Chapitre 1
The Power of Clarity: How Effective Writing Drives Business Success
In a world where the average office worker handles over 200 messages daily, clear communication isn't just a nicety-it's a competitive advantage. "Writing That Works" has become the go-to guide for professionals seeking to cut through communication clutter since its first edition, which was typed on a typewriter. Now in its third edition, the book has evolved alongside technology, from typewriters to computers to email, while maintaining its core message: effective writing gets results.
The book has earned praise from business leaders across industries, with Harley-Davidson's CEO Jeffrey Bleustein offering the succinct advice to "Write for action!" Former Pfizer CEO William Steere credits the book with providing practical tips that improved his company's communications. Even in our digital age, Warren Buffett demonstrates the enduring power of clear writing-his legendary annual reports for Berkshire Hathaway are written with his sisters in mind, not Wall Street analysts. This approach has helped him build one of the most successful investment companies in history while maintaining a reputation for transparency and trustworthiness.
Chapitre 2
Don't Mumble: The Foundation of Effective Business Writing
The surest way to prevent people from building something together is to confound their language. While God did this purposefully at the Tower of Babel, humans do it inadvertently with similar results. The foundation of effective business writing is simple: don't mumble. Once you've decided what to say, come right out and say it.
Clear thinking leads to clear writing. For anything longer than a few paragraphs, tell readers where you're going with a logical structure. Use short paragraphs, short sentences, and short words. The Wall Street Journal's readability comes from crisp, compact sentences and brief paragraphs-never more than three sentences in opening paragraphs, often just one. Shakespeare expressed the deepest emotions with the simplest words, as when King Lear laments: "And my poor fool is hang'd...Never, never, never, never!"
Choose active voice over passive whenever possible. "We recommend" is better than "It is recommended." Active verbs energize your writing and make it more personal-a human being talking rather than an institution. Be precise rather than vague. "Overspent by $10,000" tells more than "very overspent." Avoid technical jargon and business buzzwords. When jargon clusters together ("parameters," "viable program," "meaningful interface"), it becomes what E.B. White calls "the language of mutilation."
Specifics persuade skeptical readers where vague claims fail. Compare "Our adult program was a great success" with "Our enrollment doubled to 560. Students came from Wyoming and twenty-seven other states, and from Germany and Canada." The first requires faith; the second speaks for itself.
Know the precise meaning of every word you use. Eliminate typos, misspellings, and errors in numbers or dates. Express yourself confidently in simple, declarative sentences. Churchill didn't mumble that "the situation in regard to France is very serious"-he said, "The news from France is bad." Remember the Gettysburg Address contains just 266 words, and the most moving sentence in the New Testament may be the shortest: "Jesus wept."
Unnecessary words weaken your writing. Replace wordy phrases with concise alternatives: "advance plan" becomes simply "plan," "take action" becomes "act," "at this point in time" becomes "now." Eliminating these verbal barnacles makes your writing clearer and more forceful.
Chapitre 3
The Digital Revolution: Writing in the Computer Age
The computer has transformed writing into a pleasurable process-making it fast and effortless to change words, add points, delete sentences, and move paragraphs. William Zinsser calls the PC "God's gift to good writing." Yet computers remain tools, not magicians; they won't transform bad writers into good ones, and can even entrench poor habits by making it too easy to send half-baked material.
When writing on computers, focus on content before formatting. Formatting isn't writing. Obsessing over document appearance distracts from content development. Start with enough formatting to make your structure visible (like headings from your outline), but avoid time-wasting embellishments that interrupt your train of thought.
Never rely on a single copy of your work. Hard drives crash and disks fail, so save important documents on multiple media and print hard copies. Use AutoSave (set to at least every 15 minutes), run regular virus checks, date your drafts, and always number pages on documents longer than two pages for easier reference.
The word processor may look perfect, but as freelancer David Swift notes, it "can't grant absolution." Always proofread final documents on hard copy rather than screen-you'll catch more errors when viewing the document as your reader will. Use spell check cautiously; it sometimes "corrects" proper names or technical terms inappropriately. The grammar checker is even more fallible.
Resist the temptation to write "streams of unconsciousness" just because the computer makes it easy. Good writers stick to outlines and stay focused. Be conservative with fonts-serif fonts like those in Time magazine are most readable for longer text. Avoid overusing boldface, underlining, and italics, as excessive emphasis defeats its purpose. Skip right-margin justification, which often creates awkward spacing.
