Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing, The

Description

“From everyday letters, e-mails, and reports to Web site content, proposals, and new media, you’ll discover what it takes to make every written word count.” — Jerry Allocca, President, CORE Interactive

 

Business writing that packs a punch: Make the most of your message to get what you want!

• The truth about supercharging your business writing
• The truth about writing directly, clearly, and convincingly
• The truth about writing in today’s varied business formats

 

Simply the best thinking

THE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

 

This book reveals 52 proven, bite-size, easy-to-use business writing techniques that work.

 

Natalie Canavor launched four national magazines for business and professional audiences and directed communications for New York’s largest educational agency.

 

Claire Meirowitz, an award-winning author, has served as project manager and copy editor for leading business publications. Natalie and Claire own and run C&M Business Writing Services.

The truth about business writing that packs a punch: how to say it fast, say it right, and get what you want!

 

Easy, painless techniques for supercharging your business writing: no experience needed!

Make it simple, direct, clear, conversational, and convincing!

Specific, expert advice for writing more effective presentations, proposals, resumes, brochures, press releases, web copy, emails, blog entries, and much more.

Natalie Canavor has worked as a journalist, magazine editor, corporate communicator, and copywriter. She is currently a communications consultant and business writer whose publications, articles, Web sites, and video scripts earn international awards. Her features have appeared in a wide range of print and online media, including The New York Times. Earlier she created four national magazine start-ups and served as executive director of communications for New York State’s largest educational agency. She also authored a successful book on marketing for photographers and leads workshops on writing for results.

Claire Meirowitz, principal of Professional Editing Services, manages projects and edits print, e-letters, and Web materials for a nationwide client base in information technology and banking, among others. She is also a writer and publication editor who cofounded and edited several journals in the labor relations field and award-winning newsletters for the education industry. She formerly directed publication and community relations for SUNY College at Old Westbury, where she oversaw production of more than 400 publications annually.

Together, Natalie and Claire own C&M Business Writing Services, providing writing, editing, and project management to organizations. They also present business writing workshops and write a column on writing and editing for the International Association of Business Communicators’ online magazine, distributed internationally.

Want a powerful competitive advantage? Become a better business writer. Better writers get better jobs and more promotions. Winning is about persuading people, and that means writing: emails, Web sites, presentations, proposals, resumes, grant proposals, you name it. Businesses know this: that’s why they spend $3 billion a year helping their employees become more effective writers. If you hated writing in school, or if you just weren’t that good at it, we have great news. Business writing has changed. Forget jargon, pomposity, grammar drills: just figure out what you want to say and say it simply, quickly, conversationally. The Truth About Business Writing That Works shows you exactly how to do that. Step by step, you’ll learn how to plan and organize your content; make your point faster; tell your readers what’s in it for them; construct winning documents of every kind, print and electronic, even blog entries and text messages! The Truth About Writing That Works brings together its field’s best knowledge, and shows exactly how to put it to work. With an “aha” on every page, it presents information in a clear, accessible style that’s easy to understand and use. Written in short chapters, it covers the entire field, cuts to the heart of every topic, pulls back the curtain on expert secrets, and pops the bubble of commonly-held assumptions. Simply put, this book delivers easy, painless writing techniques that work.

