Technical Writing - How to Design Your Page Margins in a Microsoft Word Document Template (1)?

Microsoft Word is the world's most frequently used word processor with pretty good page layout functions. It's installed on a great majority of home and business computers in every country. So it makes sense for you as a freelance technical writer to learn how to design a document template in Word.

First create your margins and other basic page layout features.

Select File > New from the main menu and create a blank Word document.

Technical Writing - How to Design Your Page Margins in a Microsoft Word Document Template (1)?

Select File > Page Setup to display the Page Setup dialog box.

Select your Page Orientation (Portrait vs. Landscape).

Set your Top, Bottom, Right, and Left margins. The default values look good but you can change them to anything you want.

Set your Gutter dimension and position. Gutter is the blank non-text area to the LEFT or TOP of your text area. A lot of book-format documents leave a gutter to the left for ease of reading. Experiment with different gutter widths and see which one you like better; or set it to the width specified by your Documentation Guideline (if you have one).

Select a value for "Multiple Pages" from the drop-down menu. Here are your options:

NORMAL creates a single type of page, with the same margins and gutters, headers and footers. All pages of the document will look exactly the same. MIRROR MARGINS creates left and right pages with margins "mirroring" each other. That is, margins will be on the OUTER edge of each page. 2 PAGES PER SHEET creates two small equal-size pages out of the "normal size" page. For portrait-orientation pages, two smaller landscape pages are created. For landscape-orientation pages, two smaller portrait pages are created. BOOK FOLD creates a "spread" (a single page unit) out of 2 or multiples-of-2 pages. Your choices are All, 4, 8, 12, and 16 pages to a spread.

In the Preview box, select from the drop-down list how many pages these page layout features should apply to.

WHOLE DOCUMENT applies the page setup values to every page in the document. THIS POINT FORWARD applies the changes from where you are in the document to the end.

Click the DEFAULT button to reset all values to their default values.

Click OK when you're done.

Technical Writing - How to Design Your Page Margins in a Microsoft Word Document Template (1)?
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Writing Style - The Differences Between Academic and Casual Writing

Everyone knows that you should write your term papers differently from your Facebook posts, and your journal submissions should be written differently than newspaper columns. What exactly are the differences between casual and academic writing? Between formal and informal writing?

The biggest difference

The single most important difference between casual writing and academic writing is style. That is, casual writing does not require you to adhere to any published style guide. Academic writing, or any formal writing for that matter, requires that you adhere to a style guide. Some schools and teachers will go so far as to specify which style guide to use.

Writing Style - The Differences Between Academic and Casual Writing

What is a style guide?

A style guide is a manual, or document, that specifies a set of rules and standards, followed by writers to facilitate clear communication. The guide for EzineArticles.com is a web page that indicates how to write articles to be included in the EzineArticles directory, for instance. Each school and corporation can have its own, personalized style guide.

Main style guides do exist, however.

1. The Chicago Manual of Style was one of the first style guides published in the United States. Currently (as of 2010) in its 16th edition, this style guide first came out in 1906. People often refer to "the Chicago style," but people also refer to it as CMS or CMOS.

2. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association is in its sixth edition (as of 2010). This style guide was developed so professors and students could read papers more easily-and so comprehension was increased. APA Style calls for only two fonts in a paper, and the body of the paper must be written in Times New Roman 12 point. Underlining, bolding, and italics are permitted in some places.

3. The Elements of Style was written to help people write clearly. While the book has its critics, it is one of the shortest style guides.

4. The MLA Style Manual, 3rd edition, is the Modern Language Association's style guide. First published in 1985, this manual is used by many universities, colleges, and students.

5. Microsoft wrote The Manual of Style for Technical Publication, and this document is used for internal and external Microsoft documentation.

Common style guide conventions vs. informal writing

Contractions

Generally, it is okay to use contractions (like it's) in informal writing. Academic writing requires writing out both words.

Technical terms

If you are writing informally to a group of people in your same field, you might use technical terms frequently and never explain them. If you are writing to a group of people that have no relationship with your industry at all, you try to take the technical words out altogether. If you are writing academically, you must explain the term the first time you use it.

