Forget the Red Pen! 3 Editing Tips for Organized Writing

Writing is important for business owners to master – from a business plan, to letters, to applying for a grant or loan, you’ll need to be able to form a clear thought and bring your readers on a journey from start to finish.

For me, the most laborious part of writing isn’t actually getting words on paper; it’s making sure that the words are presented in a way that makes sense. I know that I have a hard time reading a piece of writing that jumps from one idea to the next without a smooth transition, and I’m sure I’m not alone.

Forget the red pen! From start to finish, here are 3 not-so-typical tips for organizing your writing that go a long way.

Post-it Association: Before you ever put pen to paper (or cursor to Word), take out a stack of Post-it Notes and start free associating words and ideas that seem relevant to your piece. Write only one word or phrase per Post-it, and once the idea is written, stick it on a big, blank wall in your office or home. Try to use at least half the stack of Post-its, and don’t feel dismayed if you write the same Word (or a synonym) a few times.

If you’re doing this exercise for your business plan, you might start by writing the title of each section you imagine being included to get the ideas flowing. Think you’ll use Facebook and Twitter to market your business? Write each on a separate Post-it. What product will you sell? Why is it special and unique? What attributes does the product or service have? Write it all down, holding nothing back.

Once you’ve exhausted your brainstorms, take a step back, pull up a chair, and look at everything you’ve written. Take it all in, notice the ways the words and phrases interact with each other, and then begin to make groups. If you wrote a lot of words about customer service, put them all together.

From the groups you create, you’ll be able to see patterns in your ideas. From the patterns, create an outline that will help you get from start to finish, and then start writing!    

Using Colors to Identify Categories: Once you’ve finished writing each section included in your outline, print the piece and reread it one time. Don’t make any marks or edits, just read the piece as if you didn’t write it. Pay attention to the places you lose interest, the places you need to read several times to understand, and the places you skim over because they are repetitive.

After your once-through read, you should have an idea of the subjects covered in your piece. If the three main categories are financing, marketing and service delivery, for instance, assign each one a color. Read the piece again, this time armed with different colored highlighters. Highlight – by sentence, not paragraph – ideas related to each category. If a sentence doesn’t fit in one of the categories, don’t highlight it.

Once you’ve finished, look at the distribution of colors. Is there too much of one color, and not enough of another? Are there a lot of sentences that aren’t highlighted? Use these observations for your first round of editing. Through your edits, try to balance out each color section and make sure that every sentence you write is relevant to your topic. If it’s not – you don’t need it!

Cutting Paragraphs: After editing the piece based the color-technique described above, print the piece out again. Reread it again, once-through, without making any marks or edits on the paper. If the piece still feels unorganized, grab a pair of scissors and start cutting. Cut out each paragraph separately; if your paragraphs go between pages, tape them together.

I usually do this step sitting on the floor, with all the paragraphs spread around me. After they’re all cut out, organize them by topic. Once you have them organized, start reading each paragraph individually, and put them together like a puzzle. What paragraph logically follows the previous? What paragraphs don’t logically follow another?

In this editing technique, throw all caution to the wind. Since you’re doing this with a print-out, you won’t lose the original structure completely and can always go back to it. After you’ve finished reorganizing your paragraphs, it’s time to go back to the computer. Copy and paste the paragraphs into a new document based on the order of the cut-outs, and read through again – this time, with a special eye for proper tense, tone and transitions. 

When you think you have a clean, concise and organized final piece, send it off to a friend to read. Make sure you choose someone who will be honest and fair in their evaluation, and try to choose someone that doesn’t know too much about your topic. Use their fresh eyes to identify any remaining problem areas in the piece, and make any edits you need to make the piece polished… and don’t forget to use spell check!

Software Round-Up: Free Photo Editing Software

I've done more color-correcting, cut-and-pasting and photo cropping in the last week than ever before, trying to create what I hope will be the Best Advent Calendar Ever (just don't tell my roommates!). I'll tell ya, it's tedious work. Without the right photo editing software, however, this project would've been pushed from the 'tedious' to the 'almost impossible' zone. Because let's face it: there are some projects MS Paint just can't handle.

