So you think you are a good writer?

Let’s test that theory.

Word and Outlook 2007 have a feature that helps improve the readability of your document.  This tool goes beyond spell checking. A metric that indicates how easily someone can read what you write.

Try this exercise.

1. Open Outlook 2007.
2. Search help for "Test your document’s readability".
3. Open the subject and follow the instructions to enable your readability statistics.
4. Before you send your next email, run Outlook’s spell checker.
5. In the ‘Readability Statistics” window, read the values under the section titled ‘Readability’.

If the “Flesch Reading Ease” score is greater than 60, then the recipients are likely to understand it with little difficulty. If your score is less than 60, you might consider revising your email.

It is not as easy as it sounds. This blog post scored 54.9.

Click here for more information on the “Flesch Reading Ease” score.