We value our relationships (both in and outside the NMC) and recognise that we're at our best when we work well with others.
Communication is so important to working well with people. Good writing makes life easy for readers and helps us connect with them. This means we can build lasting relationships with our colleagues and the people we serve.
Be fair, kind and ambitious
Follow all the principles above to connect with people in a meaningful way. Fair, kind and ambitious writing will help you collaborate with others.
Work well with colleagues
Working well with others includes people inside the NMC, as well as outside. Think about which colleagues might need to be included in the writing process to help you get the facts right. Also ask colleagues for help if they're more confident about writing in our tone of voice, and offer help to colleagues who are less confident.
Remember we're at our best when we support each other.
Get to the point
Make life easier for your reader. Put your main point first -- in the first sentence or two.
If you're not sure what it is, ask yourself:
What do I want my reader to know, feel and do?
Your main point will be either the 'know' or the 'do'; put that at the start.
Then use the 'feel' bit to help you decide how best to frame it.
Use subheadings and bullet points
Big blocks of text are off-putting. Subheadings and bullets help you break them up, making them easier to read and understand.
Use subheadings to summarise what comes next. So 'Three things you need to know before you register' rather than just 'Registration'.
Keep bullet points short (no more than a sentence) - otherwise they're just paragraphs with dots next to them. And try not to have more than five in a single list.
Want to download and print whole sections of this FtP library? Visit the downloads page.