Teaching Business Writing Archives

Tone and Emotion in Writing

When you use the correct tone, your writing can become so much more than words on a page. Tone is what allows writers to build a new world with deeply complex characters. Author and sensitivity reader Dennis Norris II stated that if he remembers the… continue reading

Business Email Sign-Off: Choosing the Right One

We recently published an extensive article on how to professionally end an email. Here, we are going to take another look at the topic, concentrating on the sign-off specifically. You’ve crafted your email to be clear and well-constructed. You’ve edited it carefully. The body of the… continue reading

The Best Fonts for Business Writing (and Ones to Avoid)

Updated 14 September, 2022 Walking into DSW for the first time searching for a new pair of shoes can be overwhelming—so many options and styles to choose from! The same can happen to a writer as you start scrolling through that long list of font… continue reading

Active Voice vs. Passive Voice in Business Writing

People love to tell others what to do with their voice: “Lower your voice,” or “Save your voice.” And one suggestion that causes a lot of confusion is: “When faced with active voice vs. passive voice in your writing, use your active voice when possible.”… continue reading

The Importance of Knowing Your Audience

Business communication comes in many forms and spans international borders, cultures, and demographics. Therefore, you must know precisely who your audience will be—their background, demographic traits, their knowledge of the subject already, and their expectations of your presentation. It can be easy to turn off… continue reading

When and How to Use Jargon

The business world is inundated with jargon—and its effects can range from merely annoying to completely obscuring the meaning of something. Some people rely too heavily on jargon in their writing. And because it’s easy to use—trendy catchphrases you’ve picked up from others—you may find… continue reading

How to Write a Great Call to Action

Persuasive content writing—website pages, blogs, marketing campaigns, newsletters, and digital ad copy—all have one thing in common. They demand the perfect call to action. If you need more subscribers, sales, or a jumpstart to your leads-to-conversion rates, then it’s time to use a great call… continue reading

To Cite or Not to Cite—Business Writing Tips

Everyone wants credit for a job well done. And in business writing and communication—from emails to company-wide internal memos to detailed reports—you want to receive due credit for your writing skills. But if you choose to “borrow” ideas, quotes, or data from another author, it’s… continue reading

Writing Secrets for Replying to an Angry Client

It’s a part of doing business—you get an unexpected email from an irate client, and they choose to take out their frustration on you. Yikes! And it’s only Monday morning. It stings a bit when you’re the recipient of such a rude email. Although you… continue reading

Third-Person Voice Writing Techniques For Business

When telling a story, writing in the third person gives the writer more control, allowing them to be all-seeing and all-knowing. The same thing applies when you are writing a business proposal or report. Most corporate and business guidelines now suggest writing in the third… continue reading