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    Writing for Business
    Writing for Business
    Writing for Business
    Ebook80 pages54 minutes

    Writing for Business

    By Jane Hicks

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    This book is for anyone who has ever been baffled by English usage or who needs a grammar reality-check. A good review for anyone, the book is especially recommended for college business majors. The author knows how writing can boost or wreck careers. She should know; she is a former business executive, entrepreneur, and most recently, business professor. Now she wants to give you the tips she wishes someone had given her.
    In an online world, you are what you write. Your goal should be to present yourself as a polished professional and a person of goodwill. Whether you build your own business, work for the Fortune 500, or work for the public good, writing will be crucial to your success. This book will help.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTrafford Publishing
    Release dateJun 20, 2013
    ISBN9781466997202
    Writing for Business
    Author

    Jane Hicks

    Raised to speak Okie, Jane Hicks struggled for decades to master English. She has a CPA, MBA, and PhD; but she learned grammar and writing the hard way—by studying the rules. Because grammar rules suck, she offers here a better way, with easy tips to help boost your language skill.

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      Book preview

      Writing for Business - Jane Hicks

      Order this book online at www.trafford.com

      or email orders@trafford.com

      Most Trafford titles are also available at major online book retailers.

      © Copyright 2013 Jane Hicks.

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

      ISBN: 978-1-4669-9721-9 (sc)

      ISBN: 978-1-4669-9720-2 (e)

      Trafford rev. 06/17/2013

      7-Copyright-Trafford_Logo.ai www.trafford.com

      North America & international

      toll-free: 1 888 232 4444 (USA & Canada)

      phone: 250 383 6864 ♦ fax: 812 355 4082

      Contents

      Six Writing Essentials

      Essential 1: Be Correct

      Accept vs. Except

      Affect vs. Effect

      At

      Could of vs. Could have

      Good vs. Well

      Fewer vs. Less

      His or Her

      I vs. Me

      i.e. vs. e.g.

      Imply vs. Infer

      It vs. Their

      Its vs. It’s

      Lay vs. Lie

      Loose vs. Lose

      Quiet vs. Quite

      Site vs. Sight

      That vs. Which

      Their vs. There vs. They’re

      Use vs. Utilize

      Unique

      Who vs. Whom

      Who’s vs. Whose

      Proof your work

      Essential 2: Be Clear

      Think clearly

      Use plain language

      Explain jargon

      Impose an easy-to-follow structure

      Use parallel form

      Essential 3: Be Concise

      Omit needless words— William Strunk Jr. in Elements of Style

      Business writing is like news reporting

      Infuse vigor

      Prefer active voice

      Essential 4: Be Conversational

      Pompous, pretentious… phooey

      Essential 5: Be Considerate

      Know your purpose

      Express goodwill

      Essential 6: Provide Rich Content

      Pack in the information

      Use high-information words

      Use graphics and pictures

      Include an executive summary

      Use reliable sources

      Find relevant sources

      Cite your sources

      Appendix 1: Citation Guide

      Appendix 2: Resume Tips

      Appendix 3: PowerPoint Tips

      Appendix 4: Business Case Guidelines

      Appendix 5: Memo Writing Tips

      About the author

      Jane Hicks recently retired as Professor of Management at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, Oklahoma. A Durant native, she has a BA in psychology from Southeastern, a BBA from Florida International University, CPA certification, and an MBA from the University of Utah.

      Missing from all this education was practical advice about how to write—a critical skill as it turned out for earning promotions first at Ernst and Young, then AT&T and U S West. She struggled for years to teach herself the basics. Eventually, by writing proposals good enough to nab venture capital, she left her position as a corporate director to start up Pacesetter Labs, a tech company in Palo Alto, California.

      When Pacesetter’s success prompted its buyout, Jane happily went back to school to earn a PhD in Information Sciences from the University of North Texas. She came home to teach for Southeastern in 1998, only to find that her students lack the very skill she struggled with so painfully on her own—you guessed it—writing for business.

      From the author

      In an online world, you are what you write. Your goal should be to present yourself as a polished professional and a person of goodwill. Whether you build your own business, work for the Fortune 500, or work for the public good, writing will be crucial to your success. This book will help.

      Six Writing Essentials

      Good writing is correct, clear, concise, conversational, considerate, and chock full of content

      Correct. Spell wurds kurectly.

      Check spelling on every message, every time

      • Email is no longer an informal medium. Set options to run spell check automatically when you send.

      • Before posting to a web site, compose your message in a word

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