Luckily, my design-minded friends pointed me in the direction of some great (and free!) photo editing software. I've had so much fun playing around with these programs that I thought I'd share them with you. After all, DIY business owners and freelancers need editing software as much as the next guy, especially when they're creating their own marketing materials.

Picasa
Developed by Google, Picasa is one of the most intuitive and easy-to-use programs out there. You can organize photos, correct red-eye, crop and rotate pictures almost without trying. In terms of advanced editing features, however, Picasa is somewhat lacking. It doesn't offer all the fancy bells and whistles more advanced design-heads are looking for. If your main goal is the make a few tweaks to your pictures without having to labor all day to figure out fancy filter settings, this is the program for you.

Picnik
For me, Picnik represents the best of all worlds. It's free software you can use directly from your web browser (no downloads necessary), it's easy to use and has a slick interface, and it supports the more advanced settings I'm looking for, such as filters and special effects. Want all your photos to look old-timey and sepia-toned? Not a problem. Getting started is easy. Create a user name and password, then you're good to go. Upload your photos from a number of sources for quick editing, then export them to any website you want just as easily.

Pixlr
Similar to Picnik, Pixlr is another free web-based editing program. It offers many of the same basic and advanced features as Picnik, and has a number of devoted followers around the Internet. My two cents? The main place these programs differ is in the ease of uploading and downloading your photos. Compared to some other programs, Pixlr is still a little weak here, and it took me a while to figure out how to make this program do what I wanted.

Photoscape
Photoscape is one of those software options that allows more sophisticated photo editing work, but it doesn't quite approach the number of features offered by Photoshop. Image files are easily converted from one file type to the next, and Photoscape even supports more complicated images such as animated GIFs. Some users have noted that the interface takes a while to get used to, but if you're looking for something more complex than your basic photo retouching and filtering, it's worth taking the time to learn how to use this nifty little program.

GIMP
Of all the programs listed so far, GIMP is the one most similar to Photoshop. This powerful editing software is a must for the more advanced users among us. Its features are so advanced that I don't even understand them all (what's GNU? Or GEGL integration?). Check out this review if you know how to speak designer-ese and want more information. The friend who turned me on to this program complains that it's a little annoying to use, but if you're talking bang for your buck, GIMP is the program for you. Its features are so complex that some people have taken to calling it the 'Photoshop killer'.

Don't see your favorite editing software on the list? Tell us about it in the comments below.

What's Love Got to Do with It?

Starting and running your own business is tough. Maintaining a romantic relationship also comes with its challenges. So, how do you navigate doing both at the same time? While I’m not personally a business owner at the moment, I’ve come to realize that when you and your significant other have to coordinate opposite schedules, be understanding of each other’s stresses, and still leave time for some romance, things can get a little complicated. How do you strike the right balance between your work and personal life? How do you prioritize things? Here are some common challenges couples may face when one (or both!) are making a venture in entrepreneurship and how to cope with them.



Time Management. Scheduling is probably the biggest road block you’re going to hit. New entrepreneurs usually map out how much time they need to devote to their business in relation to other aspects of their life. Most of the time any free time they have should be spent working on their business, especially if it’s a new venture. So what if the person you’re dating has a normal 9-5 job, and most of your work is done early in the morning or late at night? Or vice versa? The key is to make the little things count. So maybe you can’t go away for a whole weekend together or have dinner together every single night, but there are other things that you can do to show you care. If your significant other is always up earlier than you, occasionally you could get up and make them coffee. Try to check in with each other throughout the day via email, text message, or phone calls. Doing things on a small-scale will make it easier for you to work on your business and keep up with your personal relationship.



