The American Institute of CPAs reports:
"What makes good writing? Accuracy. Clarity. Brevity...[A]ll of us have to write something on a daily basis, whether it’s an email, proposal, presentation, article, and just about anything else...If you want your message to resonate, you’ll want to find ways to make your writing more appealing, interesting, and informative. The best way to do this is to pay attention to your word choice...Choose active voice...Passive voice, or leaving the subject out of the sentence, makes it look like you are trying to avoid responsibility...Choose precise words. All writing is made up of words...To keep your writing short and to the point, use specific words. For example, rather than 'several people,' use 'three people.'...Shorter phrases make your writing easier to read and more interesting; longer phrases, while technically accurate, muddy up your writing...Avoid words like 'utilize' rather than 'use,' 'ascertain' rather than 'find out.' Exciting writing is focused and simple...Choose appropriate words. If you write a technical piece for a publication, client, or colleague, you may choose to use jargon, acronyms, and industry-speak the intended audience naturally understands. When writing a note to a roommate or friend, you may choose to use slang or ultra-casual language. Either way, the reader needs to intuitively understand your point without asking questions or using Wikipedia to figure out what you’re trying to say...Spend time reading and reviewing your work, even if it’s a simple email. Make sure you’ve used clear and concise words, and that you’ve stopped writing when you’ve made your point. Word choice can showcase your knowledge and education … or make you look juvenile and amateur. As Mark Twain said: The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug." Jackie Lohrey reports:
"Security procedures represent the deployment phase of an overall or departmental security policy. Each procedure is an action step that supports one or more security objectives. Clear, well-defined and well-written procedures are crucial for effectively implementing any security policy. It’s vital to know how to write safety procedures that effectively communicate...what employees need and want to know...Follow general best practice recommendations for crafting clear, well-written procedures. Write from an action-oriented, instructional perspective outlining each step in the order it needs to be taken. Security procedures can have serious consequences if they’re not followed exactly, so each one should be written in a black-and-white fashion, leaving no room for subjectivity, personal judgments or individual interpretation. Consider the audience and write using correct terminology, spell out acronyms completely and define any terms that readers -- especially new hires -- may not understand...Start by thoroughly reviewing the security policy for which you’ll be adding a procedures section. Break the policy into its objectives components and then break each objective into a series of sub-components that will ultimately be converted into action steps...Take detailed notes if necessary to better understand security policy objectives...Craft a first draft that pares down information to include only what the reader needs to carry out the security procedure. Write out each step on a separate line, using an active voice and just enough words to clearly communicate the procedure...Conduct a practice run-through to make sure each step in the process is clear and understandable before crafting a final draft. If possible, enlist the help of individuals who will be expected to follow the procedure to ensure your perceptions of how clear the procedure is are correct. Modify verbiage or steps as necessary and then test the procedure again. When you’re sure security procedures are clear, well-written and effective, craft and distribute a final version." Gregory Hamel reports:
"Stock prices can go down as well as up. If your stock market losses for the year exceed your gains, you can claim a tax deduction on the net capital loss...Complete IRS Form 8949. Form 8949 provides space for you to list...all of your short-term and long-term capital gains and losses for the year. Short-term gains and losses are those realized on assets held for one year or less. Long-term gains and losses are those realized on assets held longer than a year...Complete Schedule D. On Schedule D, you use the gains and losses listed on Form 8949 to calculate your total gains and losses for the year and determine whether you owe capital gains tax or have a net capital loss that you can deduct. The IRS provides detailed instructions for completing Schedule D. When the form is complete, your total gain or loss is shown on line 16. If you have a loss, list the smaller of $3,000 -- $1,500 if you are married filing separately -- or your total net less loss on line 21. This is your maximum capital loss deduction for the year...Enter the amount shown on line 21 of Schedule D on line 13 of Form 1040. If you are a nonresident alien you file taxes on Form 1040NR. In this case, enter the amount shown on line 21 of Schedule D on line 14 of Form 1040NR. The capital loss deduction will be factored into your tax return as you fill out the rest of Form 1040...Attach Schedule D and Form 8949 to Form 1040. Submit your completed 1040 and all attachments to the IRS...You can carry losses in excess of $3,000 forward to the next year and treat the excess loss as if you incurred it in that year. You cannot deduct losses associated with property held for personal use, such as a home. Only losses on investment property are deductible. You do not have to itemize your deductions to claim the capital loss deduction." Robert C. Young reports:
