplished. But\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/nancybhupp.com\/\">Nancy Hupp<\/a>, a former transactional lawyer who now works as a freelance writer and writing coach, believes your stellar education can actually work against you.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">When teaching writing to first-year law students, Nancy observed<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Law students believed they knew the rules of grammar, and they did well enough academically to make it into law school. So they concluded that they were good writers.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Being grammatically correct, however, does not always translate to effective or compelling writing.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Unfortunately, says Nancy, legal education often furthers the problem.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Students learn proper citation form and how to compare and contrast cases for a memorandum or brief. But they often have little, if any, instruction on drafting a well-structured agreement or comprehensible letter that is also legally sufficient.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">It doesn\u2019t help that law students spend their days reading legal writing that is often verbose, stilted, and chock full of legalese. Basically, your education does little to help you handle the various types of writing required in daily practice.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Nancy\u2019s solution:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Lawyers must make a concerted effort to unlearn certain writing habits from school to increase clarity when communicating with clients.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><em>2. Consider Your Professional Responsibility<\/em><\/p>\n<aside>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cI am so clever sometimes that I don\u2019t understand a single word of what I am saying.\u201d<br \/>\n\u2014Oscar Wilde<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The law is, at its core, a communications profession. As such, Nancy argues that you have the professional responsibility to both know the law\u00a0<em>and<\/em>\u00a0communicate it clearly to your intended audience. This involves more than using good grammar and being comprehensive.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Nancy also notes that some lawyers think legal concepts are too complex to be conveyed simply \u2014 confusing complicated text with\u00a0thoroughness. While many legal concepts are complex and hard to convey, lawyers must make an effort to do so. Too often, clients are neither informed nor impressed with an attorney\u2019s writing.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<p class=\"pullout\"><span class=\"pullout_label\">Related<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyerist.com\/98301\/lawyers-stop-writing-saying-things-immediately\/\">\u201cLawyers, Stop Writing (and Saying) These Things Immediately\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Nancy points to numerous studies from disciplines outside the law that identify factors impacting a reader\u2019s comprehension.<sup id=\"rf1-80239\"><a title=\"See, e.g., Maneesh Agrawala et al, Design Principles for Visual Communication, 54 Comm. ACM 60 (2011), and Ruth Anne Robbins, Painting with print: Incorporating concepts of typographic and layout design into the text of legal writing document, 2 J. ALWD 108, 110 (2004), available at http:\/\/www.ca7.uscourts.gov\/rules\/painting_with_print.pdf.\" href=\"https:\/\/lawyerist.com\/80239\/turn-lawyers-better-writers\/#fn1-80239\" rel=\"footnote\">1<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0Word choice, sentence structure, paragraph length, and formatting considerations such as type size, font type, and white space can all play a role in helping a reader comprehend a message.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>Take Steps to Improve Your Writing<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">1.\u00a0<em>Acknowledge That You Can Improve<\/em><\/p>\n<aside>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cDenial ain\u2019t just a river in Egypt.\u201d<br \/>\n\u2014Mark Twain<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Before you can change your writing habits, you must first acknowledge that you can become a better communicator. Determine what your trouble spots are based on\u00a0what peers and clients\u00a0complain about and issues you \u201cwrite around.\u201d Ask those who read your writing for input and actually listen to their comments. From there, you can make an actionable game plan.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><em>2. Spend Adequate Time<\/em><\/p>\n<aside>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cWhen something can be read without effort, great effort has gone into its writing.\u201d<br \/>\n\u2014Enrique Jardiel Poncela<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Legal writing requires correct grammar and accurate substance. But effective legal writing also communicates a message clearly and concisely. Not surprisingly, good writing is a process that involves more than just putting pen to paper:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify\">\n<li><strong>Planning:<\/strong>\u00a0Before you begin writing, take a moment identify your audience and your purpose. Consider both when planning your message, formatting, word choice, etc. Take notes and create outlines to keep you focused.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Writing:<\/strong>\u00a0Permit yourself to write uninhibited. Allow the words to flow.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Editing:<\/strong>\u00a0As Nancy says, \u201cNo one\u2019s first draft is their best effort. I don\u2019t care if you\u2019re Ernest Hemingway. It just isn\u2019t.\u201d Set aside just as much time for editing as you do for writing. Include proofreading as part of your editing process.<sup id=\"rf2-80239\"><a title=\"If you are unsure about the difference between editing and proofreading, visit the University of North Carolina\u2019s Writing Center.\" href=\"https:\/\/lawyerist.com\/80239\/turn-lawyers-better-writers\/#fn2-80239\" rel=\"footnote\">2<\/a><\/sup><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Moreover, spend time on a regular basis improving your writing. Start with mastering one or two of your particular challenges. Perhaps this includes eliminating wordy phrases or sentences that start with \u201cThere are \u2026.\u201d Or it might include refreshing your memory on comma rules. Spending just a few minutes a day will, over time, show results.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><em>3. Enlist Help<\/em><\/p>\n<aside>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cEveryone needs an editor.\u201d<br \/>\n\u2013Tim Foote<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">No matter how hard you try, you will never catch every error that may exist in your work product. Even professional writers use editors. A third party can edit, proofread, or even simply ask questions on unclear passages. A fresh pair of eyes on your work is invaluable\u2014trust me.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><em>4. Find and Use Tools<\/em><\/p>\n<aside>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cEasy reading is damn hard writing.\u201d<br \/>\n\u2014Nathaniel Hawthorne<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">No one said good writing is easy. But no one said good writing is impossible either. It requires you to be willing\u00a0to improve, practice, and use the proper\u00a0tools to make steady improvements.