Active/Passive

This is not different between informal and academic writing. Most often, active sentences are better. Both the APA and the Chicago style guides concur with this.

Grammatical person

The grammatical person is the point of view, or you might have heard it phrased as first person, second person, third person, and fourth person. The first person perspective contains a lot of "I" or "we" statements like "I fed the dog." First person is the writer's perspective. The second person is you, the person the writer is writing to. The third person is associated with pronouns such as he, she, it, and they. The third person is not me (the writer) or you (the reader). Sometimes academics use fourth-person sentences like, "One should always behave when one is in public."

Informal and casual writing uses the first, second, and third person point of view, as appropriate. While academics often write in the fourth person, I have yet to find a basis for that style of writing in style guides. Style guides facilitate clear writing and fourth person, one-statements are anything but clear.

The grammatical person needed for a sentence often depends on if the sentence is active or passive.

Citations

Academic writing requires citations. If you are state "X is true," you need to cite either where you found that statement. If you created that statement, your words must clearly show that.

Sentence length

Casual writing tends to have short sentences. (Bad casual writing has run-on sentences.) Academic, formal writing uses longer sentences. Take heed though. The goal of any writing is to get a point across, and if your sentence is too long, you will defeat that purpose.

Colloquial expressions and cliches

While "awesome," "da bomb," "the bees knees," "kids," "nose to the grindstone," and "dude" permeate Facebook, these words and phrases are not used in academic writing.

Abbreviations

All your friends might know what LOL (and in the case of the ferret community, DOL), but whenever you use an abbreviation in an academic paper, you first need to write it out and connect it to the abbreviation so people know what you are talking about.

Writing Style - The Differences Between Academic and Casual Writing
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Gwen Nicodemus is a freelance engineer/writer and a homeschooling mom. Visit her website, Notion Nexus, for unit studies, worksheets, notes, and educational videos.

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Technical Writing - About Flowcharts

"A route has no meaning in itself; its meaning derives entirely from the two points that it connects." - Milan Kundera, 1929-, Czech Author, Critic

What's a flowchart?

A flowchart can be defined as a graphical representation of a sequence of operations or steps. In other words, it's an illustration of the various steps involved in a project or process.

Technical Writing - About Flowcharts

Typically, a flowchart consists of a number of boxes, arrows, and text that combine to form a sequence.

Why create a flowchart?

The purpose of a flowchart is to show the various steps of a process in a snapshot. By looking at the flowchart, the viewer should be able to identify the various steps involved in the process.

Flowcharts can be very useful for a technical writer. If you're working on a complex process, a flowchart can show you the various steps involved in that process. For example, you could be working on a manual on how to troubleshoot the Autopilot Flight Director system for the Boeing 747 aircraft. There are various steps involved in troubleshooting this system. Each step has multiple sub-steps. By creating a flowchart, you can quickly see which step takes place at what stage in the process.

How to create a flowchart

When you're working on a complex project, creating the flowchart itself may be a time-consuming task. Here are six simple steps you can follow to create even complex flowcharts:

1. Start by defining the end result of the process or project. The end result could be anything such as completing a user manual, writing a complex software process, installing a new part, or performing a test.

2. List the various steps involved to achieve the end result. This will take some research. In complex processes, each step could have a series of sub steps. The steps involved to create a user manual could be:

a. Meet with SME
b. Research existing documentation
c. Videotape the procedure
d. Take photographs
e. Create illustrations
f. Develop the user guide
g. Test the user guide
h. Make changes/adjustments
i. Deliver final product

3. Define the starting point of the process of project. This is the first step that starts of the process. For example, the first step could be project planning or research.

4. Write down the starting point and the end result. Both of these should be in boxes with some space in between them. Adjust this space according to the number of steps and sub-steps involved in the process.

5. Draw an arrow from the starting point to the end result.

6. Along this arrow, list the various steps in order that are needed to go from the starting point to the end result. Include any sub-steps as needed.

Some processes may have multiple branches of steps involved. For example, to get from Step 1 to Step 2, there could be three options. You would illustrate this on the flowchart as three separate arrows going from Step 1 to Step 2.

