Whether you seek protocol on accepting a formal invitation, turning down a job offer, challenging your credit record, writing a condolence letter, or penning a collection letter, How to Write It can help. With precision and humor, Sandra E. Lamb provides reliable guidance on all forms of written correspondence; for each type of communication, she considers such issues as content, wrong messages (how to eliminate them), format, effective writing, and editing. What in other hands might have been a dry reference manual takes on its own personality in the hands of this competent stylist. Lamb's advice for writing a memo, for instance, includes "Don't use an autocratic tone," "Don't assign blame," "Don't whine," "Don't pad," "Don't hedge," and "Don't use officious, stuffy, or formal words." Lamb is part etiquette adviser and part good-business guru. Perhaps her guide's most important message is that the general decline of written communication both socially and in business actually benefits those who still rely on it, as its impact is even greater than it once was. --Jane Steinberg

Ingram
This authoritative and encyclopedic reference shows how to write a business letter, a social note, a press release, or complaint. The helpful guide includes a time-saving compendium of sample letters that can be used as templates to suit any situation.

About the Author
Sandra E. Lamb has worked as a technical writer, editor, ghostwriter, public relations consultant, advertising account executive, and CEO. She co-authored the book Equity Sharing and has been a columnist for The Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Post. She writes fiction, nonfiction, and humor for national magazines.

Essential book for EVERYONE

Reviewer: Alan T. Peto (see more about me) from LAS VEGAS, NV USA

Have you ever been stumped on how to write something? I know I have and couldn't believe how much use I'd get out of this book!

There is sections for everything from business life to personal life. Almost any situation and anything you might ever write will be found in this book!

Although, of course, you won't find exactly what you're looking to write in this book (you supply the 'text', not the book)...you'll find out HOW to write it, WHAT is effective, and EXAMPLES of what it should look and read like.

The books price is inexpensive for something you'll probablly use many times throughout the year (or like me every week!)

Bottom line: Get the book and have one less headache in your daily writing life!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

Put this book next to your dictionary, April 22, 2001

This is one of those books that is so incredibly useful and so easy to read, you have to wonder why no one thought to write one like it before now. I got the book to check out the email section, but was literally thunderstruck by all of the other fantastic writing examples and templates. I think this would be a great book to give a graduate, because it has examples for writing many of life's "must-to's", such as thank you notes, condolences, credit inquiries and a lot more. I'm a writer, but even I get "writer's block" sometimes. This book is a real gem.