Subject lines , especially when writing business documents (most effective when written in plain language) are among the first things readers see as they go through their inboxes. From them, readers make judgments about the content of the messages (in business pieces written in plain language for effectiveness) and the skill of the writers. Meaty […]

Before worrying about wording (when writing business documents using the effective tenets of plain language), crawl out of your socks and think like your readers. You needn’t agree with them to write well, but you must see the business world from their perspective. Answer such questions as these: • Who are your readers? Decide who […]

These days, getting the job done in a business often involves using email. It’s fast, cheap, and convenient. Email is especially suited to quick answers to short questions via business writing. At times, though, nothing works as well as conversation or paper. Use email (using plain language in business communication) to… •            Leave a written […]