"Deeds are used to transfer interest in real property...Each deed type is used in different situations, but they all share common characteristics: [T]hey all must be in writing; all parties must be described (named); all parties must be competent to convey or receive the property; the property must be distinguished from other parcels; there must be words of conveyance; the deed must be signed by the grantor; and the deed must be delivered to the grantee...Write, on a blank sheet of paper, a granting statement along the lines of 'I (grantor's name) hereby grant (property address) to (grantee's name). . . .' Consideration (money or other thing of value) is not a requirement of a valid deed, nor are witnesses...Include a description of the property being conveyed. The description may be a legal description copied from another deed for the same property, the book and page number of a recorded deed[,] or a professionally prepared survey. Include the current street address, although addresses and street names sometime[s] change over time, while legal descriptions do not...Sign and date the deed. Only the grantor is required to sign. The deed becomes valid when it is delivered to the grantee. Under California law, a deed is considered 'delivered' when the grantor signs it with the intent of immediately and unconditionally transferring his interest to the grantee...Recording or filing the deed with the county recorder is not required to make the deed valid, but is recommended to protect the interest of the grantee from subsequent conveyances of the same property." Minda Zetlin reports with tips from Michael Overell:
"While a giant job board may attract millions of visitors, it might not be the best place for your job ad, any more than the site with the highest overall traffic is necessarily the best place for your product ad. In both cases, it's better to pick a site that will reach the specific audience you want. The best side for a job ad will vary, depending on the type of job and its location...[W]hat terms are your ideal candidates searching for? You can try using online keyword tools to find out, although they may not index terms on all job board sites.You might learn more by looking at other companies' ads for the position you're seeking to fill. Review several of these and you should get a feel for which keywords seem most relevant...[Y]our job ad should probably skip a lot of detail about who reports to whom, and include some sense of your company's culture and mission, the benefits you offer, and why it's a great place to work...[T]hink about structure and use subheads and bullet points. The ad should be divided into clearly labeled sections...The title you put in your ad doesn't have to be exactly the same as the title a new hire will actually have...The smartest companies optimize their job titles for search, rather than choosing a title for how it fits into their org chart...Use your ad as a screening tool...With fewer unqualified candidates in the screening process, you'll have a less overwhelming pile of applications to get through on the first round, and you may be in a better position to spot the real gems...[I]nclude a very specific instruction somewhere in the middle of the copy. For instance, write that you will only look at the application if the email contains a particular word or phrase in its subject line...Ideally, you should get at least one read by someone who has applied for the same type of position in the not[-]too[-]distant past...Before you post the ad, set up a system that will ensure every applicant gets a response. It doesn't have to be a personal response--though of course that's always best. Even an auto-responder that thanks them for applying and says you will get back to them by a certain date if you're interested in learning more about them is a whole lot better than no response at all." Tim Tyrell Smith reports:
"Some of us have perfect vision. But if that’s what it takes to read the letters and numbers on your [business] card, you are asking for trouble. Because most of us don’t. So today (or before you print your new cards), please walk them around to a variety of people and ask a simple question: 'Can you tell me what this says?'...One way I can make your card more usable and memorable is to make some notes on it before I leave you. But if you have a varnish on top, you make that hard. Will your cards get a little dirty without it? Yes. But I’d rather be able to write on your card. And ask you to keep your cards out of your wallet...[I]f your card uses a font that is too light (grey, for example) or one that is too close to the color of your card, I won’t be able to read it. And if I can’t read it, there’s a good chance I will send an email to the wrong address or call the wrong phone number. Or just give up...[T]here is great value in having a card design that integrates the look and feel of your brand. So if you have a website, a [storefront], a product line look or anything else, shouldn’t the look of your business card be consistent? Few of us have enough money to be driving thousands of people to our site or store [every day]. But you can at least create more recognition of your brand via integration of your marketing materials...If you use Facebook, Twitter or YouTube to attract people to your brand, shouldn’t you include links to those sites on your business card? It’s a great way to encourage more fans and followers. Simply by letting people know how to find you...Amazingly, I found two cards without an email address. And one without a web address. Just a phone number. What if I’m not ready to talk live yet? There’s always a place to send people. Don’t have a website? Use your LinkedIn profile (as long as you aren’t too lazy on LinkedIn). And then there were two cards that had a nice logo and business name combined with a [G]mail address. That lowers your credibility in my eyes. Especially when it is so easy to get an email address with your own custom [URL]...Please don’t 'cheap out' on the paper. Your brand matters to people. And often the first and early impressions are based on things like your business card. Would I pay $10,000 to someone who has a paper-thin business card? Would you?...Some cards are so full of information that you really don’t know where to start. A business card is not a good place for your elevator pitch. It’s a place to entice people. To draw them in and guide them as to how they can learn more about your business or services. Are you [overdelivering] on your card?...Every person, company, organization or nonprofit needs a clear and compelling brand promise...Without a brand promise, your card is simply a contact card – a lot less interesting...I believe in white space (room around the content that makes your card easier to read) so I always recommend you use the back side of the card. If you put your brand promise on the back, you can hand someone your card with that side facing up (and saying the brand promise out loud)." Caroline Costello and Ed Hewitt report:
