Business Writing For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Chapter 3

Making Your Writing Work: The Basics

IN THIS CHAPTER

Writing for readability and impact

Aiming for a reader-friendly, conversational style

Injecting energy into your language

Employing elements of good design

Your writing style probably took shape in school where literary traditions and formal essays dominate. This experience may have led you to believe that subtle thoughts require complex sentences, sophisticated vocabulary, and dense presentation. Perhaps you learned to write that way — or maybe you didn’t. Either way: Get over it. The rules of academic writing don’t apply to the business world.

Real-world business writing is more natural, reader-friendly, and easier than academic writing — especially after you learn the essential techniques covered in this chapter.

Stepping into Twenty-First-Century Writing Style

In business, you succeed when you achieve your goals. You need to judge business writing the same way — by whether it accomplishes what you want. What works is: ...