Introduction xi

Part I The truth about what makes writing work

TRUTH 1 Most people aim for the wrong target 1

TRUTH 2 If you can say it, you can write it 5

TRUTH 3 Forget yesterday–write for today 9

TRUTH 4 Planning is the magic ingredient 13

TRUTH 5 To achieve your goal, look below its surface 17

TRUTH 6 Cut to the chase: Put the bottom line on top 21

TRUTH 7 “Me”-focused messages fail 25

TRUTH 8 People are not the same: Write for differences 29

TRUTH 9 Tone makes–or breaks–your message 33

TRUTH 10 Knowing your inside story is the key 37

TRUTH 11 Forget outlines–organize your thinking 41

TRUTH 12 How to organize is a personal choice 45

TRUTH 13 Every message you send has a psychological impact 49

TRUTH 14 Effective messages lead with strength 53

TRUTH 15 To succeed, cover your ground and remember “the ask” 57

TRUTH 16 Your goal and audience determine the best way to communicate 61

Part II The truth about self-editing

TRUTH 17 The best writers don’t write; they rewrite 65

TRUTH 18 Rhythm and transitions make writing move 69

TRUTH 19 Less can be a whole lot more 73

TRUTH 20 Passive thinking and jargon undermine clarity 77

TRUTH 21 You don’t need grammar drills to spot your writing problems 81

Part III The truth about successful e-mail

TRUTH 22 Use e-mail to communicate in the fast lane–powerfully 85

TRUTH 23 Good subject lines say, “Open sesame” 89

TRUTH 24 Know your e-mail do’s and don’ts 93

TRUTH 25 Writing good progress reports is worth your time 97

Part IV The truth about letters

TRUTH 26 Letters: They live! And you need them 101

TRUTH 27 Letters build relationships 105

TRUTH 28 Cover letters matter, big time 109

Part V The truth about reports and proposals

TRUTH 29 Good reports generate action 113

TRUTH 30 Organizing complex projects isn’t that hard 117

TRUTH 31 Well-crafted proposals win 121

TRUTH 32 The letter format lets you shortcut proposals 125

TRUTH 33 Root grant applications in “mission”–yours and the funder’s 129

Part VI The truth about Web sites

TRUTH 34 Writing is the missing factor in your competitors’ Web sites 133

TRUTH 35 Web sites built on keywords and content build traffi c 137

TRUTH 36 A home page must crystallize who you are 141

Part VII The truth about new media

TRUTH 37 Blogging and social media are powerful business tools 145

TRUTH 38 To blog for yourself, be yourself, but carefully 149

TRUTH 39 Good business blogging is edgy 153

TRUTH 40 Tweeting and texting: the ultimate self-edit challenge 157

TRUTH 41 E-letters focus marketing and reinforce branding 161

TRUTH 42 Good PowerPoint is more than pretty faces: It starts with writing 165

Part VIII The truth about writing to self-market

TRUTH 43 Strong resumes focus on accomplishments, not responsibilities 169

TRUTH 44 Fliers are easy all-purpose promotional tools 173

TRUTH 45 It pays to think PR and send news releases 177

TRUTH 46 Writing articles boosts your career 181

TRUTH 47 The virtual world offers self-publishing power 185

Part IX The truth about tricks of the trade

TRUTH 48 Good headlines help your writing work–a lot 189

TRUTH 49 Skillful interviewing is a major (but unrecognized) business asset 193

TRUTH 50 Readers are global: Try not to confuse them 197

TRUTH 51 Clarity is next to godliness 201

TRUTH 52 You can fix your own grammar goofs 205

Online-only content

References

Creating a style sheet

Resources

Give yourself a powerful competitive advantage by becoming a better business writer. Better writers get better jobs and more promotions; they persuade people through emails, Web sites, presentations, proposals, resumes, grant proposals, you name it. Businesses know this: that’s why they spend $3 billion a year helping their employees become more effective writers. The Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing shows you how to master the art of effective business communication replacing the old standards of jargon, pomposity, and grammar drills with a simple, quick and conversational writing style. Authors Natalie Canavor and Claire Meirowitz demonstrate how to plan and organize your content; make your point faster; tell your readers what’s in it for them; construct winning documents of every kind, print and electronic, even blog entries and text messages! The Truth about the New Rules of Business Writing brings together the field’s best knowledge, and shows exactly how to put it to work. With an “aha” on every page, it presents information in a clear, accessible style that’s easy to understand and use. Written in short chapters, it covers the entire field, cuts to the heart of every topic, pulls back the curtain on expert secrets, and pops the bubble of commonly-held assumptions. Simply put, this book delivers easy, painless writing techniques that work.

The truth about business writing that packs a punch: how to say it fast, say it right, and get what you want!

 

Easy, painless techniques for supercharging your business writing: no experience needed!

Make it simple, direct, clear, conversational, and convincing!

Specific, expert advice for writing more effective presentations, proposals, resumes, brochures, press releases, web copy, emails, blog entries, and much more.

Additional information

Dimensions	0.70 × 5.20 × 8.40 in
Series	Truth About
Imprint	FT Press
Format	gen
ISBN-13	09780137153152
ISBN-10	0137153155
Author	Claire Meirowitz, Natalie Canavor
BISAC	BUS059000, TEC044000
Subjects	BUS059000, higher education, TEC044000, Employability, IT Professional, ITP General, 3-32 FT PRESS