March 2 was WritersInc’s 28th birthday.
What’s New
Our almost new news - March 2 was WritersInc’s 28th birthday.
1998, communication with clients was mostly face-to-face. Our deliverables were mainly printed documents. A few years later, we were able to deliver documents via disk and then memory sticks. The internet was in its infancy. Mobile phones were not very mobile. Websites for small businesses were a novelty. Marketing at that time meant joining business network groups, speaking at events and posting out printed brochures.
2026, we embrace the technology that allows us to be more productive and work remotely. However, we miss those in-person meetings with clients.
Top Tip for your Writers
Before writing anything, ask three questions:
What problem is this document going to solve?
What do you want this document to achieve?
Who is going to read this document?
Then tailor the content to meet the reader’s needs.
Lost in translation
From around 1648 to 1919, French was the dominant international language. Before that you would have used Latin to interact with an international audience. English now dominates. Business-wise this is convenient for us as most of us don’t need to worry about translations.
For companies that have a multicultural workforce or who export goods to countries where English is not the main language, translation can be an issue.
There are apps that can almost simultaneously, and reasonably accurately, translate the spoken word into a variety of languages.
Many apps can translate the written word too, but problems arise, when the original document is not written in clear, plain English. It’s time consuming to review or edit any document. Imagine the cost of getting each translated document reviewed and edited.
At WritersInc we understand the translation process. We design the documents (such as a product manual) so content is in a logical order. We write in clear, easy-to-understand English, using the active voice and a consistent vocabulary.
We add value, by checking such things as NZ compliance and H & S standards and list the equivalents for the importing countries. While we do not do the translations ourselves, we know our documentation makes translation quicker and therefore cheaper.
If you are thinking about translating documents, please email ruth@writersinc.co.nz
Fun Fact
Earthworms can have 5, 10 or 0 hearts, depending on how you define a heart. Earthworms have 5 pairs of aortic arches that operate in a similar manner to a human heart. There are 10 components, joined as 5 pairs of arches, and the structure acts like a heart.
(I learned this when I took my younger granddaughter to see ‘The Worm’ at the Pumphouse Theatre, Takapuna)
Answer a Question from a Client
Hi WritersInc
I know how to set up multilevel numbering for headings in MSWord documents, but I can’t get the formatting to stick. I find I am wasting a lot of time fixing up reports that our staff and contractors have written. Are you able to help?
Hi Amy
It’s good to hear from you, and yes, I can suggest a solution.
Developing a MSWord template would solve most formatting issues. The template would create the MSWord styles you use and each styles would be set up with the attributes needed for your branding and document design requirements.
When we develop a template, we also include a quick reference guide, so staff and contractors know how to use it.
If you have a question, you would like us to answer, please email ruth@writersinc.co.nz
Quick Quiz
- Where in the world is this?
- What is a boondoggle?
- What did New Zealander Colin Murdoch invent in 1956?
- What was Sebastian’s Sawe’s record time for the latest London Marathon?
- What is Sir Vaughan Jones’ claim to fame?
Quick Quiz Answers
- Christchurch, New Zealand
- It’s an expensive and wasteful project usually paid for with public money.
- The disposable plastic syringe.
- 1 hour 59 minutes and 30 seconds.
- He is the only New Zealander to be awarded the maths equivalent of the Nobel Prize, the Fields Medal.