A flowchart is like a roadmap. It has a starting point (A) and an ending point (B). Your objective is to get from Point A to Point B. The flowchart tells you what's involved in the process.

For a technical writer a flowchart can be a very useful tool to illustrate various operations and processes. Before you start your next project, see if you can illustrate the process via a flowchart. It will make life easier for you and your manager or client. The end result will be a better project which is good for your target audience.

Note: Microsoft Visio is a good software for creating flowcharts.

Technical Writing - About Flowcharts
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If you can write a simple sentence in English and organize your thoughts then technical writing may be a rewarding field. You can easily make it a second income stream in your spare time.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average salary for technical writers is ,380. Freelance technical writers can make from to per hour.

The field of technical writing is like a golden city. It's filled with wealth, rewards and opportunities. After learning technical writing you can branch out into business writing, marketing writing and communications writing. All of these can become additional income streams.

But to succeed you must learn how to market yourself to clients. You have to prove to them that you are an invaluable asset. That's where ProTech - Your Fast Track to Becoming a Successful Technical Writer can help. It's a technical writing course that does two equally important things:

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In fact, you'll get a complete marketing toolkit which has templates and technical writing job sites to get started immediately!

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How to Write About Yourself - Generating Writing Ideas From Your Everyday Life

New writers often complain that their lives aren't exciting enough to write about. If they haven't had a traumatic childhood, climbed a mountain or battled a life threatening illness, they believe no one will want to hear what they have to say. This is not true. Everybody's life history is unique and a successful writer will exploit their particular set of circumstances and experiences to generate fresh writing ideas and create sellable articles or exciting stories.

Who are you?

Everything about you is a potential source of inspiration. What do you look like? How old are you? What is your ethnicity? Do you have brothers and sisters? Are you healthy? What is the most vivid memory you have from childhood? However mundane you feel your responses are to such questions, your answers will be unlike anyone else's.

How to Write About Yourself - Generating Writing Ideas From Your Everyday Life

What do you do?

Are you working right now? What job do you do? Are you planning to start your own business, retired or struggling to find the right career? There are stories to be told in all of these situations. What about your free time? Are you talented at a particular sport or do you play a musical instrument? What sort of company do you keep? Where do you like to hang out? Where do you take your vacations? Ask yourself questions like this and then think of how your answers could generate ideas for articles or stories.

Where do you live?

Where ever you live, your locality should provide you with plenty of inspiration. What is the latest gossip and are there any big issues affecting your home town right now? What facilities are on offer to residents and visitors? Are there any significant buildings with interesting histories? What are the people like? What do they do to earn a living and how do they spend their freetime? Is it a good place to live and why? Remember that relevant photographs make a feature much more sellable, so get out and about and see what you can find on your doorstep.

Who do you know?

You may feel you are not interesting enough to write about but what about other people? Perhaps some of your friends or family have a story to tell. What about famous people living in your area or somebody who has achieved something special? There are lots of people out their keen to share their experiences and most of them will be only too pleased to be interviewed if asked.

What do you love?

We often write articles that sell when we feel a connection with our subject. If you find something you feel strongly about - write about it. If a news item makes you angry or a newspaper story leaves you in tears - write about it. Write about the things you love to do or the things you would love to have a go at. Being a writer is a great excuse for trying out new experiences or researching subjects you have always wanted to know more about. Immerse yourself in the world around you. Be alert to new sensations and experiences. Just remember to carry a notebook around with you so can get it all down on paper!

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Louise Dop is a successful Freelance Writer and Technical Author. With a degree in Physics and a career history in science and technology she writes about popular science, the craft and business of writing and family and health issues. Keeping up with emerging technologies and topical subjects, she enjoys observing and commenting on all aspects of modern life.

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Cover Letter Starters and Endings

Do you get stuck on how to start or end your cover letter - so much so that you decide to send your resume without it? Well, there is no more need to fret. Below are sample cover-letter starters and endings for you to use when writing your letter.

SAMPLE COVER LETTER STARTERS

Sample #1: I am a dependable, quality-focused professional with a consistent record of meeting and exceeding employer requirements. As I am currently seeking new employment opportunities, I would like to present my resume for your review and consideration.

