Just some random tips Many of you probably use Gmail, either for business or privately. Either way, it pays to make life easier for you when you want to find an email. Excel is also a common software to use, so read on for some great tips. Gmail Tips - Labels You probably use labels in Gmail, which basically act as folders. How to create labels for your emails The easiest way to create a new label is to click on the big + sign on the left-hand side of your screen. This opens the basics for your new label: the name and where to nest it under (your “filing cabinet” structure). When you create names for your folders, be aware that they are sorted alphabetically by Gmail. If you want to sort them differently, an easy way to do this is by naming your folder i.e. 001 Finances, 002 Private, etc. How to colour the labels Once created, you can click on the three overflow dots beside the label to select colours and a lot of other things. Excel Tips - shortcuts Ctrl + Semi Colon This enters today's date as a value and formats the cell as dd/mm/yyyy. Double-click format painter This will enable you to copy formats to more than one cell Alt + Enter This inserts new lines within a cell. It can be used to make lots of info simpler to read and look less cluttered. Hold down Ctrl and drag the sheet to copy your worksheet Much quicker than right-clicking the sheet name, selecting 'Move or Copy', selecting a position, then ticking the 'Copy' box. Excel tips courtesy of Traci from Excel Ace Limited If you have any difficulties with those tips, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me, I’m sure I can help you!
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The secret to writing effective proposals, emails, and more :-) Being clear, concise, correct, and considerate is as important in the written word as it is in the spoken word. It’s helpful to keep the needs of your reader in mind. Here are some more tips for your business writing. Adopt the "you attitude" Look at the topic from your reader’s point of view: Example: I have requested that your order be sent out today. Revision: You will receive your order by Wednesday. Focus on the real subject Don't bury a key word into a long sentence. Example: The implementation of the new marketing campaign will begin on April 1. Revision: The new marketing campaign will begin on April 1. Write actively, not passively Active voice is generally easier on the eye (and brain) than passive voice. Example: Your proposal was reviewed at our meeting on April 1, and it was immediately submitted to the developers. Revision: We reviewed your proposal on April 1 and immediately submitted it to the developers. Cut unnecessary words and phrases Example: I am writing this note because I want to thank you very much for organizing the open home that was held last Monday. Revision: Thank you very much for organizing last Monday’s open home. Don't forget your manners Saying thank you and please is not only considerate in conversation, but also in emails and letters. Example: Send me the jargon report before you head home. Revision: Please send me the jargon report before you head home. Don't leave out key words Sometimes it’s necessary to add some words, so we can be clear and concise. Example: The storage shed is the first step. Revision: Unlocking the storage shed is the first step. Put a cap on the vogue words and buzzwords Just sound like a human! Example: At the end of the day the bottom line is that we should facilitate opportunities for employees to provide input on best practices. Revision: Let's encourage people to make suggestions. Avoid outdated expressions Don’t use words and phrases you wouldn’t use in a conversation, i.e. “attached herewith," "this is to advise you," "as per your request." Example: Attached herewith for your reference is a duplicated version of the aforementioned deed. Revision: I have enclosed a copy of the deed. Proofread Always check your work before hitting the send button. Example: When you're in a hurry, it's very easy to leave words. Revision: When you're in a hurry, it's very easy to leave out words. If you need help with any of these issues in your business life, then please Contact me now! As a Virtual Assistant, I sometimes make appointments for my clients, which includes sending meeting invitations to attendees. If you follow the easy steps below, you can send a great invite, regardless of what calendar program you may be using. Choose a title that makes sense to everyone This is a screenshot from Google Calendar when I open a new invitation window: The title is critical. Keep in mind that this is going to be added to the calendar of both the people participating in the meeting, so it needs to be something that is meaningful to everyone. So while “meeting with Mary Smith” might make sense to you, that’s what Mary Smith will see on her calendar, a label that doesn’t show her at a glance who she’s meeting with. My suggestion would be to use both names of the people involved. Provide specific instructions Explain the meeting type and any instructions necessary. To do this, in most calendar software you’ll need to expand by clicking More Options (in Google) or More Details (in Outlook). Look for the location field and either add the meeting address or calling instructions as appropriate. I usually check that the invite is correct by double-clicking it on my own calendar before sending it to the person. Once all is fine, I just add the invitee’s email address and choose any applicable permissions below (to modify the event, invite others or see the guest list) and click Save. Your invitee will receive an email invitation that they can add to their calendar.
