Words That Work: Business Writing at Its Best

What does all business writing have in common, regardless of the topic or the audience? What is it we re all hoping to do as we sit fingers poised over keyboard staring at a blank screen? That s easy: get attention and action.

It sounds simple, but the job of grabbing and keeping readers attention and motivating them to take action is different today than it was just five years ago. That changes our challenge: good writing is no longer just about writing well; more than ever before, it s about getting through. To be heard above the din of messages and information the business world pours out every day by some estimates, we re each exposed to 7,000 different messages a day we have to slim down and sharpen what we say and say it in a way that touches the unique concerns and interests of the actual human beings who will be reading it.

Words that Work is filled with sane and super-practical, you-don t-have-to-be-Shakespeare-to-be-effective tips and strategies.

Part 1: The Write Stuff will help you focus on your audience and organize your key points. Five simple questions will spark your thinking and help you be sure your writing connects with readers, convinces them, and motivates them to take the action you want them to take.

In Part 2: First Draft...In a Flash! you ll learn how easy it is to shape your answers to The Write Stuff into a powerful first draft with the potential to break through and get your message heard, understood and acted upon.

We call Part 3: Spruce It Up! because in this section, you take your draft from first to final by cleaning and checking with our tips for making the draft cut-through-the-clutter sharp.

Finally, in a Special Bonus section we call Blockbusting, the authors tackle some of the most common causes of writer s block and their strategies for smashing them.

When your communication skills are strong, you re simply more valuable (and breakthrough-bound), whether you manage a business, sell, lead, work alone or with a team. And because sharpening this critical skill packs a powerful confidence- and breakthrough-building punch, the authors encourage you to invest as much time as you possibly can to strengthen this skill and keep it top form in your breakthrough portfolio.