Cover Letter Starters and Endings

Sample #2: I am writing to express my interest in your current opening for a ; therefore, please allow me to submit my resume for your review. Having served in sales and operational leadership roles for the past 10 years, with continued success in meeting business/operational goals, I am confident that I can make a valuable contribution to your organization's future projects and initiatives.

Sample #3: I noted your advertisement for a with a great deal of interest, as your candidate description appears to be an excellent match for my background and skills. Therefore, I have enclosed my resume for your review and consideration.

Sample #4: I am a highly motivated employee with a consistent record of going the extra mile to meet corporate objectives. As I am currently seeking new employment opportunities, I would like to present my resume for your review and consideration.

Sample #5: I am a conscientious, organized professional with a 15+ year career and a consistent record of meeting employers' requirements and goals. As I am currently seeking new employment opportunities, I would like to present my resume for your review and consideration.

SAMPLE COVER LETTER ENDINGS

Sample #1: I will contact you within the week to follow up on this letter of inquiry. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or if I need to furnish you with additional documentation. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sample #2: My resume is enclosed to provide you with additional details regarding my technical/supervisory skills and achievements. I would welcome the opportunity for an interview with your organization. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sample #3: My resume contains additional details regarding my career accomplishments. I would welcome an opportunity for a personal interview to discuss your organization's needs and the results you can expect from me in addressing those needs. And I thank you in advance for your time and review of my qualifications.

Sample #4: To provide you with details concerning my qualifications and accomplishments, my resume is enclosed. I will contact you next week to follow up on this letter of inquiry; perhaps we could arrange a meeting to discuss our mutual interests. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sample #5: Thank you for taking the time to review my credentials. I hope you feel a personal meeting would be beneficial; I am available at your convenience. If you have any questions or when you are ready to schedule an interview - please give me a call.

Cover Letter Starters and Endings
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Certified in all three areas of the job search—Certified Interview Coach ™ (CIC), Job & Career Transition Coach (JCTC), and Nationally Certified Resume Writer (NCRW)—Linda Matias is qualified to assist you in your career transition, whether it be a complete career makeover, interview preparation, or resume assistance. She is also the author of the forthcoming book, How to Say It: Job Interviews (Prentice Hall Press, August 2007). You can contact Linda Matias at linda@careerstrides.com or visit her website [http://www.careerstrides.com] for additional career advice and to view resume samples.

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Technical Writing - How to Use Fonts Properly in a Technical Document

As a technical writer, you should be aware of certain basics about fonts and some basic rules to observe in your documents. The most basic distinction about fonts is whether they have a "serif" or not. That's why font families are split into two major categories: Serif and Non-Serif fonts.

A serif is a small tail- or wedge-like appendage that extends outward from the end fo a letter or symbol. "Times Roman," for example, is a famous serif font and "Arial" is an equally famous non-serif font.

RECOMMENDED RULES of font selection for technical writers:

Technical Writing - How to Use Fonts Properly in a Technical Document

1) Select your headlines from NON-SERIF fonts (like Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, Tahoma, Futura, Optima) and your body text from SERIF fonts (like Roman, Times Roman, Times New Roman, Georgia, Bookman).

2) ITALIC is designed to attract attention to itself by virtue of being hard to read. That's why, in a block of readable text, it makes sense to emphasize a word or a phrase by printing it in Italic.

However, some authors print whole web or print pages in Italic! That defies the whole purpose of the Italic style. Every time you use Italic font, be aware that you are making your words harder to read. Thus use it sparingly, like using pepper while cooking.

3) Do not use more than two or a MAXIMUM of three typefaces in your technical documents. A profusion of typefaces creates confusion in the reader's mind. When it comes to fonts, less is always more.

4) Do not assume that all computers have access to every font you have. All computers, however, come with a set of built-in "system fonts" that are installed automatically by the operating system. The most famous of these system fonts are Arial, Times Roman, and Courier. If you use these three fonts you can rest assured that your document will appear in the receiving end in the same fonts that you have used on your machine.

If, however, you use a hard-to-get fancy font, the reader's machine will substitute the "closest font available" to render your document readable. "Optima" for example may be replace with "Arial" and sometimes such substitutions change the way a page is composed, usually for the worse.

