The Business Style Handbook: An A-to-Z Guide for Writing on the Job with Tips from Communications Experts at the Fortune 500

by Cunningham, Helen; Greene, Brenda

• ISBN13: 9780071382304
• ISBN10: 0071382305
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-02-12
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill

Summary

In the everyday work world, most professionals are on their own when it comes to writing reports, memos, proposals, and other necessary correspondence.The Business Style Handbookis a practical and comprehensive guide that focuses specifically on the writing issues that frequently arise on the job. Insights and feedback from Fortune 500 communications executives provide tips and advice on improving writing style and effectiveness, while more than 1,200 alphabetized entries cover the essentials of style and usage, grammatical concepts, and more.

Author Biography

Helen Cunningham is director of corporate communications at Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation.

Brenda Greene is a freelance writer and editor.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	ix
Introduction	xiii
Use a Road Map to Get There	xiv
Insight from the Fortune 500	xv
Say It ``Simply, Pointedly and Quickly''	xvi
Go with the Flow	xvi
Fortune 500 Survey Results	1	(12)
Good Writing Matters	2	(1)
Most Have Guidelines but Not for Everybody	2	(1)
Rating the Rest of the Company's Writing	3	(1)
Few Guidelines for E-Mail, Though Most Favor Them	4	(1)
Everybody Uses a Stylebook	5	(1)
Limitations of the Stylebooks	5	(1)
Coping with Lag Time	6	(2)
Strong Views on Buzzwords	8	(1)
Mixed Reviews for Impact of Technology	8	(1)
Write a Company's Name the Way the Company Does	9	(1)
Preferred Dictionaries and Word Processing Programs	9	(1)
Without Style Guidance	10	(1)
How It All Adds Up	10	(3)
Why Style Matters	13	(6)
How Style Can Work Against You	14	(1)
How Style Can Work for You	15	(1)
Take Charge	16	(1)
Put All the Pieces Together	17	(2)
The Case for Standards	19	(6)
Time for Companies to Invest in the Users	20	(1)
People Welcome Guidance	21	(1)
Create a Standard	21	(1)
Win Employee Buy-In	22	(3)
Write with Purpose	25	(16)
Have a Goal	25	(1)
Know Your Audience	26	(1)
Write and Think at the Same Time	27	(1)
Use the Right Language	27	(1)
Keep It Short---Most of the Time	28	(1)
Make Longer Documents User-Friendly	28	(3)
Get Right to the Point	31	(1)
Take the Credit	32	(1)
Shift the Emphasis	32	(1)
Take a Stand	33	(1)
Think About Point of View	34	(1)
Keep a Tight Time Frame	35	(1)
Review Everything	35	(1)
Make It Look Good	36	(3)
Choose the Best Medium	39	(1)
Budget Your Time	39	(2)
E-Mail: Before You Hit Send	41	(14)
Choose the Right Style	41	(1)
Be Cautious with Content	42	(1)
When to Use E-Mail	43	(2)
When Not to Use E-Mail	45	(1)
Make It Easy on Your Reader	46	(2)
Be Formal in Formal E-Mail	48	(1)
Be Appropriate with Greetings	49	(1)
Sign Off	49	(1)
Be Smart About E-Mail	50	(2)
Use cc and bcc Appropriately	52	(1)
Watch Out for Viruses	53	(2)
A-To-Z Entries	55	(208)
Sources We Like	263	(4)
Bibliography	267	(4)
Index	271	(14)
About the Authors	285