"If you really want to squeeze in every tour, meal and excursion you've typed into your itinerary, but as it currently stands you're getting six hours of sleep a night with no room for a time adjustment, you need to add a day -- or cut an activity...[Create] a list of everything you want to see or do in your locale. Then put the list in priority order. To help estimate how long an activity will take, or how long it will take to get there, consult a guidebook or check out online forums or reviews for perspectives from other travelers who've been there and done that...Research events happening in your destination while you'll be there (tourist board websites are good for this -- they usually have events calendars), and plan accordingly...Also note local holidays coinciding with your trip, which can affect transportation schedules, business opening hours, etc. Ambitious travelers who plan to embark on a weeklong tour of Europe...should do some serious planning. In a case like this, a map is your best friend as you prioritize activities. Look at a map and start grouping the different attractions you want to see by neighborhood or region -- this will help you minimize transit time between one part of your itinerary and the next. There's more to consider than just time and location. Planning to search for sunken treasures? Most scuba experts agree that divers should allow at least 24 hours between scuba diving and flying (so that your body can adjust to changes in altitude). If you have a cruise or a prepaid excursion planned, arrange for your flight to arrive no less than a day prior to your departure date. Otherwise, a missed or severely delayed flight could cost you. A good rule of thumb, regardless of what you have planned: The more space your itinerary allows between activities and transportation, the better...[I]t's important to account for time spent schlepping from the economy parking lot a few towns over. Allow yourself plenty of time to make it through the security checkpoint's snaking line. Ask yourself a few questions: How far from the airport do I live or work? Will I have an opportunity to eat before driving to the airport? If I miss the parking or rental car shuttle by seconds, will I have enough time to wait for the next one, or am I going to be sprinting across the lot trying to hail down the driver? The same thing goes for your arrival...[I]t's important to weigh thrift against travel time...If you simply can't avoid a connection [to your itinerary], make sure not to cut it too close. Allowing at least a couple of hours to change planes (longer for international connections) will give you a little wiggle room in case of delayed flights...Various websites and apps have facilitated the creation of itineraries, and the ability to share those itineraries, for thousands of tech-savvy travelers...Your itinerary is not a legally binding contract. It's more like a rough draft written in sand...Consider scheduling a free day into your itinerary. During your trip, it's likely you'll discover some worthwhile attractions you didn't know about prior to your departure. This will also give you some wiggle room in case you don't see everything you had originally planned. All in all, the most flexible itinerary is often the best...If you know where the bumps in the road might be, you can steer around them. And if you're really lucky, you can put it all together for the perfect itinerary." Freddie Silver reports:
"Consult colleagues to examine samples of a completed workplace accident report so you can see what an accepted format looks like...Establish a workplace policy where all accidents must be reported immediately, regardless of the seriousness of the injury and whether the worker appears to be in pain. Some people might have a delayed reaction to what appeared to be a minor injury, and experience headaches, back pain or sleep disturbances several hours or even days after certain types of accidents...Record all necessary information in the report, such as date, time and precise location of the accident...Be concise. Don't include irrelevant information such as similar previous accidents that might have occurred in that place...Identify what the injured worker was doing at the time...This will be useful for insurance purposes...Identify who else was present at the time of the accident. Include full names and contact phone numbers for all witnesses...Describe the cause of injury...Describe the injury sustained and any visible signs of the injury...Indicate whether medical attention was needed and where it was given. State whether the worker was taken to [the] hospital by ambulance, [was] driven there by a co-worker or drove herself to the doctor. Attach a medical report if and when one is available...Date the report and have it signed by someone in a management position as well as the injured worker, when possible...Make at least three copies of the report. File one in the location of the accident, send one to head office and give one to the injured employee...Organize a safety committee to regularly examine conditions in the workplace. Routinely review safety procedures with all employees...Avoid editorial comments such as, 'It's obvious that it's dangerous to continue using the old equipment ...' Avoid blame such as, 'Mr. X has been told several times to not lift any heavy boxes ...'" Bill West reports:
