Skills Taught

The clearest writing is like drafting. Drafting uses simple lines and symbols everyone understands. Any contractor can pick up a set of blueprints created by any drafting professional and build a building correctly. Your writing must be that clear.

This set of training materials teaches you how to write using a style that is so clear you cannot be misunderstood. It is very explicit. Like drafting, it uses simple, straightforward words and sentences everyone understands, held together with a structure that guides readers through your message.

You may regard the style as too simple or boring. Realize that you will not use the style exactly as taught here every time you write an e-mail, letter, memo, or report. You will modify the very simple, explicit style to add your own style. However, you must have the ability to write as clearly as this training program teaches you to write if you are to be able to make the choice of writing so clearly someone cannot misunderstand or of adapting this very clear writing style to fit your reader's expectations and needs.

This online interactive training book will teach you how to write so clearly you cannot be misunderstood. Then you can modify that to fit your objectives, audience, and personal preferences.

Letter Format

This course doesn't teach a letter format because you can use any format required by your company or presented in a standard usage or style text. You must use a standard format, however. Don't guess at the format or make one up. We present one you may use if you wish. To see it, click here.

About the Author

The author is R. Craig Hogan, Ph.D., director of the Business Writing Center. Dr. Hogan has taught writing for 32 years at two community colleges, three universities, and the Business Writing Center. He has been the manager of communications at a telephone billing service company and owner of a consulting firm writing reports, manuals, documentation, and advertising copy for a wide range of companies. The Business Writing Center is a Web-based school (at writingtrainers.com) providing business writing training through online courses and workshops at company sites.

Explanation of this
Online Interactive Textbook