WRITING FOR BUSINESS
Most writing produced in business workplaces consists of a combination of writing that promotes goodwill combined with writing that transmits information for smooth business operations. In the previous chapter, we defined business writing as a “transactional” and primarily “problem-solving” genre and described some of the key conventions and considerations business communicators must keep in mind. In this chapter, we will look more deeply into the style of writing expected of this genre.
Unit 3 Learning Objectives
This unit will help you achieve the following objectives:
3.1 Understand how to use reader-centred writing (rather than a writer-centred one) that focuses on knowing your audience and writing specifically to meet their needs
3.2 Incorporate inclusive principles and language in your communications
3.3 Review and practice techniques to communicate with precision
3.4 Write to persuade using rhetoric in a professional context, avoiding logical fallacies and inappropriate marketing language
3.5 Recognize the importance of verbs and learn how to choose strong verbs as the “engines” that drive efficient and effective sentences; revise passages to improve concision and flow
How does business writing style differ from essay writing? It is mostly characterized by high-information, goal-oriented sentences that are characterized by the following stylistic elements:
Characteristics of Business Style
Active: The subject precedes the verb in most sentences to highlight action and actor.
Concise: Sentences contain only the necessary words to convey the intended idea or information.
Business writing requires accuracy and clarity not only in terms of content but also in terms of grammatical and mechanical accuracy. For a review of grammar basics, see Appendix C2: Sentence Structure and Appendix C3: Punctuation Rules.
To begin, complete the exercise below.
EXERCISE 3.1 Describe some differences between writing for school vs. writing for work
| Writing for School | Writing for Work | |
| Purpose | ||
| Audience | ||
| Content | ||
| Document Life Span | ||
| Liability | ||
| Format & Design Elements | ||
| Writing Style |
What key differences do you note between the two writing contexts? What do you think accounts for those differences?