There are minor differences between Google Calendar, Outlook, and iCal, but if you understand the basics, you can translate this to any software that you are using. It’s best to follow up the day before to make sure the meeting is still on track. Many of you probably use Gmail, either for business or privately. Either way, it pays to make life easier for you when you want to find an email. Excel is also a common software to use, so read on for some great tips. Gmail Tips - Labels You probably use labels in Gmail, which basically act as folders. How to create labels for your emails The easiest way to create a new label is to click on the big + sign on the left-hand side of your screen. This opens the basics for your new label: the name and where to nest it under (your “filing cabinet” structure). When you create names for your folders, be aware that they are sorted alphabetically by Gmail. If you want to sort them differently, an easy way to do this is by naming your folder i.e. 001 Finances, 002 Private, etc. How to colour the labels Once created, you can click on the three overflow dots beside the label to select colours and a lot of other things. Excel Tips - shortcuts Ctrl + Semi Colon This enters today's date as a value and formats the cell as dd/mm/yyyy. Double-click format painter This will enable you to copy formats to more than one cell Alt + Enter This inserts new lines within a cell. It can be used to make lots of info simpler to read and look less cluttered. Hold down Ctrl and drag the sheet to copy your worksheet Much quicker than right-clicking the sheet name, selecting 'Move or Copy', selecting a position, then ticking the 'Copy' box. Excel tips courtesy of Traci from Excel Ace Limited
If you have any difficulties with those tips, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me, I’m sure I can help you! Please avoid the following words and/or phrases:
1. alot Alot (one word) is a common misspelling of a lot (two words). "[W]e all may write alot one day," says The American Heritage Guide to Contemporary Usage (2005), but for now "keep in mind that alot is still considered an error in print." 2. and etc. Because the abbreviation etc. (from the Latin et cetera) means "and so on," and etc. is redundant. In any case, avoid using etc. in your essays: often it gives the impression that you simply can't think of anything else to add to a list. 3. anywheres Huckleberry Finn can get away with saying, "There warn't a sound anywheres," but on formal occasions drop the terminal s. If anywheres appears anywhere in your dictionary, it's probably labeled "nonstandard" or "dialectal." 4. could of (arrrrgh!) Don't confuse this nonstandard form with the contraction could've. Could of (along with should of and would of) can and should be replaced by could have (and should have and would have). 5. hisself This alternative form of the reflexive pronoun himself is commonly heard in certain dialects, but in formal writing steer clear of hisself (and theirself as well—though both were regarded as good usage in Middle and Early-Modern English). 6. furtherest The comparative form of far is farther or further. The superlative form is farthest or furthest. Nothing's gained by combining the two forms. 7. irregardless This double negative (ir- at the beginning and -less at the end) may not deserve Bryan Garner's label of "semiliterate . . . barbarism," but he's probably right that in print it "should have been stamped out long ago" (Garner's Modern American Usage, 2009). Use regardless instead. 8. its' Its is a possessive pronoun (like his or her). It's is a contraction of it is or it has. That leaves nothing for its' to do—so toss it. 9. let's us Let's us means "let us." To avoid repetition, write lets ("She lets us play in her yard"), let's ("Let's play in her yard"), or let us ("Let us pray"). 10. nohow If you have the know-how to write, you don't need to be told to avoid nohow. Instead, use in no way or not at all. So, do you use any of these? Contact me, if you need help with your writing! The goal of a copy-edit is to address flaws on a very technical level - to make sure the writing that appears on the page is in accordance with industry standards. It's like an incredibly high-end proofread. Read on for more details. A copy-edit
So, to make a sweeping and totally reductive generalisation, the job of a general editor is to help you tell a better story, and the job of a copy-editor is to make sure the grammar on every page is correct. Contact me now to discuss your needs! Are you a good writer?
Some people are just great at writing, whether it is an email, a novel, or a business plan. If you are not the most confident writer, then read on. Here are some tips for you to help with your writing Some experts say that the font of your document should be Times New Roman, as that is easier to read when there is a lot of text. Font size should be 12 pt, and spacing between lines 1.5 Spellcheck - computer vs human After doing the computerized spellcheck, read again to see the things the computer doesn't know, i.e. the difference between ‘their', ‘there', and ‘they're'. Changes If you change a word at the last minute, make sure to read the whole sentence again, or even the paragraph, as it might be possible that you changed the intended meaning with just one word. Breathe Let your story breathe … Give it a break, then proofread it. This will allow you to view your writing with fresh eyes. Zoom In Zoom into the document to make the writing larger – DO NOT change the font size! That will change any formatting you had done previously or that you are doing now. Reading Read out loud – if it sounds weird, there is probably something wrong and needs to be changed. Also, you immerse yourself even more into your story and find subtle inconsistencies. Comma, semicolon, full stop
When you read out loud, you will hear those differences. Wear Out Your Dictionary Once you have a dictionary, use it as much as possible. When you sit down to write and need a particular word, pause to consider the key ideas you want to convey. Start with a word that's in the ballpark. Look it up and go from there, exploring synonyms, roots, and usage notes. Be Patient With Your Writing If you can't find the right word for one sentence, check out the internet and see if you can find it. Even then, a word may be elusive, refusing to emerge from the mind one day only to arise from the subconscious the next. Be prepared to rewrite today what you revised yesterday. I hope these suggestions help you to be as confident in your writing as possible. You can also contact me if you need some help. With everything (or nearly everything) happening on social media these days, we might forget how to write formally. And with that, I don't mean old-fashioned kind of language but just generally using "real" words.
