Business Writing For Dummies, 3rd Edition

Chapter 3

Making Your Writing Work: The Basics

IN THIS CHAPTER

Writing for readability and impact

Aiming for a conversational style

Choosing reader-friendly words and action verbs

Supporting your message with good graphics

If your writing style took shape in school, you may have been led 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 or everyday writing needs.

Real-world writing is more natural, reader-friendly and easier than academic writing — especially after you learn the essential strategies covered in this chapter. They will help you write better proposals, blogs and presentations — and also personal messages to raise money for a cause, ask for a favor, request a refund for a disappointing product, qualify for a loan and just about everything else.

Stepping into Twenty-First-Century Writing Style

In work as in life, success for most of us means achieving our goals. This ...