Writing for Business: Writing When Cool (WWC) vs. WWA

Source: class notes
English for Professional Development
Grammar and Writing for Business: Greene

Tone

In writing you don’t have the benefit of vocal inflection and facial expressions that help inform the meaning of your words when you speak, but your writing can carry meaning beyond its semantic definitions. This meta-meaning is called tone, the atmosphere or attitude your message conveys. Tone shows you feel about what you are writing. Sometimes you want tone in your writing and sometimes you do not.

Consider the tone of this memo

Memorandum 1 (Writing While Angry or WWA)
To: All Office Personnel
Fr: Office Manager
Date: Oct. 1, 2001
Re: Inappropriate web sites

I was enraged today when I walked past a video terminal that displayed a pornographic image. What you had better believe, after my having stressed to you the importance of not visiting inappropriate websites on our system, is that there will be repercussions.

You seem to think that if you are not caught using our computers to fulfill your sick fantasies, that it will not cause problems for you at work. You are wrong. I am actively investigating this incident and will dismiss the guilty party when I find him.

The World Website Web is valuable to our business success and we encourage you to use it appropriately. Inappropriate use includes visiting, bookmarking or forwarding racist sites or any sort of pornographic or otherwise exploitative sites.

The official web browsing policy each one of you signed is attached. Read it again!

What is the message?
What is the action?
What are the details?
What about the enclosure?

How do you think the author feels about what he has written? How would you feel if you were the recipient of the memo? Do you think you would be likely to cooperate?

Memorandum 1 has been labeled WWA, “Writing While Angry.” Now look at the memo he might have sent if he had waited a day and had been WWC, “Writing When Cool.” It sounds authoritative, not authoritarian.

Memorandum 2 (Writing When Cool or WWC)

To: All Office Personnel
Fr: Office Manager
Date: Oct. 2, 2001
Re: Use of Unauthorized Software

Regrettably, today I walked past a video terminal in our office that displayed a pornographic image. This disturbed me greatly, especially in light of the fact that we all discussed and signed the official web browsing policy just last week.

Since the policy of zero tolerance was clearly stated in that document, I regret that the guilty party will have to be dismissed for this action.

The World Website Web is valuable to our business success and we encourage all employees to use it appropriately. Inappropriate use includes visiting, bookmarking or forwarding racist sites or any sort of pornographic or otherwise exploitative sites.

I have attached the official web browsing policy for everyone’s further study.

What is the message?
What is the action?
What are the details?
What about the enclosure?

How do you think the author feels about what he has written? How would you feel if you were the recipient of the memo? Do you think you would be likely to cooperate?

Writing While Cool
Writing While Cool is intended to help you keep in mind that if what you are writing arouses your feelings, it probably arouses the feelings of the reader, and possibly feelings opposite or different from your own. In other words, if you are feeling angry, negative or critical about what you have to say, it is important to be able to keep those sorts of tones in check.

Something as simple as a day, an hour [a very good habit, 林彪 has such habit, commented by Ren WoWei] or just until you’ve taken a break from the issue can give you the time you need to cool down. The result will be a more authoritative tone that invites more cooperative reactions from your readers.

Consider this about tone
The message, actions and details from Memo 1 carry over to Memo 2, but are expressed in an authoritative (“this is what is done”) tone rather than an authoritarian (“you will do what I tell you to do, or else”) message.