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Business Writing Today
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Business Writing Today
A Practical Guide

Second Edition


384 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc

Confident writers succeed. Whatever career you aim for, good writing enables you to win more opportunities, perform better on the job and build the relationships you want.

In this practical, reader-friendly guide, Natalie Canavor shares a step-by-step framework that professional communicators use to determine what to say, and how to say it, in every situation. This guide shows you how to use strategic writing to achieve your own immediate and long-range goals in all media, from email to resumes, blogs to proposals, tweets to video.  Discover easy to learn tools and techniques to recognize and fix your own writing problems, without grammar lessons.

Business Writing Today prepares you to better understand the business world and communicate in ways that achieve your aims in today’s highly competitive work environment.

NEW TO THIS EDITION:

  • A new chapter explores writing methods used by professional journalists and PR specialists including how to create media releases, find information, and interview effectively 
  • ‘View from the Field’ boxes feature advice from professionals who share their first-hand insights on a range of cutting-edge communication tactics
  • ‘Success Tip’ boxes give practical ideas for succeeding in the workplace and leveraging your communication skills
  • Expanded coverage of the job application process includes best practices for writing successful resumes, cover letters, and networking
  • Expanded coverage of writing for oral communication covers planning for presentations, tips for crafting personal stories, ideas for using video and creating effective visuals
  • 'Practice Opportunities' provide exercises and activities to promote active learning, group projects and class discussion.
 
Part I: A Structured Planning System for All Your Communication
 
Chapter 1: Business Writing in the Digital Age—and You
Why Employers Value Writing

 
How Employers See Writing

 
Good Writing—and You

 
Business Writing Redefined for the Digital Age

 
How to Use This Book

 
 
Writing to Accomplish Goals: Building the Foundation for Every Message
Identifying Goals on Multiple Levels

 
Framing Messages for the Audience

 
Maneuvering Generational Divides

 
Writing to Groups and Unknown Audiences

 
 
Chapter 3: Putting the Planning Structure to Work: Always Know What to Say
How to Decide on Best Message Content

 
Choosing an Organization Technique

 
Adopting the Right Tone

 
Applying the Process to Challenging Messages

 
 
Part III: Writing Techniques
 
Chapter 4: Good Sentences, the Right Words
Assembling Strong Sentences

 
Applying Readability Guidelines

 
Choosing the Right Words

 
Using Vigorous Verbs

 
Knowing the Clues to Wordiness

 
Editing: Many Ways Can Work

 
 
Chapter 5: The Whole Picture: Creating Your Best Message
Writing With Short Paragraphs

 
Building in Good Transitions

 
Avoiding Word Traps

 
Avoiding Tone Traps

 
Editing What You Write

 
Fielding Common Grammar Problems the Commonsense Way

 
 
Part IV: Types of Business Writing
 
Chapter 6: Writing E-mail and Building Your Professional Image
Use E-mail to Accomplish Goals

 
Apply Strategic Thinking to the Situation

 
Build in the Right Tone

 
Use E-mail to Support Internal and External Networking

 
 
Chapter 7: Writing Resumes and Cover Letters
How to Write for a Competitive Edge

 
Creating Resumes to Showcase Individual Skills

 
Customizing Cover Letters to the Job

 
Writing to Connect with Employers and Networks

 
 
Chapter 8: Writing Letters and Memos: They Still Count
When to Write Letters

 
Planning Letters that Achieve Your Goals

 
Strategizing Letters for Common Situations: Using Internal Memos to Build Relationships

 
 
Part V: Writing Persuasive Messages
 
Chapter 9: Writing to Persuade: The Tools and Techniques
Deploying The Tools of Persuasion and Advocacy

 
Writing Techniques for Persuasive Materials

 
How to Find, Shape and Tell Stories

 
Graphic Ideas and Guidelines for Good Presentation

 
 
Chapter 10: Writing to Persuade: Creating Successful Business Documents
Writing the Executive Summary

 
Preparing Effective Reports

 
Writing Formal and Informal Proposals

 
Applying for Grants

 
 
Part VI: Writing Online
 
Chapter 11: Writing for Websites and Online Media
How to Translate Print Writing into Online

 
Planning a Website and Home Page

 
Creating Copy for Online Media

 
Developing Content Ideas

 
 
Chapter 12: Blogging, Social Media and Micromedia
How Business Sees Social Media

 
Using Social Media to Accomplish Goals

 
Planning and Writing Blogs

 
Using Twitter Power

 
Creating Online Profiles

 
 
Part VII: Writing for Oral Presentation, Video and Public Relations Purposes
 
Chapter 13: Presenting Yourself: Write Well to Speak Well
Finding Your Own Story

 
Developing the Elevator Speech

 
Writing for Presentation and PowerPoint

 
Working with Video

 
 
Chapter 14: Applying Journalism and Public Relations Techniques
Writing Media Releases and Pitches

 
Creating Headlines and Subheads that Attract

 
Gathering the Right Information: Research Tips, Interviewing Techniques and Questions

 
How to Prepare Talking Points for Many Occasions

 
Applying This Book’s Techniques to Additional Media and Channels of the Unforeseeable Future

 
 
PART VI. WRITING FOR ORAL PRESENTATION
 
Chapter 13: Present Yourself: Write Well to Speak Well
Finding Your Personal Story

 
Developing Your Personal Story

 
What You Can Do With Metaphors

 
The "Elevator Speech": Why You Need It, How to Write It

 
If You're a New Career Builder

 
Crafting Presentations and Speeches

 
Writing Tips for Spoken Media

 
Creating and Using PowerPoint Well

 
How to Plan and Use Effective Videos

 
Translating Verbal Ideas Into Visuals

 
Resources

 
 
Chapter 14: Putting Journalism and Public Relations Techniques to Work for You: Professional Strategies, Techniques and Tips
Reaching Your Audiences With the "New" Media Release

 

The book has great information and I was able to adopt it for the MBA program.

Dr Astrid Sheil
Communications , California State University San Bernardino
June 27, 2016

The content areas, especially the focus on digital media communication and on oral communication, seem useful and interesting.

Dr Alexis Poe Davis
Language Literature Dept, Mount Olive College
November 11, 2015

I teach scholarly writing for online doctoral students in Business Psychology and found this text to be user friendly, chapters are easy to apply without having to read entire text and very informative for real world application.

Dr Deborah Bowman
Accounting , Chicago Sch Of Psychology
September 25, 2015

A very practical and easily accessible book for my learners

Mr Daniel Slade
Work Place Learning , City of Bristol College
February 10, 2016

To improve students' writing skills

Dr Joseph Vella
Marketing , University of Malta
September 4, 2015

An excellent resource and a must read for all students.

Mr Paul Matthews
Business Administration , University College Birmingham
April 30, 2015

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 6

Chapter 10


Natalie Canavor

Natalie Canavor is a business writer, author, journalist and former college instructor. Throughout her successive careers as a magazine editor and public relations manager, she originated programs to help people communicate more effectively. Today she focuses on this work with practical programs for business and professional audiences, college students and writing instructors.Natalie taught advanced writing seminars for NYU’s MS program in public relations and corporate communication for six years, and created a number of courses and workshops on strategic messaging for businesspeople, professionals and entrepreneurs.Her byline as a... More About Author