Writers don't need excessive computing power-any reputable modern computer has more than enough capability for word processing and email. But ultimately, it's not about having the latest technology-it's what you do with it that counts.
Chapitre 4
E-Mail: The Great Mailbox in the Sky
E-mail has transformed communication, replacing conventional mail with something faster, cheaper, and more convenient. It eliminates time zones, phone tag, and interruptions. As Bill Gates advocates, it allows workers to "act on news with reflex-like speed" and can change where and how we work. But this convenience comes with warnings: e-mail can be addictive, prioritize speed over reflection, and create communication overload.
The real challenge isn't writing e-mail but receiving it-and ensuring your own messages get read by busy people. Many executives face hundreds of unopened emails, forcing them to be selective about what they read. A Pitney Bowes survey found the average office worker handles 201 messages daily across all communication channels, creating constant pressure and eliminating true "getaway time."
Since all emails look identical in an inbox with no visual distinctions, your subject line becomes critical. Study newspaper headlines, particularly The Wall Street Journal, to learn what converts scanners to readers. Your subject line must compel attention and convey content clearly-especially for group emails where recipients need to quickly determine relevance.
Ruthless cutting is essential for effective e-mail. Long messages are painful to read on screen; anything over one screen risks being ignored. As Manny Fernandez of Gartner Group notes, "I have never seen an e-mail message too short." Try eliminating 50% of what you've written-you'll be amazed how your points become clearer. As Rodin might say about sculpting: "Chip away everything that isn't your point."
Since e-mail lacks vocal inflection, brief comments can come across as abrupt or angry. Subject headings can establish tone ("Help!" or "Thanks a bunch!"). Consider using appropriate salutations - "Hello Mr. Brown" feels more appropriate electronically than "Dear Mr. Brown." Don't end abruptly; closings like "Thanks" or "Best wishes" clarify your state of mind. Most importantly, compose yourself before composing your message. The ease of clicking "Send" eliminates the cooling-off period that traditional correspondence provided.
Remember that company e-mail systems belong to the company, not you. Administrators can access anything on your hard drive, and backup copies of supposedly deleted messages are archived. E-mail has become a primary source of evidence in litigation-the Justice Department used it extensively against Microsoft. As Fortune noted after the Lewinsky scandal, "It's best not to E-mail anything you don't want to read on the front page of The New York Times."
Chapitre 5
The Enduring Power of Memos and Letters
Despite claims that "We don't write memos to each other!" in today's world of e-mail and meetings, the written word remains invaluable in business communication. Unlike phone calls or voice mail, memos and letters can be referenced repeatedly, studied at leisure, and shared with others. Unlike presentation decks with their telegraphic points, memos and letters provide complete explanations without requiring verbal commentary.
Effective memos follow clear principles. Put a title on every memo that clearly identifies the subject-never be tricky or obscure. Address memos only to the person who must take action, sending copies only to people you want to keep informed. Make your structure obvious-any memo longer than half a page requires a clear structure that's apparent to readers. End with a call to action, specifying exactly what should happen as a result of your memo-what must be done, by whom, and by when.
Brief handwritten memos save time and feel more personal and direct. They're especially effective for praise and appreciation: "George: That's sensational news about Acme. Get some rest now-you deserve it!" Since handwriting is personal, ensure your message sounds personal too.
Formal letters on company letterhead carry an importance that emails can't match. Legal and financial matters require precision in a form easily referenced, while handwritten notes remain unmatched for thanks, congratulations, or sympathy. Get the name and address right-a misspelled name suggests carelessness and starts your communication poorly. Make your first sentence work hard-when not using titles, your first sentence must immediately identify your letter's purpose.
Stop when you're through-many letters lose impact by ending with meaningless platitudes like "Please call if you have any questions" or "I hope this answers your concern." If your final sentence merely states what the reader would assume anyway, leave it out. Be specific about next steps-action-oriented letters should clearly state what happens next. Replace vague closings ("We're hoping to hear from you soon") with specific requests ("Please let us know your decision by August 1 so that we can meet your deadline").
When writing collection letters, maintain the right tone. For gentle reminders, avoid threatening language like "failed to remit" in favor of friendly notifications. Never use accusatory words like "delinquent" or imply your reader is lying, as this only creates resistance. Instead, assume truthfulness, admit the possibility of your own error, and suggest constructive action.