Thus, to be safe, stick to the basic "system fonts" when designing a document that you expect to be distributed and read online.

Technical Writing - How to Use Fonts Properly in a Technical Document
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If you are interested to read more about technical writing as a career and how it can help you earn a steady living, visit http://www.learntechnicalwriting.com. You might be pleasantly surprised with what you'll find out. Join the thousands who are already helped and inspired by this information provided by a Fortune 500 Senior Technical Writer. Visit today and claim your free report "How Much Do Technical Writers Make?"

Dr. Ugur Akinci is a Fortune 500 Sr. Technical Communicator http://www.technicalcommunicationcenter.com/

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Types of Report Writing

A report is a dreadfully official document that is written to serve the range of purpose in the engineering and business disciplines; sciences and social sciences. Therefore, they need to be clear-cut and accurate. Good report writing call for--- professionalism, profound knowledge of the subject, attentiveness, and outstanding writing proficiency.

Types of Report Writing ---

Research Report Writing Business Report Writing Science Report Writing
Research Report Writing--- To presents the tangible proof of the conducted research is the major intention of the academic assignment. When writing on research report, you must ponder over clarity, organization, and content. Research reports are all the more same to technical reports, lab reports, formal reports and scientific papers which comprise a quite consistent format that will facilitate you to put your information noticeably, making it crystal clear.

Types of Report Writing

Business Report Writing--- In business milieu, Business report writing happens to be an indispensable part of the communication process. Executive summary is written in a non-technical manner. By and large, audience for business reports will consist of upper level manager, for that reason you should take the audience needs in consideration. Go on with the introduction to articulate the problem and determine the scope of the research. To attain the desired results, don't fail to state about the precise quantitative tools.

Science Report Writing--- Parallel to a business report, science report writing also corresponds with the line of investigation. To report upon an empirical investigation, these reports make use of standard scientific report format, portraying technique, fallout and conclusions. As an assignment in undergraduate papers within the scientific disciplines, it is required frequently.

The main objective of the Science report is to boast an aim, the technique which enlightens how the project has been analyzed, the outcomes which presents the findings and the conclusion. This embraces advance research suggestions and your own biased opinion on the topic which has been talked about.

When writing a science report, do not fail to remember to use heading and subheadings in order to direct a reader through your work. In the form of tables and graphs, Statistical evidence should be incorporated in appendices. Than refer to it in the body of your scientific report.

Reports are a common form of writing because of the inclusion of recommendations which are helpful in implementing the decision.

Types of Report Writing
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Top Ten Tips for Writing a Professional Overview or Biography

A professional biography or overview, showcasing your background, experience and expertise, is a necessity for every business owner. This often overlooked marketing tool is an excellent way to introduce you and your business to potential clients and possible strategic business partners. Potentially, it might open up opportunities for speaking engagements, radio or television interviews, or a feature print article. While any information about you and your business is helpful, information that is presented in a professional, well-polished manner can make all the difference in how others perceive you. Consider these important points as you craft your own professional biography.

1. One page wonder.

Your professional biography should be a few paragraphs and kept to one page or less. One page is perfect for copying on the reverse side of a handout or flyer. Several paragraphs, left justified make it easier to read and skim.

Top Ten Tips for Writing a Professional Overview or Biography

2. First, second, or third person?

Always write your biography in the third person. That is, refer to yourself by your name or she/he as appropriate. It sounds more professional as it appears that a third party wrote the text. For example, "Alexandra has been featured in the New York Times, Forbes, Newsweek, and Time magazines."

3. Business in brief.

Not only do readers want to know what you do, but also they want to know who you work with - because they might want to work with you! A professional biography should include a sentence or two about your business niche (or niches) as well as the types of clients you serve. A modified version of your 30-second elevator pitch might be perfect.

4. And the winner is....

Make sure that you include a list of awards that you have received. Readers are interested in knowing about your talents and the organizations that recognize you for them.

5. Organizations.

Include names of the organizations, clubs, or associations to which you belong. A reader's interest might be highlighted at seeing that you belong to the same alumni association or professional business group. Again, these connections might possibly lead to some interesting and exciting business opportunities.

