Write Well, Write Fast, and Whip the Competition
Introduction ix
Chapter 1:
If you want to write persuasively 1
Chapter 2:
If you want readers to actually read and respond to what you’ve
written 13
Chapter 3:
If you want to write clearly and concisely 38
Chapter 4:
If you want to write with the right tone 51
Chapter 5:
If you think you should write the way you talk 57
Chapter 6:
If you want to make your writing flow 61
Chapter 7:
If you want your business writing to be more creative 70
Chapter 8:
If you think you have to create a formal outline before you start
writing 72
Chapter 9:
If you know what you want to say but aren’t sure
where to start 73
Chapter 10:
If you need to write for senior management 80
Chapter 11:
If you need to share technical information 87
Chapter 12:
If you want to write procedures people can actually follow 97
Chapter 13:
If you don’t want your email to land you in jail or lose you your
job 106
Chapter 14:
If you need to convey bad news 110
Chapter 15:
If you want to write financial documents that work for senior
management 117
Chapter 16:
If you want to write persuasive PowerPoint presentations 136
Chapter 17:
If you want to write executive summaries, sales letters, and email
that increase your win ratio 148
Chapter 18:
If you want to send a thank-you or a follow-up note 169
Chapter 19:
If you want to write resumes and cover lettersthat will get you
noticed—in a good way 176
Chapter 20:
If you want to know when an email isn’t the best political choice
187
Chapter 21:
If you want to make the leap from academic to business writing
without self-destructing 190
Chapter 22:
If you want to make sure your writing is right 201
Endnotes 204
Acknowledgments 207
Index 209
JANE CURRY earned her PhD in English Education from the University of Chicago. DIANA YOUNG received her PhD in English from Stanford. Their company, Curry Young Consultants, Inc., based in the Chicago area, delivers customized writing and editing services to high-profile corporate clients and to employees at every level-from the mailroom to the C-suite.
"Writing for business is a literary form that is full of specific
industry styles and rules, which authors Curry and Young decode in
this new book. They are the owners of Chicago-based Curry Young
Consultants Inc., which provides business writing and editing
training to Fortune 500 companies. This book is a compilation of
what they teach during those training sessions and is the epitome
of user-friendly with lots of examples and easy-to-read bulleted
lists of writing tips. The chapters, with titles such as "If you
need to write for senior management" or "If you need to convey bad
news," are broken down by the type of writing described in the
section."
—Courtney Crowder, Chicago Tribune reporter, 12/10/10
"You may think you know how to write, but stringing words together
is only part of the process, especially in business. They have to
be effective. Costco member Jane Curry and Diana Young, in their
book, Be a Brilliant Business Writer: Write Well, Write Fast, and
Whip the Competition (Ten Speed Press, 2010), offer valuable
insights for anyone who finds the art of written communication
necessary in the workplace. For instance, if you want to write
persuasively (Chapter 1), master five principles:
1. Organize so your key points are clear.
2. Include only relevant content.
3. Make sure readers actually read and respond to what you have
written.
4. Write clearly and concisely.
5. Write with the right tone.
If you’re thinking, “That’s fine, but how do I do that?,” this
book’s for you."
—Costco Connection, November 2010
“…if you're looking to punch up your business communications, it's
no doubt a good investment.”
—BTripp’s Books LiveJournal, 11/21/10
“Curry Young accomplished everything they promised. I got my
weekends back, and the firm’s productivity improved by over 15%!
Curry Young’s expertise directly contributed to our bottom
line.”
—Mike Litwin, former Chief Risk Officer, Merrill Lynch Capital
“In the end, it’s the client’s opinion that matters most; Curry
Young’s program helped us focus on the reader, not the writer—and
that made all the difference.”
—Bernard Del Rey, Executive Director, Morgan Stanley Institutional
Advisory Group
“This book is long overdue. Every time I’m tempted to use the
subjunctive tense (‘I would like to thank you for . . .’), I
remember their admonishment: ‘Why not just say thank you? It’s
short and sweet and to the point.’ Thank you, Jane and
Diana!”
—Scott Bates, former EVP, JPMorgan Chase
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