Chapitre 6
Presentations and Speeches: Writing for an Audience
When preparing presentations or speeches, always consider your audience first. Each audience has unique interests, backgrounds, and expectations. The setting matters too-whether formal or relaxed, midday or evening. Unlike writing to be read, writing for an audience demands a different approach that engages listeners directly rather than talking at them.
The "deck"-horizontal pages of bulleted points-has become the standard framework for spoken elaboration. Though lacking the precision of memos, decks effectively reduce issues to their "pulsing essence" with minimal text that follows a logical flow: objective, background, facts, conclusions, recommendations, and next steps.
Start with specific written objectives and a strategy built around a simple, memorable theme. Open with a headline that states your theme clearly (like "DOUBLE YOUR SALES" or "CUT YOUR COSTS") and keep it visible throughout the presentation. Every element should connect back to this central theme to maintain audience focus.
The biggest presentation mistake is starting with your credentials instead of addressing the audience's concerns. While you talk about your achievements, they're thinking about their organization, business, and problems. The authors learned in advertising that successful new business presentations began with research into the prospect's market, offering insights into their problems before presenting solutions.
Don't just present data-extract what it means. Chart headings should interpret the numbers for your audience, telling them how to understand what they're seeing. Use directive headlines like "Low price competition is gaining" instead of vague labels like "Trends." Make dry material visually engaging with creative charts and graphics. Involve your audience actively-ask them to guess answers or predict research results before revealing them.
For speeches, the hardest part isn't figuring out how to say something-it's deciding what you want to say. Start by determining the single point you want your audience to take away. Good speeches express a strongly held personal point of view. Your title should reflect this perspective-not just "Remarks Before the Conference" but something that creates anticipation, like "The Tree That Grows to the Sky."
Skip lengthy courtesies and plunge into your message. Think of your speech as a conversation with a friend, not an oration. Ronald Reagan excelled at this, as shown in his Challenger disaster address where he spoke conversationally, even to schoolchildren: "I know it's hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen." Most good talks take less than twenty minutes. When was the last time you left a speech thinking it was good but too short?
Chapitre 7
Plans, Reports, and Proposals That Drive Action
The best reports, like Caesar's "Veni, vidi, vici," are concise and clear. Reports describe what's happened; plans state what we want to happen. Both require clear communication to drive action, as unpersuasive plans go unacted on and sloppy reports go unread.
Whether for battle or business, a plan's objective is action. It begins with a clear statement of purpose, as demonstrated by the New York Botanical Garden's capital campaign, which outlined five specific programs with detailed goals. Select facts rigorously, focusing only on what relates to the issues at hand: market changes, competitive moves, financial issues, economic conditions. Draw conclusions from these facts, identifying patterns and principles that could guide decisions.
For reports, make it clear why you're writing. Every report has a specific purpose. Engage the reader's interest immediately by stating your purpose and why it matters. Give your report a structure-whether starting with recommendations or building to them, make your direction clear. Present all relevant facts, pleasant and unpleasant, without inflating their validity. Be honest about research limitations; if you only visited ten stores, don't call it an "extensive survey."
Both facts and opinions are important, but make clear to your reader which is which. Facts are facts regardless of who reports them ("It's twenty-four degrees"), while opinions vary depending on the observer ("It's a pleasant winter day"). Never leave readers in doubt about what is fact versus opinion.
Organizations spend considerable time preparing recommendations, often with multiple options. To get the decision you seek, remember your audience hasn't lived with the subject as intensely as you have. You're competing with other recommendations for finite resources, so you must make a truly persuasive case.
Simply laying out your views isn't enough-you must marshal both logic and passion behind your facts. Anticipate your audience's reservations and address them directly. Show that you've thought about potential pitfalls and are prepared to navigate around them. Start with a title that promises a benefit and explains why this is worth the reader's time and attention.
For grant proposals, foundations and government agencies face the unhappy dilemma of saying "no" far more often than "yes." To stand out from the crowd of worthy applicants, focus on measurable program outcomes. Get to the point fast-foundation heads want to know quickly what you're requesting and why. Study your funding source's published goals and criteria, then demonstrate how your project aligns with them. Be realistic about what you can accomplish-focus on solving a specific problem rather than curing all societal ills.
