General writing tips for office workers. Designed for employees of Central Florida county governments, this 8-hour course emphasizes understanding standards as agreed-upon tools used by the business community, and "rules" as guidelines, intended to be followed…unless there's reason to ignore them.

1. Business Writing
Facilitated by Chris Friend
The John Scott Dailey Florida Institute of Government at the University of Central Florida

2. Introductions
Name
Job Title
Years of Service
Role in the County
Biggest Writing Challenge
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3. Today’s Agenda
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4. What Does
Writing
Look Like?
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5. The Application

6. Know Your Reader
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7. Email
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8. Professional Memoranda
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9. Business Letters
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10. Letters: Positive Response
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11. Letters: Negative Response

12. Letters:
Complaints
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13. The Application

14. The Mechanics

15. Image courtesy Anirudh Koul on Flickr,
CC BY-NC 2.0
Frequently Confused Words

16. Frequently Confused Words
a suggestion (it’s a thing)
advice I need advice on buying ice.
to help guide (it’s an action)
advise You are wise. Can you advise?

17. Frequently Confused Words
to influence (it’s an action)
affect Will this affect our community?
a result (it’s a thing)
effect What effect will this have on us?

18. Frequently Confused Words
to distribute
allot Our team was allotted two hours.
more than a little
a lot Orlando has a lot of traffic.
alot not a word

19. Frequently Confused Words
smaller number (countable items)
fewer I got fewer emails today!
smaller amount (uncountable ideas)
less There is less water in that puddle.

20. Frequently Confused Words
degree
further I want to go further with my career.
distance
farther Tampa is farther away than Ocala.

21. Frequently Confused Words
contraction: “it is”
it’s I think it’s too hot outside.
possession: belonging to it
its Florida is known for its sun.

22. Frequently Confused Words
to misplace
lose Spelling makes me lose my mind.
not tight
loose This clamp is so loose it won’t hold.

23. Frequently Confused Words
an action
passed The car passed by.
a description
The car went past.
past
a time
The trouble is in our past.

24. Frequently Confused Words
comparison
than I like blue more than green.
time
then Let’s chat, then do lunch.

25. Frequently Confused Words
contraction: “they are”
they’re Maybe they’re the experts.
possession: belonging to them
their They work with their hands.
location: not here (& other uses)
there Please park over there.

26. Frequently Confused Words
number: between one and three
two I see two paragraphs here.
addition: “also” or excess
too I see too many paragraphs, too.
all other uses
to I want to go to Lake Eola.

27. Frequently Confused Words
describes action—how it’s done
well You did your job very well.
describes things—tells quality
good You did a very good job.

28. Frequently Confused Words
contraction: “you are”
you’re I think you’re working too much.
possession: belonging to you
your Is that your winning Lotto ticket?

29. Problematic
Punctuation

30. The Mechanics

31. The Strategies

32. Streamlined
Writing
Process
Image courtesy Microsoft, public domain.

33. Principles of Revision
Outline & Organize
KISS
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34. Reduction Example
How to Write Effectively:
The task of developing clear and concise
writing is not a difficult one. You simply
determine what is the best way that you can
present your subject. Then write it for the
potential audience the very simplest way.

35. Reduction Example
w
How to Write Effectively:
The task of developing clear and concise
writing is not a difficult one. You simply
To write effectively: write simply.
determine what is the best way that you can
present your subject. Then write it for the
potential audience the very simply way.
simplyst

36. Principles of Revision
Outline & Organize
KISS
Be Brief
Use the right words
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37. The Practice
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38. The Essence
268 words
73% are one syllable
20 words ≥ 3 syllables
10 sentences
© 2008 Mort Künstler

39. Thank you.
Business Writing
Facilitated by Chris Friend