Product Description

Strategies for Business and Technical Writing teaches effective writing for the world of work and helps readers become better writers using specific techniques employed by successful communicators in their fields.  Topics include audience analysis, language use and misuse, writing and revision processes, the influence of technology on communication, résumés, letters, memos, e-mail, reports, and proposals.  Business and technical writers, students aspiring to procure a career as a professional (business and technical) writer.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #384258 in Books
• Published on: 2007-12-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

From the Back Cover
For anyone who has written a resume and cover letter to apply for a job, a proposal to land an account, an e-mail to a colleague or a memo his or her co-workers, this book is for you. These everyday business documents may seem simple to write, but in reality are quite difficult to do well. This book will provide the instruction, advice, and necessary examples of how to compose effective business and technical writing. This book teaches effective writing for the work world, offering great advice from the best sources. The reading selections, written by seasoned professionals in the business world, teach professional writing as well. Covering topics including s the revision process, non-biased word choice, and audience analysis, the book is based on the premise that all successful writing consists of clear and effective prose. Yet, it points out the ways in which business and technical writing differs from the expository prose most readers have learned. Also included are discussion of specific documents, including resumes, letters of application, letters that sell, memos, e-mail, reports and proposals. Anyone who engages in business or technical writing.

Customer Reviews

New Edition is Not Really New
This book is supposed to be a new edition but there are only a few articles that have changed. Some outdated ones still remain. Unfortunately, there aren't any standards for what constitutes a new edition. This is a shame because students pay more for books that are almost identical to previous editions.

Dated Material, Some over 40 Years Old
If you are looking for a topical discussion of technical and business writing, I think you can do better.

That said, the book is a quick, informal, benign read. Though it purports to be updated, some of the essays go back to the early 60s.

Some of the techniques discussed don't quite agree with the methods discussed in Mike Markel's "Technical Communication" or Carolyn Rude's "Technical Editing."

If your instructor requires it for a course, buy it used. You'll likely sell it to someone else when you're done, as I will. It makes no sense to lose that much value on the resale.

An adequate reference, a good starter
I'm an instructor of Business Communication and this is the textbook we utilize for the class. I find that most of the articles in this book are good ones; however, there is a lot of repetition, especially when they are referring to the writing process. YAWN. Boring. How many ways can you reiterate "clear, precise, and to the point" as the main idea?

Otherwise, some of the other articles in there are great for those beginning in the world of business writing.