Chapitre 8
The Art of Persuasion: Sales and Fundraising Letters
Despite complaints about mailbox clutter from catalogs and fundraising appeals, direct marketing persists because it works-people do respond to the right appeal. The growth of direct mail has been fueled by sophisticated computer models, improved targeting, credit cards, 800 numbers, and changing lifestyles. Now e-mail pitches offer faster, cheaper alternatives with better response rates.
The single most important principle in direct marketing is testing. Many assumptions ("Nobody reads long letters") often prove wrong when tested. Emotional appeals you're certain will work sometimes don't. Organizations that don't test miss the accountability advantage of direct marketing-the ability to count responses and measure results directly.
Beyond immediate returns, calculate what a customer is worth over time. For one-time purchases, the math is simple: will you recover mailing costs plus merchandise costs and make a profit? But for customers who might buy repeatedly, subscribers who might renew, or donors who might give again, you can invest more in initial acquisition-even at a loss.
Direct mail professionals focus on the offer first. Professional direct mail writers begin with the coupon, not the letter. The offer drives action, especially when product differences are minimal. Effective offers include reduced prices, premiums, free trials, or combinations. Even small free items can dramatically increase response rates.
With direct mail often read over a wastebasket, you must grab attention immediately. Compare ineffective openings that ramble to powerful ones like American Express's "Quite frankly, the American Express Card is not for everyone. And not everyone who applies for Cardmembership is approved"-a line that consistently outperformed alternatives in testing.
Contrary to amateur assumptions, long letters generally outperform short ones-if they grab attention at the beginning, contain relevant facts, and offer something attractive. Major direct marketers like Publishers Clearing House use lengthy letters with multiple enclosures because convincing readers to invest time or money requires substantial persuasion.
For fundraising letters, masters of political fundraising like Richard Viguerie (conservative) and Roger Craver (liberal) agree on letter-writing principles despite opposing politics. Effective fundraising letters need ideas and passion-direct, not academic or objective. Thank donors regularly and keep them informed about organizational activities. Make them members, not just givers, with membership certificates and pins.
Readers don't know how much to give unless you tell them. Suggest specific contribution amounts while not discouraging smaller gifts. People prefer giving to people rather than faceless institutions. Create urgency by explaining what can't be done without their support: "Unless we hear from you right away, we may be forced to close down two Morgan Memorial buildings."
Chapitre 9
Writing with Respect: Navigating Political Correctness
Political correctness in writing stems from respect for readers' feelings, which the authors commend despite occasional excesses. Bernard Shaw defined a gentleman as someone who "never insults a person unintentionally," and business writers should similarly avoid unwitting offense. It's both good manners and good business not to alienate your audience.
Respect minority groups' preferred terminology, even as it changes over time. What was once "Negro" became "black" and "African American," and writers should use current preferences. However, the authors caution against excessive scrutiny of every word for possible offensive connotations, citing the University of Missouri's 200+ word checklist that included seemingly innocuous terms like "fried chicken" and "Dutch treat."
The convention of using male-oriented language to refer to all people is now obsolete, but replacement options can be awkward. "He or she" works occasionally but becomes tedious with repetition. The authors reject the grammatically incorrect use of "they" with singular antecedents (e.g., "Every novelist hopes that they will win"), noting that it grates on many ears despite growing acceptance.
They recommend two simple solutions: convert to plural ("All novelists hope they will win") or switch to second person ("when you receive a message"). The authors use a "scattershot method" of alternating between "she" and "he" in their writing, believing this approach gives equal representation to both genders without offending either. Ultimately, they emphasize that courtesy in writing matters both for practical reasons (offended readers won't respond favorably) and as a mark of civilized behavior.
Chapitre 10
The Perfect Resume: Your Ticket to an Interview
A well-written resume and cover letter can make the crucial difference in securing a job interview. While resumes won't get you hired directly (companies hire people, not resumes), they serve two vital purposes: increasing your chances of getting an interview and helping you organize your thoughts for that interview.
The most critical element of a resume is the opening summary that positions you in the reader's mind. This heading, in boldface type, should concisely highlight what you offer in terms of experience, skills, or job objective. The authors emphasize making it easy for employers to quickly determine if you're a potential match for their needs.
