Author tackles bad business text in new book offering steps to effective business writing

Monroe, NY, Feb. 15, 2008 -- Though written communication is the lifeblood of today’s connected and networked world, too many people fall short in their business writing--which hurts productivity. Award-winning writing expert Jack E. Appleman points out this business reality and offers practical advice for improvement in his new book, 10 Steps to Successful Business Writing, published by the American Society for Training & Development (www.astd.org). The ASTD is the world’s largest association dedicated to workplace learning and performance professionals.

Appleman, a business writing instructor and president of the Monroe, New York-based SG Communications (www.sgwriting.com), asserts that business writing is a learned skill based on fundamental principles like clarity, conciseness, and organization. “If you can learn to convey a message simply—so readers quickly get it—then you can become an effective business writer,” he says. And, Appleman notes that upgrading writing skills can increase organizational productivity and contribute to building effective leaders and managers.

Throughout the book, Appleman offers tips, techniques, and practices designed to help anyone dramatically improve this essential business skill. He provides practical advice: keep it simple, be clear and compelling, find the right rhythm and tone, organize effectively, pay attention to grammar, and edit as if you were the reader. Appleman suggests that readers upgrade their writing skills using these 10 steps:

Step 1: Understand the demand for good writing
Step 2: Know where you’re taking your readers
Step 3: Be explicit, clear, and concise
Step 4: Grab your readers’ attention
Step 5: Write with rhythm to hold your readers
Step 6: Organize to help your readers understand
Step 7: Choose a tone that produces good results
Step 8: Put your best grammar on the page
Step 9: Edit, rewrite, and refine
Step 10: Master the documents you use most often

About the Author
With more than 20 years of experience as a trainer, communications professional, and professor, Jack E. Appleman conducts writing workshops that enable employees at all levels to write more effectively. As president of SG Communications, Appleman speaks frequently on writing and communication skills, and has published several articles. He teaches writing and communication courses at Farleigh Dickinson University and William Paterson University, provides CE-credit classes for insurance producers, and offers one-on-one writing coaching.

For more information, call SG Communications at 845.782.2419 (jack@sgwriting.com).

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