Summary of The Language of Success

Has a business colleague ever sent you a rambling e-mail chock full of misspelled words, acronyms, text message abbreviations and even emoticon smiley faces? Or have you had to wade through an incomprehensible report filled with technical terms, industry jargon and run-on sentences? Both these experiences indicate a larger problem: bad writing. Many people need to write as part of their jobs, but few of them do it well. Communication expert Tom Sant identifies four problematic writing styles that obstruct clear, functional communication: “Fluff, Guff, Geek and Weasel.” Sant attacks the problem, beginning with eight tips for composing better e-mails. He tells you how to tailor clear, succinct, accurate documents to your audience. His generous use of examples helps illustrate the rights and wrongs of business writing. Thankfully, this how-to-write book is well-written and, at times, even humorous. getAbstract suggests keeping it next to your dictionary and thesaurus, and referring to it often.