The Encyclopedia of Business Letters, Faxes, and E-mail: Features Hundreds of Model Letters, Faxes, and E-mails to Give Your Business Writing the Attention It Deserves

by Robert W. Bly, Regina Anne Kelly

Business writing has been transformed in our era from long, leisurely letters to fast faxes, instant e-mails, crisp memos, and concise letters. Your reader doesn't have time to waste. And neither do you.

That's where The Encyclopedia of Business Letters, Faxes, and E-mails can help.

Here You'll find the most complete and up-to-date collection of model business correspondence for every conceivable occasion--sample letters, memos, and e-mails you can use as is or adapt for your own purposes. This invaluable reference contains more than 300 model letters with instructions for adapting each to your particular situation. Letters are organized into chapters by category, and the detailed table of contents guides you quickly to the letter that best suits your needs.

For each model letter, You'll

Introductory comments that give you a working knowledge of each kind of correspondence.

Several variations of tone and style from which you can pick the one that suits you best.

Analysis that reveals the formula to writing each kind of letter.

Instructions on how to format, design, print, and deliver your correspondence for best effect.

This revised edition The Encyclopedia of Business Letters, Faxes, and E-mails contains more help than ever,

An expanded introduction to writing letters, faxes, and e-mails, with new tips and advice on the best use of each

Ample guidance on the nuances of e-mail, including hints for avoiding common pitfalls

Dozens of additional sample e-mail formats to meet today--s communication needs

Even more focused, easy-to-remember directions for organizing your thoughts and composing even the toughest kinds of correspondence don't go to work without it!

Genres: Writing

288 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1998

About the author

Bob Bly is a freelance copywriter with 4 decades of experience in direct response and business-to-business marketing. He is the author of 100 published book on topics ranging from science, sex, satire, and science fiction -- to small business, writing, advertising, and online marketing. McGraw-Hill calls Bob Bly “America’s top copywriter.”

Reviews

[Harry Harman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prefer the active voice. In the active voice, action is expressed directly: "John performed the experiment." In the passive voice, the action is indirect: "The experiment was performed by John."

sentences become difficult to understand when they exceed 34 words in length.

The Fog Index corresponds to the years of schooling you need to read and understand the sample. A score of eight or nine indicates high school level; 13, a college freshman; 17, a college graduate.

Effective writing relies on a clear definition of the specific topic you want to write about. A big mistake that many of us make is to tackle a topic that's too broad. For example, the title "Project Management" is too allencompassing for a business paper. You could write a whole book on the subject. But by narrowing the scope, say, with the title "Managing Chemical Plant Construction Projects With Budgets Under $500,000," you get a clearer definition and a more manageable topic.

It's also important to know the purpose of the document. You may say, "That's easy; the purpose is to give business information." But think again. Do you want the reader to buy a product? Change methods of working? Look for the hidden agenda beyond the mere transmission of facts.

Strunk and White's The Elements of Style

Restrict your email messages to one topic per message. Keep them brief.

Potential employers have always been impressed with college grads who combine their degrees with real resume and highlight it prominently in your cover letter.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as helpful as anticipated. Not nearly enough examples. Nothing specific to my immediate need - praise of an employee from another department who helped us out in a time of need. Although to be fair written praise for a job well done is rare and seems to be getting rarer. Contents and layout are better than some older related books.