Effective resumes follow conventional formats that are easy to process. Avoid fancy designs, unusual paper sizes, or gimmicks like video applications (unless relevant to your industry). The resume should be straightforward, logical, truthful, and preferably limited to one page (two maximum). Write it yourself rather than using a consultant, as no one knows your qualifications better than you do.
Focus on significant achievements rather than minor accomplishments or outdated information. Describe results, not just activities. Include everything that directly supports your candidacy while ruthlessly cutting anything marginal. Essential resume elements include: contact information at the top (name, address, phone, email); a clear job objective; chronological job history starting with most recent positions; company information including size; scope of responsibilities and specific accomplishments; education details; relevant board memberships or professional associations; publications; and significant personal facts or special skills like language proficiency or technical abilities.
A resume should never be sent without a carefully crafted cover letter, as employers decide from this letter whether your resume is worth their time. Effective cover letters focus on the employer's needs rather than the applicant's credentials. Instead of starting every paragraph with "I," address what you can offer that will benefit the organization.
State clearly and immediately what position you're seeking and how you learned about it-whether through a job ad, personal recommendation, or company reputation. Always find out the name of the person you're writing to-never address your letter to "Personnel Director" or "Manager." After stating what job you want, present your qualifications with concrete evidence rather than abstract claims.
The digital revolution has transformed job hunting. Nearly half of Global 500 companies actively recruit online, with some like Compaq receiving 85% of resumes electronically. For electronic resumes, format becomes crucial-use plain text without boldface, italics, bullets or fancy fonts (Arial or Times Roman work best). Scanners search for specific skills rather than generalities, so be concrete. And remember: "You only have half a screen to impress a recruiter. They don't want to scroll down to find out what you want to do."
Chapitre 11
The Art of Self-Editing: Polishing Your Work
Never send first drafts of important documents. Editing isn't just final polishing-it's essential to the writing process itself. Like Jerome Kern perfecting his melodies by "scraping off roughness," good writing requires thorough editing to achieve smoothness.
While rough drafts help you get ideas down quickly, never settle for approximations in your final version. Choose precise verbs and adjectives, use concrete rather than abstract language, and scrutinize every important thought. Good writers frequently rearrange their work. Modern word processing makes this once-laborious process simple with cut and paste functions.
Put yourself in your reader's position. Ensure everything follows logically without requiring mental leaps. Make your trail clear, smooth, and well-marked rather than expecting readers to jump from point to point "like a goat on a rocky hillside." Check all statistics and factual statements. A single error can undermine your reader's confidence in your entire document.
Consider whether your tone is appropriate-not too stiff, too casual, unsympathetic, or rude. Read from your audience's perspective and change anything that might offend. Effective editing shortens, sharpens and clarifies writing. Examples from a single paper show how revisions improved clarity: "Consumer perception of the brand changed very positively" became "The opinion of consumers improved." "Generate promotion interest through high levels of advertising spending" became "Advertise heavily to build interest in promotions."
Two practices will improve your editing: First, let time elapse between drafts-set your work aside overnight and return with fresh eyes to spot previously invisible imperfections. Second, solicit opinions from others-colleagues, friends, anyone whose judgment you respect. You don't need to use all suggestions, but nearly everyone will spot something you overlooked. David Ogilvy famously sent important drafts to associates with the handwritten note "Please Improve"-a practice that helped him achieve remarkable success.
Visual presentation matters as much as content. Documents that look formidable create resistance before readers digest a single word, while inviting layouts encourage engagement. This is even more critical with e-mail, where full-screen paragraphs show little consideration for readers. Professional documents use formatting techniques that make content approachable, organized, and easy to reference.
Keep paragraphs short, especially in e-mail where screen reading demands more white space. Use typographic devices for clarity and emphasis. Prefer italics over underlining for emphasis, matching professional publications. For greater impact, set key ideas in indented paragraphs. Position numbers or bullets slightly left of text margin. Word processors offer formatting tools once available only to printers-use boldface to highlight main points and "hanging" indents to make divisions easier to follow.
Reading excellent writing across genres-fiction, essays, history, journalism-naturally improves your own writing by internalizing rhythm and structure. Today's newspaper columnists like Thomas Friedman, Maureen Dowd, and George Will demonstrate how to express viewpoints persuasively in limited space. While reading good writing helps more than reading about writing, several books stand out as particularly valuable resources for improving your skills, including Strunk and White's "The Elements of Style" and Zinsser's "On Writing Well."