Making Choices. Your business is probably going to come first a majority of the time, but sometimes that’s not going to be the case and any good entrepreneur will need to realize this. Part of the beauty of being your own boss is being able to schedule things at your discretion. While making your rent and payroll are probably at the top of your list of priorities, keeping your loved one happy also has to be there. When it comes to special events like birthdays or anniversaries step it up and leave your business aside for the night. Try to plan “date nights” where you do something fun to take your mind off your careers and remember why you entered into this dating relationship in the first place. Also, when making plans like these think of it as something you have to do, as if it were something you were doing for your business.



It’s Not All About You. While your business may be consuming your life, your partner might not want it to consume theirs. Finding someone supportive and understanding of your work needs is definitely important, but you shouldn’t talk their ear off 24/7 about what kind of business insurance you need to get. They have a job too and you should take the time to hear what’s going on with them. When you do share information or problems in your business with your significant other, try to stick with topics that are more personal and things you wouldn’t necessarily discuss with anyone else. Your partner will feel significant to you, engaged in your work, and not like he or she is left in the dark about a huge part of your life.



Give Fair Warning. Whether you’re dating someone new or you’ve been married for ten years, you’ll need to mention that you’re starting a new business or expanding an existing one. They’ll need to know about how this will affect your personal time and finances. Also, if they’re receptive that means they will likely be supportive throughout the process and you can never have too big a support system when you’re an entrepreneur.



It is definitely easy to let other areas of your life fall to the wayside when you’re a business owner. Keeping a relationship healthy can provide a stronger support system and someone to share in your success. If managed correctly, romantic relationships can make you happier, more energized, and therefore more motivated to do well in your business.

People Skills: A Touchy Subject

I like to think of myself as an aspiring "people person". I enjoy the company of others, making small talk and even rooms full of strangers. But yet, my best efforts are often burdened by the ghosts of my awkward teen years. I fidget, gaze off into space, say strange things and generally confuse people with whom I'm speaking.

That's where the "aspiring" comes in. Being a "people person" doesn't come naturally, so I have to actively practice the skill sets of human interaction. Every so often, I decide to add a new people skill to my repertoire, usually with mixed results.

In the Spring of '09, I went for the Holy Grail of nonverbal friendliness: the gentle grazes and shoulder pats of tasteful physical contact. The project ultimately ended up next to calligraphy and long-distance biking in my abandoned project graveyard, written off as an impossible dream.

Until my co-worker sent me this video from bnet.



Seeing the warm smiles and friendly exchanges of the dramatizations reminded me of my interest in small talk touch. I'm taking up the mantle again and tackling some other aspects of nonverbal communication, starting with these two posts:

"Listen with Your Eyes: Tips for Understanding Nonverbal Communication"
"Understanding Nonverbal Communication"

But if I'm on the wrong track, I need you to let me know. Remember: this doesn't come naturally. Do you feel warmer toward people who give you a brief pat on the shoulder or a little forearm squeeze? At what point does it become unsettling or a little creepy? For the good of my future acquaintances, lay it out in the comments below.

Small Business in the News: The Wheels Start Turning in the SEPTA Strike

Last Tuesday, a Union strike stopped the SEPTA trains, buses, and trolleys from running. It didn’t stop a few enterprising imaginations from running even further.

The strike affected the morning commutes of thousands of Philadelphians, including about half of the staff here at Empowerment Group. While it was bad for many businesses and inconvenient for many employees, several of Philadelphia’s small bicycle businesses saw a golden opportunity and wasted no time in pouncing.

Local nonprofit, The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, was the first to step up and take action with their “Bike the Strike” campaign. They won immediate visibility and public favor by offering a much-needed service: a bike corral on the Northwest corner of City Hall during business hours. This physical presence led to media sound bites, some supporters in high places, and loads of publicity.

The for-profit small business community found plenty of opportunities as well. Fuji Bikes, a northeast Philadelphia bike shop, got involved with the campaign. They strategically offered discounts on their commuter bikes, marketing aggressively towards people who had always considered biking to work, but needed an extra nudge.