Read on for more details. 1. alot Alot (one word) is a common misspelling of a lot (two words). "[W]e all may write alot one day," says The American Heritage Guide to Contemporary Usage (2005), but for now "keep in mind that alot is still considered an error in print." 2. and etc. Because the abbreviation etc. (from the Latin et cetera) means "and so on," and etc. is redundant. In any case, avoid using etc. in your essays: often it gives the impression that you simply can't think of anything else to add to a list. 3. anywheres Huckleberry Finn can get away with saying, "There warn't a sound anywheres," but on formal occasions drop the terminal s. If anywheres appears anywhere in your dictionary, it's probably labeled "nonstandard" or "dialectal." 4. could of (arrrrgh!) Don't confuse this nonstandard form with the contraction could've. Could of (along with should of and would of) can and should be replaced by could have (and should have and would have). 5. hisself This alternative form of the reflexive pronoun himself is commonly heard in certain dialects, but in formal writing steer clear of hisself (and theirself as well—though both were regarded as good usage in Middle and Early-Modern English). 6. furtherest The comparative form of far is farther or further. The superlative form is farthest or furthest. Nothing's gained by combining the two forms. 7. irregardless This double negative (ir- at the beginning and -less at the end) may not deserve Bryan Garner's label of "semiliterate . . . barbarism," but he's probably right that in print it "should have been stamped out long ago" (Garner's Modern American Usage, 2009). Use regardless instead. 8. its' Its is a possessive pronoun (like his or her). It's is a contraction of it is or it has. That leaves nothing for its' to do—so toss it. 9. let's us Let's us means "let us." To avoid repetition, write lets ("She lets us play in her yard"), let's ("Let's play in her yard"), or let us ("Let us pray"). 10. nohow If you have the know-how to write, you don't need to be told to avoid nohow. Instead, use in no way or not at all. So, do you use any of these? Some people are just great at writing, whether it is an email, a novel, or a business plan.
If you are not the most confident writer, read on. Here are some tips for you to help with your writing Font size Some experts say that the font of your document should be Times New Roman, as that is easier to read when there is a lot of text. Font size should be 12 pt, and spacing between lines 1.5 Spellcheck - computer vs human After doing the computerized spellcheck, read again to see the things the computer doesn't know, i.e. the difference between ‘their', ‘there', and ‘they're'. Changes If you change a word at the last minute, make sure to read the whole sentence again, or even the paragraph, as it might be possible that you changed the intended meaning with just one word. Breathe Let your story breathe … Give it a break, then proofread it. This will allow you to view your writing with fresh eyes. Zoom In Zoom into the document to make the writing larger – DO NOT change the font size! That will change any formatting you had done previously or that you are doing now. Reading Read out loud – if it sounds weird, there is probably something wrong and needs to be changed. Also, you immerse yourself even more into your story and find subtle inconsistencies. Comma, semicolon, full stop
Wear Out Your Dictionary Once you have a dictionary, use it as much as possible. When you sit down to write and need a particular word, pause to consider the key ideas you want to convey. Start with a word that's in the ballpark. Look it up and go from there, exploring synonyms, roots, and usage notes. Be Patient With Your Writing If you can't find the right word for one sentence, check out the internet and see if you can find it. Even then, a word may be elusive, refusing to emerge from the mind one day only to arise from the subconscious the next. Be prepared to rewrite today what you revised yesterday. I hope these suggestions help you to be as confident in your writing as possible. An Example of Line-Editing and Copy-Editing on the same original passage Original: "The rising light of the sun was quickly brightening. Dawn was turning into morning. Alex finished reading her copy of the "New York Times" and put the paper down on the table, and then grabbed her ipod and put on Beyoncé's Crazy in Love and went out for her mourning run." The result after a line-editor has helped the author to rework it so that it reads more fluidly: "The dawn light brightened, giving way to morning. Alex tossed the "New York Times" onto the table, grabbed her ipod, and then put on Beyoncé's Crazy in Love as she headed out for her morning run." Notice, the line-editor caught and fixed a couple of technical errors, i.e. the typo on the second use of "morning". The result after the passage has been copy-edited for grammar and usage: "The dawn light brightened, giving way to morning. Alex tossed the New York Times onto the table, grabbed her iPod, and put on Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love" as she headed out for her morning run." The order in which editing and proofreading should be done:
If you need help with any of these, contact me :)
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AuthorHi, I am Marion of Marion Metz Solutions Archives
May 2024
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