That Works: The Simple, 10-Step Target Outline System to Help you Reach Your Bottom Line by Adina Rishe Gerwitz for this blog, naturally I said “yes.”
One question that I get asked a lot is: “how can I learn to write like you?”
Or a friend or family member will say to me, “I wish I could do what you do, I’m just not a very good writer.”
Until now, I haven’t really had a very good resource to send such people to for reference.
(Sure, I could send them to some of the textbooks and style guides I learned from in school, but chances are that they also used those same style guides and textbooks and didn’t pick up what they needed to know.)
How To Say It is the perfect writing resource for someone who needs to learn business writing skills. By teaching readers to apply a simple outline system of writing (the Target Outline System) to a variety of business writing needs, Adina equips her readers with the business writing skills that they will need to succeed.
The book is also a great resource for someone who has basic writing skills, but is unused to applying them in a business environment.
Some of the business writing projects that Adina teaches her readers to tackle include:
- Letters and E-mails
- Basic reports
- Performance evaluations
- General proposals
- Marketing Proposals
- How-To Manuals (coming from a technical writing background as I do, I read this chapter with particular interest and I would say that she’s on target here )
I especially like that the book concludes with a series of exercises. I think that writing in general, and business writing in particular, is one of those things that improves with practice.
If you are interested in pursuing business writing, then this book provides you with an effective writing system to help you succeed. The step-by-step approach makes learning business writing seem easy.
Have you read this book? What did you think?
Contents (c) Copyright 2007, Laura Spencer. All rights reserved
10 responses so far ↓
1 Lillie Ammann // May 2, 2008 at
This book is new to me, but it sounds useful.
2 Dorothy Thompson // May 3, 2008 at
Wow, nice review, Laura! Adina is on vacation and when she comes back, I’ll send her the link. She’ll be ecstatic! Thanks for making my day and hers!
3 Adina Gewirtz // May 8, 2008 at
Hi Laura,
I appreciate the review! I’m especially glad you liked the how-to chapter, since that was my favorite one to write. My philosophy has always been that writing is first a craft, second an art. I think too many people jump to the second stage, and skip that all important step of honing their craft. So thanks again for the wonderful review!
Adina Gewirtz
4 Laura // May 9, 2008 at
Hi Lillie, Dorothy, and Adina!
I’m glad that you all enjoyed the review!
5 Cheryl Malandrinos // May 20, 2008 at
Great review! This sounds like a book that needs to be in my library. I’m a freelance writer and have been considering getting into copywriting. Sure looks like this book will help.
Cheryl
6 Pump Up Your Book Promotion May Authors on Tour - Day 14! « Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours // May 20, 2008 at
[…] of the how to business book, How to Say It: Business Writing That Works, will be stopping off at Writing Thoughts! Adina’s book teaches struggling writers a simple, ten-step system for how to write anything from […]
7 Pump Up Your Book Promotion May Authors on Tour - Day 15! « Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours // May 21, 2008 at
[…] of the how to business book, How to Say It: Business Writing That Works, will be stopping off at Writing Thoughts! Adina’s book teaches struggling writers a simple, ten-step system for how to write anything from […]
8 Karen Harrington // May 21, 2008 at
I agree with the others. This sounds like a worthwhile book for many, particularly moms returning to the workforce like, say, me!
Much success,
Karen Harrington
Author, Janeology
9 Adina Gewirtz // May 22, 2008 at
Thanks for all the wonderful responses, and thanks again, Laura, for the review. If anyone would like to ask me writing questions directly, I’d be happy to answer them. You can reach me through my website or my blog, which is http://www.thewritersroadmap.blogspot.com.
Thanks!
10 Laura // May 22, 2008 at
Thanks Adina, for coming by, AND for allowing me to review your book.
Thanks to all the commentators for sharing their own thoughts about this subject.