7 Essential Writing Resources to Elevate Your Image (and Your Career)

When most of us think of writing for business, we think of endless e-mails dashed off throughout the day, and often the night, in our quest to get stuff done and off of our proverbial plates. How often do we really take time, beyond the time it takes to react to the subject line, to craft our correspondences so that they are as clear, concise, and effective as possible.

Think about all the extra e-mails you write just trying to clarify an earlier e-mail. This wasted time adds up to over 100 hours every year spent trying to get simple things done in your day to day work life. Over 100 hours just for you alone. What could you accomplish in 100 uninterrupted hours? What would this or these accomplishments do for your career? How much more in control would you feel knowing you saved yourself 100 hours (and the thousands of dollars that wasted time costs)?

To help you take back your time, I have compiled a list of the seven most essential writing resources that will help you present your best in print every time.

The Chicago Manual of Style – this is available in either an on-line version or in print. Either way it “provides recommendations on editorial style and publishing practices for the digital age. … it is the must-have reference for everyone who works with words.”
The Elements of Style – referred to as Strunk & White, for generations, this has been staple reference for anyone who is serious about communicating the right message through strong fundamental writing.
The Complete Guide to Article Writing – although this book is geared for professional writers, it is packed with information that will make you a better writer for the office, one for whom writing superior business communications will become as easy as breathing. This book also has great reference recommendations.
The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate – this has a thesaurus counterpart which I also recommend. They are great resources for that extra special word.
A great dictionary – my go-to dictionaries are Merriam-Webster’s and The Oxford English Dictionary. These two dictionaries have different philosophies about cataloging the words we use which I find helpful in finding the word that will resonate best with my reader. For new words and colloquial usages, The Urban Dictionary is the place to go.
The Etiquette Advantage in Business – proper etiquette is essential in any social situation if you want to make the best impression and show the world your best self. In business, knowing how to act (including in written communications) can mean the difference between landing the big client or job, and not landing it. This is a comprehensive guide to all things business when it comes to putting your best foot forward.
Any profession-specific style guides that will help show your peers and clients that you are tops in doing what you do. I recommend researching your field to discover any such resources, then make certain you have and use them.

Write to me (BespokeWritingSolutions@gmail.com – subject: Impressions Reader Story) if you have any other resources you find particularly helpful as well as with any stories you want me to share about how these resources made a difference in your professional image and career.