Writing: your way to fame and fortune.

Writers are a special breed. Good writers are in short supply and great demand. Today, as throughout history, they are the main translators of knowledge.

Talented writers are asked to take technical statements from many specialty fields and make them understandable. They are expected to turn dull copy into interesting and colorful articles. In corporate communication, they are asked to probe and explore to find the good to balance the bad so often highlighted on TV and radio, and in newspapers.

In achieving these difficult tasks, talented writers require special handling and the opportunity to be innovative, to try new methods and ideas in their modes of expression. If they play their cards right and take advantage of opportunities, they can earn high pay and have lots of fun doing big and exciting things.

The problem is that many writers are too modest, mild-mannered or unwilling to work hard enough on their skills every day to get on the fast track. Some view their jobs too narrowly and end up with 30-year careers as news writers, technical writers or publication editors.

Certainly, these are important and respected jobs in the communication profession. But for those who have that special "writer's magic" and higher ambitions, there are mountains of bigger opportunities.

Based on a half-century of writing experience, here are some suggestions for younger professionals on how they can become better writers, communicators and managers:

Accelerate your vocabulary development.

In the normal process of writing, you'll see a steady increase in your vocabulary. But force fertilize this growth process by a commitment to learn one or two additional words every day. Become best friends with the dictionary, thesaurus and nearby libraries. Nothing is more important to a writer's development than an expanding vocabulary; it is the toolhouse of creative communication.

The English language contains more than 300,000 words, according to the Oxford University Press. While college graduates probably have "a known vocabulary" of around 30,000 words, the number used on a regular basis is "probably quite a small percentage of this," the OUP states.

If you learn one new word every day, your vocabulary would increase by an additional 9,000 words over the next 25 years -- and that'll give you a huge competitive advantage. As you select these new words, find ways to use them right away so they become a part of your own everyday dictionary.

Develop strong reading habits.

Make reading at least one daily newspaper and one weekly news magazine a must. This, of course, is a primary source for discovering new words. In addition, it will keep you up to date on what's happening in the world and also to become familiar with various types of good writing -- which is the core for all communication media. Relying on TV newscasts is a lazy habit that unfortunately deprives viewers of the right to select which stories and how much detail they want to learn on which subjects. It also does nothing to help develop your vocabulary or writing techniques -- unless you're angling for a TV newscaster's job. And more and more, local TV shows are heavy on sleaze and violence and light on useful information.

Develop a habit of reading books, too, even though you have "a hundred other things to do." This will provide an additional source of new knowledge and different writing techniques. Don't neglect the classics, either; they have a beauty all their own.

Research thoroughly before writing or interviewing.

It's easy to assume -- particularly if you're young and feel indestructible -- that you know everything there is to know about a subject. But the older you get, the more you realize that very little is new. Most of it's been discovered or said before in one way or another.

It's important to dig under the surface to find the pearls that turn dull into interesting, revealing writing. Research also may help you avoid the embarrassment of making statements not supported by facts, published research or authoritative opinions.

With technical subjects, make sure you understand what's being said or done. Before any kind of interview, make sure you've researched the subject so you can ask intelligent questions. In the interview, be relentless and don't be ashamed to say, "Why?" "Sorry, but I don't understand." "Show me how it works." I've never found an "expert" who didn't respond enthusiastically about his or her special field.

The newest "libraries" are the electronic data services that are revolutionizing the information storage and retrieval process in many fields. Become familiar with what's available and how it can improve your performance.

Be a tough critic of your own copy and seek criticism from others.

Regardless of how good a writer you are, consider your first draft as only the beginning step toward a first-class piece of writing. Edit, trim unnecessary words, rearrange thoughts and sections, add new materials or facts where necessary to strengthen points. Give your text to others whose opinions you respect for their candid comments. Seek out a good editor, a tough critic who may not be your boss, and go to him or her for suggestions. You're not obligated to accept all their comments; just listen and objectively try to accept any good ideas.

If you have a boss who just rewrites your copy without explanation, don't take it lying down. Insist that he or she explain the reasons as part of your learning process and to give you the opportunity to discuss your viewpoint on key points.

Learn how to turn technicalese into understandable writing.

One of the toughest challenges of writers is how to convert technical presentations prepared by lawyers, engineers and financial experts into language that average media representatives can understand and, therefore, have a better chance of reporting accurately.

One of the best examples I know of related to the U.S. Federal Auto Safety Standards promulgated in late 1965. Industry lawyers and engineers proclaimed mightily that only they could respond with authority and credibility to these harsh new federal regulations.

In the case of General Motors, unfortunately the proposed responses -- while perhaps clear to other engineers and lawyers -- read like a foreign textbook to everybody else, including media representatives. As a result, GM public relations people took over the responsibility for preparing the official responses and the engineering and legal materials were attached as technical boilerplates.

The late GM Chairman Alfred P. Sloan, father of the company's much-emulated management system created in the 1920s, had a rule that any memos submitted to him for signature be no more than one-page in length. So, when he received any memo, regardless of length, he put his signature at the bottom of the first page and threw the rest of the memo in the wastebasket.

While obviously many articles warrant more than one page, Sloan's rule still represents a strong statement for conciseness in writing. People just don't have the time or patience for unnecessarily long, rambling dissertations.

Develop your own style.

Using other writers or publications as role models is an excellent idea for beginners; they provide a successful standard. But with more experience, talented writers should let their words be an expression of their own imaginations, a reflection of individual spirits from deep inside the mind and soul. Dare to be different if you have something special to say in a special way.

Maximum development for talented writers requires a free-wheeling, creative environment and managers who encourage and support new and different approaches. If that's impossible where you work now, spread your wings and find a new nest that provides this.

Expand talents to all types of writing applications.

Write at every opportunity you get. The more you write, the better you'll become. Getting a word processor for home use will make it easier for you to do overtime work at your convenience -- and as a result, be more productive.

While news releases and employee publications are the bread-and-butter media for writers in many organizations, skills in writing formal presentations, annual reports and executive speeches provide challenging development avenues. And there is increasing demand for writers with versatility in writing audio and visual presentations, particularly with the popularity of television and videotape productions for both internal and external communication.

So welcome the opportunity to develop skills in all communication media. When opportunity knocks, volunteer to write a speech or two for company executives. For me, speech writing was the greatest learning experience in my career -- not only in improving my basic writing skills, but also in learning a lot about the corporation from a "real insider's" vantage point.

Turn writing skills into personal communication skills.

Take every opportunity to put your writing skills into practice for your own personal development. There's no rule that says good writers can't be good communicators or that good communicators don't make good managers.

In fact, the higher-level executive positions in the public relations field -- as PR directors or counselors -- usually go to people who know how to sell themselves and their ideas. And for some top communicators, there may be opportunities for positions in broader management areas beyond writing and communication.

Be aggressive in developing your skills in all communication media -- and also be aggressive in proving that you're a valuable asset to your organization. Don't be modest about your own personal potential through the use of communication skills. Use some of the magic that good writers create for others to give yourself a chance at the stars.

Developing greater communication skills can substantially increase your potential for lifetime earnings. It can also be a source of gratification, pleasure and power that can come from artistic expression of ideas through expert communication.

Alvie Smith has 50 years of writing experience on newspapers, in college public relations and in various assignments for General Motors public relations 1955-1988, including director of corporate communication.