Emma Scott-Smith

Background

About Emma Scott-Smith

Are you a ‘numbers person' working with lots of financial information or technical detail? Are you fed up because writing an email or a report takes longer than it should? Do you sometimes feel you don’t even know where to start? I work with people like you to focus on your key messages, structure your documents, and communicate clearly and concisely. My name is Emma Scott-Smith and I am a business writing coach. I’m an accountant by training so I think it’s crucial to make numbers easy to understand. I also enjoy getting the most out of words. I love finding out about the derivation of words and solving cryptic crosswords. All too often language can be used to mask the key points – perhaps intentionally e.g. the small print in a contract or jargon on a website. Perhaps when you’re so involved in the detail yourself, it is really hard to pick out the headlines and see the important points from your reader’s perspective. As an auditor, I wrote to boards of directors suggesting how they improve their processes or controls. Some directors were financially savvy so absorbed the detail quickly; others weren’t, but still needed to understand the implications of any changes. Getting the points across clearly and concisely made it easier to win those directors over. Now I enjoy helping people to improve their business writing skills because they are so important, in today's world. I’m still grateful to Mrs Dickens, who taught me English grammar when I was nine and fuelled (probably unknowingly) a desire to get my point across in a straightforward way. Sometimes, it is as simple as pointing out the default style or habit that someone has got into, so they know what to work on. Often it’s the structure of a document. The key points are there, but they’re buried in the detail so they are not as obvious as they need to be. That’s why I focus on helping those who need to communicate numbers to do so with ease and confidence. I offer individual coaching, ideally working with you on your documents so that you apply the theory immediately to the type of writing you’re doing day to day. I also run webinars for groups, so your team or peers can all be – literally – on the same page. Together, we can increase the impact of what you write and reduce the time it takes you to do so. Don’t waste time redrafting and polishing your words. Learn the ‘rules’ and develop your skills to create more time to focus on the parts of your job that only you can do. Message me today to start a conversation. business writing coach impact presentation skills efficient words