Business Writing

Write Efficiently for Onscreen Readers

I am ending this year with an example that people in business writing classes found most helpful when it comes to writing for onscreen readers. In Writing Tune-Up for Peak Performance, a business writing class I teach regularly, we talk about the fact that people do not read what we... Read more →

Books for the Business Writer's Bookshelf

The other day my friend Joanne wrote to ask me how to render the word "by laws." She said Google had suggested "by laws," and a legal website had offered "by-laws." "Which is correct?" she asked. Neither. That is why it is important to check respected expert sources. I let... Read more →

Surprise! Your Contact Info Isn't There

Last week I taught a business writing class in New York City with seven individuals. I mentioned that one of my pet peeves (things that annoy me) in people's email is a lack of contact information. If no phone number appears in the message, I have to email back--even if... Read more →

The Value of Giving Examples

I was on a United Airlines flight from Seattle to San Francisco this week, when a flight attendant said something I had never heard before. Usually at the end of a flight, passengers hear an announcement about checking around them for any belongings. "Any belongings" is a colorless expression--something passengers... Read more →

How New Is That Rule?

Maecey, a director of corporate communications, wrote to me with a question. She wanted to know when the comma rule for direct address had become proper usage. She was referring to the commas in these sentences, which address the reader directly: Brandy, will you attend the writing class in Seattle?... Read more →

Newsletter Content Readers Can't Resist

If you want people to read your online or printed newsletter rather than deleting or discarding it, give them irresistible content. The current issue of Better Writing at Work, our free monthly e-newsletter, covers 13 types of content your audience will read and value: News they can use Practical tips... Read more →