"Writing loan agreements should be an exercise that safeguards the rights of all parties in the loan agreement and forestalls any potential disagreements...Include the important details in the loan agreement such as repayment terms, contact information of all parties, payment schedule, security, interest rates and cancellation policy. It should state the amount of money loaned to the borrower by the lender. Write this amount in words and numbers to avoid any miscommunication. Indicate the interest rate in the agreement because failure to do so would render the loan a gift. The loan contract must also spell out the modalities of handling any defaults in payment...[Y]ou can download a loan agreement template from websites such as ContractStore.com or LoanBack.com. Such templates often contain all the necessary clauses of a loan agreement focusing on issues such as interest charges, repayment conditions and borrower details. You can use these templates repeatedly as long as the loan agreements are similar. You can also edit them to fit your circumstances...You can draft an effective loan agreement with the assistance of an attorney to advise you on the advantages or disadvantages of the loan arrangement. Enlisting the services of a lawyer also enlightens you on the laws and requirements you must follow. You may also learn of tax benefits attached to the agreement from the lawyer. When looking for legal counsel, ask prospects whether they ever drafted a loan contract. Furthermore, inquire about the costs involved in drafting the agreement by yourself or entrusting the lawyer with the task...A promissory note is an alternative to a loan agreement when documenting any borrowed money...It is easy to enforce the terms of the note because it contains straightforward enforcement procedures that provide efficient solutions against defaulting borrowers. In writing a promissory note, include details about the promisor, or the party undertaking the promise to repay the loan. Other important details relate to the promisee, date of the agreement and the consideration, which is the value of the loan. Avoid setting high rates because it can amount to usury, which may be illegal in your state...[A]void agreeing to arbitration clauses or jury trial waivers, which prevent you from exercising your rights and obligations under the agreement. As a lender, the clause could prevent you from taking legal action in the event that the borrower violates the agreement. When you are borrowing money, avoid including liability releases in the agreement because they deprive you of the right to a claim against the lender if terms are violated. Seeking legal guidance could help you avoid the dangers of liability releases." Ryan Macklin reports:
"Assume your rules will be constantly read aloud. They’ll be read aloud before some games as a way of explanation, and they’ll certainly be read aloud during the game. Have your tense reflect what’s read during the game...Use the second person. Talk to the active player...But default to second person except where it causes a distinct lack of clarity or ruins the tone...Don’t say 'The cards are shuffled.' Say 'Shuffle the cards.' Not only does it make the language tighter and easier to read, [but] it will [also] make your rules better to ferret out passive voice. That, and your readers want direction, not ambiguity...Don’t say what people 'should' do, [but] say what they do. 'Should' is an advice word, not a direction word. It’s useless in nearly all instances you’ll find them in [rulebooks]. Cut them and the meaning doesn’t change, and your language is stronger for it...Don’t stealth-introduce game terms...When you first mention a game term, introduce it—or at least forward reference it. Make an internal guide to every game term, including capitalization. Basically, make a mini-style guide for your game. Anything that doesn’t match usage, context, or format should be flagged. In a large document like many RPGs, consistencies will be easier to correct (or at least offer solution) because there’s usually one way more often done than another. In a small document, this isn’t necessarily the case, and you don’t want an editor making incorrect revisions. (And you ideally want your editor making those revisions [rather] than forcing you to do it because the document wasn’t clear.)...As an overcorrection to stealth-introduction, some designers will give instructions relating to a game term the moment it’s introduced, even when the full instructions aren’t relevant at that point. If you’re, say, introducing all of the components, don’t also explain the rules out-of-context in that introduction...Don’t have necessary information spread everywhere, like all the ways to score points or the various actions in a game...Be aware of the physical format of these rules. This is more of a layout thing, but keep in mind how your rules have to fit on pages and folds as you’re writing them. Be prepared to move around (and possibly revise) the text in order to make an easier-to-understand physical document that fits in a box...For real, write down what you expect will visually accompany a second of text. In board game rules, that’s a non-trivial context channel, and your rules editor may give you problematic edits because you aren’t showing them those other context channels...With the exception of a single creator credit line, have all your credits at the end. Card and board game rulebooks deal with the economy of space and the positions of folds. Having important front-fold space taken up by credits is a killer." |
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April 2024
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