6. Certifications and designations.

Include any professional certifications or designations you hold. Make sure you write out their names in full, rather than use abbreviations. Not everyone might know that CMA stands for Certified Management Accountant. And, perhaps, in a different discipline, it might represent something else - like a Certified Materials Analyst. If you no longer hold a particular designation, but it has played a major role in who you are and what you do, don't hesitate to make a reference to it. For example, "Ann is a former Certified Data Processor and spent the last decade as an adjunct faculty member teaching higher mathematics at the University of Colorado, Boulder." Don't include abbreviations of college degrees, like MBAs as it looks unprofessional. The only exception to this would be for a Ph.D. designation.

7. Published?

Have you written any articles, books, e-courses or e-books? Self-published or not, your works add to your level of professionalism and credibility. Showcase them in your biography and you might earn additional royalties in terms of new clients or other opportunities.

8. Did I mention the media?

Have you been a guest on talk radio or television? Were you or your business featured or even mentioned in a newspaper article? If so, readers want to know. Again, these types of "mentions" add to your credibility and presence.

9. Call me any time.

People who want to know about you will read your biography for just that reason. And, if its compelling, rich, and includes the information they're interested, in, they'll want to contact you. Include complete contact information like your title (if any), name, address, telephone, fax, email, and website address. Make it easy to find this information by including it in the last paragraph of your professional overview.

10. Write, rewrite, and do it again.

After you have written your biography, edit, edit, and edit again. You may need to do a dozen or so revisions before you get it just right. Eliminate extra words, use descriptive words, keep the sentences short but varied in length, and write in the third person. Ask some friends to provide input as well. Make sure to revise your biography regularly to keep it up-to-date and refreshed.

Copyright 2004 by Tara Alexandra Kachaturoff.

Top Ten Tips for Writing a Professional Overview or Biography
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Tara Alexandra Kachaturoff is a business consultant, writer, speaker, Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach and producer/host of Michigan Entrepreneur Television. Drawing on over 15 years of corporate experience, she coaches executives, professionals, and entrepreneurs on business and lifestyle issues and has been featured in print, radio and television. Her websites include http://www.virtualleverage.com, http://www.tarakachaturoff.com, and http://www.michiganentrepreneurtv.com

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Technical Writing - What's a Copyright and How Long Does it Last in Technical Documentation?

There'll be many times when as a technical writer you'll be using text and images created by others. In order not to violate anybody's intellectual property rights, you need to know the different types of copyrights that exist (at least in the United States).

The standard copyright is expressed either with the word "Copyright" or the universal copyright symbol "©" (letter "c" inside a circle). Best information on U.S. copyrights is available at U.S. Copyright Office (at copyright-dot-gov).

The interesting thing about a copyright is that an original intellectual property, like this very article for example, has copyright protection the minute it is created. However, if there were a law suit, those technical documents officially registered with the U.S. Copyright Office has a better chance of winning the case. Copyright registry is voluntary but is the only sure-fire way of claiming ownership of an intellectual product.

Technical Writing - What's a Copyright and How Long Does it Last in Technical Documentation?

In general, copyright of a technical document created after January 1, 1978, lasts as long as its author is alive, plus 70 years after his or her death. For example, if someone registers a user manual with the U.S. Copyright Office on January 1, 2009 and then dies in 2010, the work would still be copyrighted until 2080.

Once you copyright-register your technical document, you do not need to renew the registration again.

One thing you should know as a technical writer: all text and images created and owned by the U.S. government have no copyrights for the U.S. citizens. They are in "public domain." Why? Because if you're a U.S. citizen, you have already paid for it through your taxes. But still you have to be careful not to use public domain work in a libelous manner.

NOTE 1: If you're a technical writer working for a company, the copyright of the work you are creating almost always belongs to the company and not to you as an individual writer.

NOTE 2: All the information quoted in this article was correct when the article was written in December 2008 but it may have changed by the time you're reading this. Please consult copyright-dot-gov and your attorney before making a decision on all copyright matters.