Philadelphia Electric Wheels also got in on the publicity. The Mt. Airy company is Philly’s first store to sell and service electric bicycles. They help commuters in hilly neighborhoods who need the extra push to bike, with their easy-to-recharge, energy efficient electric bicycles. During the strike, they extended their business hours and offered disenchanted SEPTA users $100 discounts on their electric bikes and conversion kits.

While I haven’t seen any of these bicycle stores release sales figures from last week, the Bicycle Coalition was happy to report that bicycling in Center City was up 38% on the second day of the strike.

You know what they say about striking while the iron’s hot. Or while the SEPTA bus engines are cold.

5 Index Cards You Want to See

Last week I stumbled upon a really excellent blog: Indexed. Because no one describes it better than its creator, Jessica Hagy, here's what she has to say about the site: "This is a little project that allows me to make fun of some things and sense of others without resorting to doing actual math.”

The blog has been made into a book and featured all around the web -- and all for good reason. This is the first post I saw:

Isn't that the truth! Too much or too little information leads to confusion in all sorts of situations. After browsing for a few minutes, I realized Indexed has a lot of visual wit and wisdom that business owners can learn from. Without further ado, my top 5 Indexed picks for business owners.

 1. Stress vs. Creativity: Because you'll never get truly creative without a little stress.

2. Business & Artistry: One combination means your business is special and unique. The other? You're just like everyone else. Where do you want to be?

3. Jobs vs. Desires: You'll never land the "perfect" job, but you can create it!

4. Good Design: Give the people what they want! Something pretty, useful and durable. When you find the overlap in your product or service, you've found what sets your business apart.

5. Socialize: I'm guilty of this one, too, but getting out and talking with others can only help your business -- and your personal life!

Create a Productive Home Office in Three Easy Steps!

With SEPTA on strike indefinitely, many Philadelphians (myself included) find themselves facing a new business challenge: working from home. Home, with all its creature comforts and seductive distractions. Sure, there's plenty I like about the 30-second commute and the relaxed dress code. But after five hours spent typing in bed, my back was getting sore and I was fantasizing with increasing frequency about curling up for a nap.

The best parts about working from home (relaxed standards) are also the most dangerous in terms of productivity. How can you ensure your work environment at home keeps you just as focused as that of your office? Here are a few tips to jump-start your home office makeover.

Create a Functional Workstation
This one seems obvious, but it's so easily overlooked. Your bed is not a workstation. Neither is your Lazyboy. Find a comfortable spot to park youself and your computer, preferrably a spot with a desk. Gather the right equipment around you so you don't have to get up and borrow things from other rooms. A few work supplies you might want to consider aggregating at your station are your computer, telephone, some pens and pencils, a stapler, scissors, and paper clips. Anything you would want from a traditional office should be duplicated at home.

Isolate Yourself

We're not talking monastic solitude here, but strive to make your home office distraction-free. That includes visual distractions - no TVs in your workroom, please - as well as sound distractions. If you have other family members at home (including roommates, spouses, kids or pets), let them know that your work space is off limits. Set time boundaries for when you're not to be disturbed. The more regularly you enforce them, the more they'll come to understand and respect your office.

Set Time Boundaries
Working from home gives you tremendous flexibility in terms of time management. You can get up, answer a few emails and calls, take a shower, do more work, then go grocery shopping on your lunch hour or do some light cleaning. It can be great to integrate your chores more comfortably into your working day. But beware of time seepage. Watching your favorite soap over lunch can lead to catching a quick nap can lead to a brief workout can lead to - you get the picture. Take advantage of your new-found flexibility, but make sure you're aware of how your time is spent. Plot out a schedule for the day, then fill in all the tasks you need to do, or check out our round-up of time productivity software and find a program that fits your needs. However you manage your time, make sure to do it consciously and consistently.

With these three tips, you can go a long way towards ensuring you get your work done while also taking full advantage of the comforts of home. And to all the home-based business owners out there, what are some ways you've made your work life more productive? Leave them in the comments below.