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: justify\">Create a Short Editing Checklist<\/h4>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">By creating a checklist of items to look for in every piece, you create a system that will eventually help you conquer your bad habits. Create this list for yourself or for your editor.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: justify\">Use\u00a0Technology<\/h4>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Microsoft Word has built-in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lawyerist.com\/79432\/evaluate-writing-words-readability-statistics\/\">spelling, grammar and readability statistics<\/a>\u00a0to help you identify potential issues and errors. Set up templates to experiment with appearance (think headings, subheadings, white space, bulleted lists, and more).<\/p>\n<aside>\n<p class=\"pullout\"><span class=\"pullout_label\">Related<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyerist.com\/70334\/format-appellate-brief-microsoft-word\/\">\u201cHow to Format an Appellate Brief\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Install free editing tools such as\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.gingersoftware.com\/proofreading\">Ginger<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.grammarly.com\/?FT1968=1\">Grammarly<\/a>\u00a0to augment your word processor\u2019s tools.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: justify\">Read Go-To Resources<\/h4>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Read about writing style. Educate yourself on what readers find helpful. If you don\u2019t know where to start, track down these resources and keep them at hand:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify\">\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/1594601518\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=211189&amp;creative=373489&amp;creativeASIN=1594601518&amp;link_code=as3&amp;tag=lawyerist01a-20&amp;linkId=W5BMOPTSUZ4ATTUD\">Plain English for Lawyers<\/a>\u00a0by Richard C. Wydick<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0195382757\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=211189&amp;creative=373489&amp;creativeASIN=0195382757&amp;link_code=as3&amp;tag=lawyerist01a-20&amp;linkId=747INW6UJGVMMOED\">Garner\u2019s Modern American Usage<\/a>\u00a0by Bryan A. Garner<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/020530902X\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=211189&amp;creative=373489&amp;creativeASIN=020530902X&amp;link_code=as3&amp;tag=lawyerist01a-20&amp;linkId=OCU45PXPDGZXBM5B\">The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition<\/a>\u00a0by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nih.gov\/clearcommunication\/plainlanguage\/training.htm\">NIH Plain Language online training<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.quickanddirtytips.com\/grammar-girl\">Grammar Girl blog<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: justify\">Attend Continuing Education Courses for Writing<\/h4>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">These can include CLEs, courses offered through writing organizations such as\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.loftwritingatwork.com\/\">The Loft Literary Center\u2019s Writing at Work Program<\/a>\u00a0in Minneapolis, as well as resources from your local college.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: justify\">Hire a Writing Coach<\/h4>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">A writing coach can give targeted, one-to-one attention. Working with a tutor or coach can help you identify issues, devise solutions, and make greater improvements over a shorter timeframe. Share the fun; ask a coach to come to your workplace and tailor a class for you and your colleagues.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>Discover\u00a0the Great Writer Within<\/strong><\/p>\n<aside>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe beautiful part of writing is that you don\u2019t have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon.\u201d<br \/>\n\u2013Robert Cormier<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Not all lawyers are born writers. And not all writers are English majors. I was a sociology and political science major. Nancy was a science major. But here we are, writing for a living and encouraging others to find the great writer within. While we will never claim to be perfect writers, we each take seriously the challenge of communicating clearly. Step up and take that challenge with us.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/caritwitchell\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-5068\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dnlpartners.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Cari.jpeg?resize=121%2C121\" alt=\"\" width=\"121\" height=\"121\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/caritwitchell\">Cari Twitchell<\/a>\u00a0has been helping lawyers create compelling marketing copy for their websites and other materials since 2007. Follow her on Twitter for more marketing tips and tricks.<\/p>\n<p><em>Lawyerist.com<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Send your press release\/articles to:\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"mailto:info@dnlpartners.com\"><em>info@dnlpartners.com<\/em><\/a><em>\u00a0,Follow us on Twitter at\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Nigerialawyers\"><em>@dnlpartners<\/em><\/a><em>\u00a0and Facebook at\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DNL-Partners-201846233550295\/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel\"><em>Facebook.com\/Dnl-partners<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a9 Copyright DNL Legal &amp; Style 2017. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>This piece may only be copied on the condition that DNL Legal &amp; Style is duly acknowledged\u00a0in this manner: \u201cSource: DNL Legal &amp; Style. View the original piece on: (insert Hyperlink)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By and large, lawyers fall into two camps: those who won\u2019t admit their writing needs help, and those who don\u2019t realize it. Set aside your ego. It\u2019s time for some introspection and, hopefully, action. Be Honest With Yourself Good legal writing is not about using a lot of words or complex terminology. Instead, it is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-70769","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dnllegalandstyle.com\/dnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70769","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dnllegalandstyle.com\/dnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dnllegalandstyle.com\/dnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dnllegalandstyle.com\/dnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dnllegalandstyle.com\/dnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70769"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dnllegalandstyle.com\/dnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70769\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dnllegalandstyle.com\/dnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70769"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dnllegalandstyle.com\/dnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70769"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dnllegalandstyle.com\/dnl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=70769"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}