From Procrastination to Power: Writing Painlessly and Well

Good writing is good business. Bad writing isn't. To be successful in sales, marketing, finance, engineering, law, personnel, and in virtually every field, you need to write well. In fact, your business writing can serve as persuasive evidence of your competence, your personality, your management style. It's as plain and simple — and frightening — as that.

And, undoubtedly, that fright (those panicky waves in your brain that light out in all directions each time you have to write) has put this newly updated edition in your hands. I wrote it as I did the earlier editions, to do away with your discomfort, to demystify writing and editing, to help you write easily and well. While I can't promise that you'll finish the book loving to write, I do promise that you'll hate writing less — and distribute a better memo, letter, or report as a result of using this practical guide. Whether you are writing an email to a coworker or a proposal to an international client, this book will help.

It offers up-to-date examples and answers, and because it's arranged in units, you can pick it up, do a little work, put it down, and return to it later without having to start over. It doesn't treat improving your written work as if it were a moral issue (although it could be); nor does it assume that the fate of the world hinges upon your perfect prose (although it might). But, with wit and wisdom, it does encourage you and show you how to write better. It will sustain you from your first to your final draft.

For more than thirty years, in one-on-one consultations, in seminars and talks, and in published articles, I've worked to help clients be competent in and feel confident about their writing. Clients who admit their negative attitude about t