Technical Writing - What's a Copyright and How Long Does it Last in Technical Documentation?
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If you are interested to read more about what technical writing is all about and how it can help you earn a steady living, visit http://www.learntechnicalwriting.com You might be pleasantly surprised with what you'll find out. Join the thousands who are already helped and inspired by this information provided by a Fortune 500 Senior Technical Writer. Visit today and claim your free report "How Much Do Technical Writers Make?"

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Writing a Mission and Vision Statement

Last year, I attended a seminar where the attendees were asked to define their personal mission or purpose in one sentence. Out of about a group of about three hundred people, fewer than a dozen were able to articulate a mission statement.

It's not that living with purpose is a low priority for most of us. Research by Richard J. Leider and David Shapiro, authors of Repacking Your Bags, found that the number one deadly fear of most people is "having lived a meaningless life."

Why, then, does writing a mission statement seem like such a daunting task?

Writing a Mission and Vision Statement

I believe the main reason lies in the lack of practical resources. Though you can avail yourself of prolific advice about writing mission statements from management experts and from books, the Internet, and so forth--most of this information is complex and confusing. Also, most of these resources target corporations and organizations, providing little practical advice for an individual who wants to craft a personal mission statement.

When you were a child you probably learned how to start a fire by focusing sunlight through a magnifying glass. Sunlight alone could not start the fire; it had to be focused through the magnifying glass. This reflects a basic principle of solar energy--though a large amount of sunlight falls on the earth, the light is diffused. For the sun to be utilized for heating, solar energy units must be designed to collect and concentrate the light.

The same principle applies to purpose. It must be focused to produce results. With no focus, there is no mechanism for establishing direction or goals. As Diana Scharf Hunt said, "Goals are dreams with deadlines."

Committing yourself to defining your purpose is the perhaps the most important task you could ever engage in. "Discovering your purpose will put your life into crystal-clear perspective," says Mark Victor Hansen in an Internet article "Conceptualize your Purpose." "You will see another world, one in which you are a necessary and intricate spoke in the wheel."

Your Personal Mission Statement

What is a mission statement? Since the focus of this article is on personal life purpose, as opposed to a corporate or organizational purpose, I'm going to simplify the process with the aim of making it easy for individuals who desire to articulate their purpose. Let's use the following definitions:

Mission Statement: Concise statement of your life purpose.
Vision Statement: Concise statement of the unique and distinctive ways that you will accomplish your purpose.

The first place to start is your mission statement. I will use the terms "mission" and "purpose" interchangeably. Choose the term you like best.

Think of your mission statement as a general statement encompassing your reason for existence--in other words, a broad statement of what you hope to accomplish. It does not include the distinctive ways that you intend to accomplish your purpose; that will be articulated in your vision statement.

Your mission statement will help you stay on course. In First Things First, Stephen Covey emphasizes the motivation and energy that result from an effective mission statement. "What we're talking about here is not simply writing a statement of belief. We're talking about accessing and creating an open connection with the deep energy that comes from a well-defined, thoroughly integrated sense of purpose and meaning in life."

Before you develop your mission statement, it is important to understand what a mission statement is not. It is not a to-do list. Nor is it a statement of strategies or methods. It is not a job description. Jobs and roles change through life's different seasons; purpose embodies a broad vision that encompasses all your roles.

You may not see a clear picture right now, and that's fine. Relax. Don't sweat it. Enjoy the process.

In other words, your mission statement is not written in stone. You can and should revisit it periodically. Most likely you will revise and fine-tune it time and again. Don't be concerned about whether it is precisely accurate. Pray and ask God to lead you in this endeavour.

Take time out from your busy schedule to prayerfully reflect on your personal mission, as you understand it at this point on your journey. Look at the big picture, and ask yourself questions like, Who am I? Why am I here? What are my desires and dreams? What is my mission, or purpose?

Defining your purpose should be a stimulating and motivating exercise. It should stir enthusiasm and excitement.

Many people feel that purpose must relate to a vision of achieving something of great magnitude or something that affects a nation or even the entire world. But purpose does not necessarily involve grandiose ideas.

I like what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Everyone has the power for greatness--not for fame but greatness, because greatness is determined by service."

Defining your passions within a larger context will help you articulate your purpose.

Successful people not only have a clear vision of what they want to do, but why. The why is as important as the what, for it is the why that fuels vision and keeps you motivated when you face setbacks.

