Natalie Canavor - The Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing

Praise for The Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing

The Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing is filled with insights into improving all your written business communications. From everyday letters, e-mails, and reports to Web site content, proposals, and new media, youll discover what it takes to make every written word count. A valuable resource, written in a concise and easy-to-read format, that youll turn to again and again.

Jerry Allocca, President, CORE Interactive

An Elements of Style for our timeaccessible, step-wise advice for communicating ideas to modern readers, whether of e-mails, promotional materials, or the printed page.

Susan Gilbert, President, Interactive Elements Inc.

The essential skill of todays businessperson is the ability to communicate clearly and persuasively. We are now often judged solely on the basis of our written communications. The Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing will make you a much better communicator. Its packed with examples, checklists, and easy-to-follow guides. This book has plenty of smart ideas youll immediately apply to e-mails, letters, reports, Web, and social media. If you want to instantly improve the quality of your writing, this is the book to read.

Victor Urbach, President, The Optran Group; Publisher, The Urbach Letter

Times have changed. Business has changed. The Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing really does speak the truth for todays marketplace. It covers all the ground, including things like e-mail and social media. It should be required reading for people starting careers, looking to move up the ladder, or even when they start a business. It will be required reading for my sales team!

Jim Josephson, Vice President, U.S. Sales, Energy Advantage Inc.

Filled with clear, practical principles and examples, The Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing is an essential guidebook for businesspeople who want their writing to get results. This useful reference book takes the fear out of putting fingers to the keyboard. Keep it on your desk because youll refer to it often.

Julie Freeman, ABC, President, International Association of Business Communicators

All my clients are getting a copy of The Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing. Its packed with practical tips that even the most experienced writer can use. Its an easy read, but dont let that fool you. My new mantra is, Is it say-able?

Karen Susman, The Networking Toolbox, Speaker, Trainer, and Author

Business is about communication, and Natalie and Claire have given us a crucial and invaluable tool. Whether youre writing a simple e-mail or a multimillion dollar proposal, The Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing is a must read!

Jeff Goldberg, Professional Speaker, Trainer, Coach, and Author

The authors of The Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing understand that your true business abilities are transmitted to your colleagues and clients through your e-mails, memos, documents, and reports. If your writing is drab and old-fashioned, confusing or conflicted, youre in need of a writing makeover. This sharp, concise, and useful book gives you a step-by-step guide to making your writing shine with the clarity and impact thats demanded in todays competitive business environment.

Deborah K. Herman, Founder and Publisher, Building Long Island

Good writing starts with good thinking. This book shows you how to do bothand in a way thats effective for our electronic present.

Peter Krass, President, Petros Consulting LLC

The Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing is a masterfully crafted guide of best practices for effective and practical business writing in the 21st century. A dynamic writing duo, Canavor and Meirowitz provide an eloquent communication tool for print and digital media in todays evolving, fast-paced global society.

Jessica McAleer Decatur, Director of Public Relations, St. Josephs College, Long Island Campus

Natalie Canavor and Claire Meirowitz

2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Publishing as FT Press
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

FT Press offers excellent discounts on this book when ordered in quantity for bulk purchases or special sales. For more information, please contact U.S. Corporate and Government Sales, 1-800-382-3419, .

Company and product names mentioned herein are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

First Printing December 2009

ISBN-10 0-13-715315-5
ISBN-13 978-0-13-715315-2

Pearson Education LTD.
Pearson Education Australia PTY, Limited.
Pearson Education Singapore, Pte. Ltd.
Pearson Education North Asia, Ltd.
Pearson Education Canada, Ltd.
Pearson Educacin de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Canavor, Natalie

The truth about the new rules of business writing / Natalie Canavor, Claire Meirowitz.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-0-13-715315-2 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Business writing. 2. Business
communication. I. Meirowitz, Claire. II. Title.

HF5718.3.C366 2009

651.74--dc22

2009007022

Vice President, Publisher
Tim Moore

Associate Publisher and Director of Marketing
Amy Neidlinger

Acquisitions Editor
Jennifer Simon

Editorial Assistant
Pamela Boland

Operations Manager
Gina Kanouse

Senior Marketing Manager
Julie Phifer

Publicity Manager
Laura Czaja

Assistant Marketing Manager
Megan Colvin

Cover Designer
Sandra Schroeder

Managing Editor
Kristy Hart

Project Editor
Betsy Harris

Copy Editor
Keith Cline

Proofreader
Water Crest Publishing

Senior Compositor
Gloria Schurick

Manufacturing Buyer
Dan Uhrig

Natalie Canavor

To my always supportive husband, Greg,
and to my daughter Victoria, always an inspiration.

Claire Meirowitz

Dedicated to my loving husband, Joe, and my wonderful
daughters, Diane, Laura, and Linda.

Online-only content

References

Creating a style sheet

Resources

Note about the online-only content

You can access more materialsincluding References, Creating a style sheet, and Resourcesby registering your book at www.ftpress.com/title/9780137153152.

Do you wonder why your messages dont work the way you want, and whether theres a better way to write them? There is. And were going to show you exactly how to do it.

This books goal is to make you a good business writer.

What do we mean by business writer? Not someone who earns a living as a writer, but anyone who writes for business purposes. You might turn out e-mails, letters, and reports as part of your everyday work in the corporate, nonprofit, or government worlds. You might be an entrepreneur or a professionalperhaps a lawyer, accountant, educator, scientist, artistwho writes proposals or articles as well as e-mails and marketing materials and blogs.