Writing in Bullets

by Long, Kim

• ISBN13: 9780762415977
• ISBN10: 0762415975
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-10-01
• Publisher: Running Pr Book Pub

Summary

This is a style guide in the spirit of Strunk & White's classicElements of Style, with a contemporary twist: it explains the appropriate use of key words and bulleted phrases in memos, e-mails, formal documents, business meetings, and presentations, with the aim of elevating this writing style into a sophisticated communication medium. Long's rules of usage are based on solid research, as he draws on the results of human performance psychology studies on the way we perceive graphics, bullets, and other elements in web sites and printed matter. Designed primarily for business writing,Writing in Bulletsis also a great resource for anyone who uses this increasingly popular technique to take notes or communicate with others.

Author Biography

Kim Long is the author of The American Forecaster Almanac, an annual that has been going strong for 19 years. It covers consumer and business trends in the United States. He has been interviewed by CBS This Morning, NBC Sunday Today, PM Magazine, CNN, Good Morning America, Geraldo Rivera, ABC Radio, CBS Radio, CNN Radio News, Copley News Service, Mutual Broadcasting, RKO Network, National Public Radio, Voice of America, The National Enquirer, Harpers, Insight Magazine, Atlantic Monthly, Elle Magazine, Family Circle, The Robb Report, Playboy, USA Today, Sporting News, Research Alert, Parade Magazine, and others, including hundreds of smaller newspapers and radio stations.Long has also been a nationally syndicated columnist with News America Syndicate and a feature writer for magazines such as Longevity, American Demographics Magazine, and The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	7	(1)
Introduction	8	(2)
What Is a Bullet?	10	(2)
Why Use Bullets?	12	(1)
The Hybrid Writer	13	(1)
Bullet Basics	14	(5)
Bullet Selection	14	(2)
Bullet Size	16	(1)
Bullet Alignment	17	(1)
Bullet Spacing	17	(1)
Bullet Centering	18	(1)
Bulleted List Layout	19	(9)
The Left Margin	19	(1)
The Right Margin	20	(1)
Line Spacing	21	(2)
Capitalization	23	(1)
Bold & Italic	24	(1)
Punctuation	25
Hyphenation	21	(7)
Overkill	28	(2)
A Menu of Lists	30	(17)
Data Lists	31	(3)
Word or Phrase Lists	34	(1)
Sentence Lists	35	(2)
Paragraph Lists	37	(3)
List Pairs	40	(3)
Numbered Lists	43	(2)
Logic Lists	45	(2)
List Strategy	47	(5)
Target Audience	52	(2)
Creating a List	54	(4)
List-Writing Style	58	(13)
Concise Lists and Entries	71	(2)
List-Shortening Tactics	73	(2)
Crediting Sources	75	(2)
Bullet Proofing	77	(3)
The Rule of Consistency	80	(1)
Using Jargon	81	(2)
Other Bullets	83	(10)
Web Bullets	85	(3)
Slide Bullets	88	(4)
Multiple Choice	92	(1)
Resources	93	(1)
Bibliography	94	(2)
Index	96