Table Of Content

Cover Page Page: 1 Title Page Page: 2 Copyright Page Page: 3 Dedicaiotn Page: 4 Acknowledgements Page: 5 Contents Page: 6 Introduction Page: 7 Chapter 1: Writing to the Point Page: 8 Chapter 2: Getting Started: Stop Staring and Start Writing Page: 11 Chapter 3: It’s Not About You: Writing for Your Reader Page: 13 Chapter 4: The Right Package: Organizing and Evaluating Information Page: 17 Chapter 5: Don’t Obfuscate: Writing With Clarity and Precision Page: 22 Chapter 6: Leave Out the Commercials: Let the Sentences Sell the Message Page: 26 Chapter 7: Who Do You Think You Are? Tone and Style Page: 32 Chapter 8: Last Restroom for 300 Miles: Editing for Content and Structure Page: 34 Chapter 9: Don’t Trust the Spell-Checker: Proofreading Made Easier Page: 38 Chapter 10: E-mail: To Send or Not to Send? Page: 39 Chapter 11: Memo, Letter, and Report Guidelines Page: 43 Chapter 12: Instructions, Presentations, Proposals, and Resumes Page: 50 Appendix A: Business Letter Models Page: 56 Appendix B: Guidelines to Punctuation Page: 62 Appendix C: Grammar and Usage Review Page: 63 Appendix D: Often-Confused Words Page: 64 Appendix E: The Correct Use of Prepositions That Follow Certain Words Page: 65 Appendix F: Capitalization Page: 66 Appendix G: Plural Nouns Page: 67 Appendix H: Compound Nouns/Words Page: 68 Writing Aerobics: Review Exercises to Test Yourself Page: 69 Index Page: 70 About the Author Page: 71

Description:

Practical, proven techniques to make writing for business more effective and less stressful.Thanks to e-mail, voice mail, cell phones, pagers, and, of course, the ever-expanding Web, we live in an age of information overload. Although all of these wonders were designed to make life and communication easier and faster, speed and efficiency have come with a price. Clear business writing has never been more difficult or stressful. Writers are expected to respond quickly to an endless flow of e-mail messages. Readers complain about an increasing lack of clarity along with an abundance of mechanical errors. Supervisors and managers are bewildered by employees' inability to simply say what they mean and the lack of appropriate tone and sense of decorum in the written communications they produce. This book presents proven techniques developed in Dr. Iacone's seminars that will enable greater ease, proficiency, and clarity in writing. The conversational, instructional format walks you through the actual stages of the writing process—from planning and writing the first draft, to editing and proofreading. This invaluable handbook also includes helpful guidelines to correct punctuation, lists of often-confused words, and step-by-step procedures for generating effective e-mail, memos, letters, and reports.