9:13PM EDT October 21. 2012 - Part one of two.

Q: Steve -- I attended a webinar you gave, and you suggested that these days, most small businesses also have to be content creators if they want to get noticed online. My issue is that I didn't finish college, and I don't think writing is my strong suit. What does someone like me do? -- Jeff

A: More than ever, these days, most small business people do a lot of writing -- letters, blogs, tweets, e-mail -- you name it. The good news in that regard is that you don't really have to be a great writer to be an effective one; with the workplace being more relaxed, everything is less formal -- including writing.

But "less formal" doesn't mean sloppy. It also doesn't mean boring or jargony or dense. Far too often, business people think they need to use big words to convey the fact that they're serious or important or whatever. Wrong.

Example: Back i when I was working at a big law firm, we were required to take a legal writing class. Maybe it seems strange that a group of overly educated, high-priced lawyers needed a class on how to write, but it is actually not all that surprising. Here, for instance, is a sample of bad writing from the Legalese Hall of Fame:

"I am herewith returning the stipulation to dismiss in the above entitled matter; the same being duly executed by me."

Writing that badly takes some real effort. But the funny thing is, not a few lawyers write that way; hence, the class. Fortunately for me, that boring, dry way of writing never fit me well, so the class was easy.

But the broader lesson is an important one. Bad business writing is not the sole domain of my legal brothers and sisters; plenty of business people are bad business writers. Whether it's a letter, an e-mail or a business Facebook update, there are all sorts of ways to either impress or trip. In this e-age, when so much of our writing can be and is shared with more than one person, writing well is more important than ever.

What I would like to do in this column and the next is share what I believe to be some essential rules for writing for business today. This is something I think about more than most people, given what I do, but even though good business writing is something I take seriously, that doesn't mean it should be too serious.

And that is Lesson One.

Rule No. 1: Don't be boring: No, I'm not suggesting that you be lighthearted when writing about an important matter -- in fact, you probably shouldn't be -- but I am suggesting that your writing should not be like a good Martini -- extra dry. Instead, by using a little creativity, your writing will be more memorable, and you will likely get better results.

This is especially true when you're creating content for public consumption. Being dry when writing a letter to a client may be understandable, but it is practically unforgivable when what you're writing will be digested by the public. There is so much content available online these days that boring writing will be nothing more than a waste of time -- theirs, and by extension, yours.

If you are going to take the time to write something, make it snappy.

(Next week: Rules 2 through 5.)

Today's tip: Speaking of good writing, a great book recently came across my desk: It's Your Business: 183 Essential Tips that Will Transform Your Small Business by J.J .Ramberg. J.J. is host of MSNBC's Your Business, and the book is a distillation some of the best tips her guests have shared through the years (I even got to write one). I found the tips to be interesting, specific and actionable. Steve says check it out.

Ask an Expert appears Mondays. E-mail Steven D. Strauss at: sstrauss@mrallbiz.com.An index of his columns is here. Strauss is a lawyer, writer and speaker specializing in small business and entrepreneurship. The latest of his 17 books is The Small Business Bible, now in its third edition, and he does a weekly podcast, Small Business Success Powered by Greatland. Website: TheSelfEmployed.com; also on Facebook. Follow him: Twitter@stevestrauss.