Understanding why you want to do something will help you define your purpose. For example, perhaps you believe you are called to leadership in the business arena. Ask yourself, Why do I want to do this?

Think about how you can use your gifts to seek others. Always seek to understand the big picture - the purpose for your passions and talents.

Now get out some paper or your Palm Pilate or laptop or whatever communications gadget you like best, and begin drafting your mission statement. I'll say it again--do not obsess about getting it perfect. I wrote and rewrote my mission statement many times. And who knows, I may refine it again in the future.

Keep revising it until you can define it in one clear, concise sentence.

Here is my mission statement: "To inspire and equip women to reach their divine potential."

Notice that this statement does not include the specifics of how I will accomplish my mission. It says nothing about the unique and distinctive strategies I will employ for achieving my purpose.

Your Vision Statement

Now that you have defined your mission statement in one sentence, you are ready to take the next step and craft your vision statement. The vision statement adds the all-important how. It defines the distinctive and specific ways that you will accomplish your mission.

As George Barna says in The Power of Vision, "While the mission statement is philosophic in nature, the vision statement is strategic in nature." While mission relates to general approaches, "vision relates to specific actions."

Your vision statement propels your mission to specific strategies. Specifying the primary activities you will pursue to accomplish your purpose, it reflects your unique passions, talents, and skills.

You should be able to define your vision statement in one concise paragraph. The first sentence of this paragraph is your mission statement. The next one or two sentences specify how you will accomplish your mission.

Your vision statement will evolve over time, reflecting your character development and the acquisition of more skills and experience.

At one time, my vision statement read as follows: "To inspire and equip women to reach their divine potential. This will be accomplished by writing articles and books and by speaking at conferences and seminars."

As time went on, I revised my vision statement to the following: "To inspire and equip women to reach their divine potential. This will be accomplished by writing articles, columns, books, and e-books; by publishing an online women's magazine; and by speaking at conferences and seminars."

Notice that the first sentence (my mission statement) did not change. The next sentence, which encompasses how I will achieve my mission, continues evolving.

Thousands of other women may have the same mission statement as mine but have different vision statements reflecting their unique gifts and callings.

For example, one woman might reach the same mission as mine through counselling. Her vision statement might read something like this: "To inspire and equip women to reach their divine potential. This will be accomplished through personal counselling."

Another woman might have a vision statement like this: "To inspire and equip women to reach their divine potential. This will be accomplished by coaching women in leadership and business management skills."

Can you see how the vision statement encompasses uniqueness and specificity? It is the vision statement--not the mission statement--that reflects your unique gifts and strategies.

Your vision statement serves as a compass to keep things going in the right direction. It helps you measure your progress, set goals, establish priorities, and know when to use one of the most important words in your vocabulary: No.

One of my favourite movies is Apollo 13. I never fail to be inspired by the courage and resourcefulness of the astronauts amid unimaginable pressure and seemingly impossible odds. On top of a litany of other crippling technical problems, the astronauts were faced with the reality that their oxygen could run out, they could be poisoned by carbon dioxide accumulations, or they could freeze to death. Even if they managed to return to the earth's atmosphere, they had to enter at precisely the right angle.

If you've seen the movie, you'll recall there were many decisions and actions that contributed to their successful landing. One of those actions was ensuring they kept the earth in sight at all times, for they had lost their navigational equipment.

In the same way, your vision statement will keep you moving in the right direction. It will help you stay focused on the big picture, even when facing emotional upheaval, discouragement, obstacles, and all the other distractions that life throws at you.

Mission and vision statements provide focus to your purpose. As Henry David Thoreau said, "In the long run men only hit what they aim for."

Writing a Mission and Vision Statement
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Judy Rushfeldt is an author, speaker, and online magazine publisher (http://www.LifeToolsforWomen.com) whose passion is to help women reach their dreams. This article is an excerpt from her latest book, Making Your Dreams Your Destiny - a woman's guide to awakening your passions and fulfilling your purpose. Making Your Dreams Your Destiny is available in quality bookstores in Canada and the United States. To read more about this book or to order online, visit: http://www.MakingYourDreams.com

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