E-Writing: 21st Century Tools for Effective Communication

Dianna Booher, communications expert and author of over 40 books shares her expertise in her latest book on E-Writing. She focuses on how to improve the quality of business and personal communications.
Booher offers advice to fix where it hurts in electronic communication whether it is writing emails, responding to customer service inquiries, or writing technical documents. This is not just a book about writing for an electronic medium. Rather, it helps us improve our writing skills because the electronic medium has increased in such a way that it’s almost impossible for anyone in any job to avoid writing.
Furthermore, the book references a survey USA Today newspaper conducted with 3000 hiring managers. It indicates that the number two item that employers look for is communication skills. Number one is attitude.
Email. Can’t live with it. Can’t live without it. It has become a powerful application, so powerful that employees have gotten fired for email abuse. Email has replaced quick phone calls and reduced the need for some face-to-face meetings because it’s easier to reach others in email and share complex topics. Business and employees have gotten thrown into the communication tool without learning how best use it.
The first part of the book covers email basics and etiquette. Learn how to manage your emailbox, how to write appropriate email, and what to do and not do when replying or forwarding email messages. Many should read this section so the email world can be a better place.
In the Counterproductive Communication Habits chapter, Booher identifies academic training as one of sources of pain. It’s a short, but important section that everyone who has been touched by an academic institution should read. The writing habits for producing academic papers do not carry over well into the business world. This user-unfriendly writing style is noticeable in the business world whether or not the writer has been to college.
Next comes the meat, how to effectively write on paper or online. Here, she offers clearly written steps and supporting examples on effective written communications. Remember or still use the traditional outline before writing? It may not be the best way to organize thoughts before writing. The book explains why and offers two other methods: the Random List and the Idea Wheel. Booher explains the outline process during the detailing of her trademarked MADE format. MADE takes you through the process of outlining your message. It’s easy to adapt whether or not you’re a skilled writer.
Once you write your masterpiece, next comes rewriting and editing. This is the potatoes accompanying the meat. Here learn how to edit for content and layout, grammar, clarity, conciseness, and style. Yes, we’re all in a hurry, but editing is a required step in the writing process. Editing is not to be confused with proofreading. The purpose of editing is to look for flaws beyond the typographical and grammatical errors found in proofreading.
Strong writers will still find this a valuable resource for the reference library. Rest assured, Booher practices what she preaches in organizing the book. Each important idea has its own title heading which makes the book quickly readable for busy professionals.
Managers, investing in the book for employees will help reduce frustration and provide a quick return on investment. Educators, add this to the required reading list so we can stop the sloppy email and writing epidemic.
VITAL STATISTICS
Title: E-Writing: 21st Century Tools for Effective Communication
Author: Dianna Booher
Publisher: Pocket Books
Publication Date: February 2001
ISBN: 0743412583
Format: Paperback
Pages: 368
Price: US$14.95