Archive: Effective Writing
Passive Voice is Not Always Wrong
The passive voice remains an easy target of business writing critics, but sometimes it is preferable to an active sentence. “There’s too much passive writing,” grumbles one colleague, while another urges, “Always use the active voice.”...
Add Punch to Your Writing with Sentence Variety, Rhythm, and Emphasis
Jobs become boring when the daily routine is repetitive, and so does writing when you read short, choppy sentences with the same structure and length. But everyday business writing doesn’t need to read like a children’s book. The simplest sentence...
For Emphasis, Save Strong Words for the End
Simple and direct is the reliable go-to sentence structure of English, but if you edit closely and notice that certain words in a sentence create important emphasis, rearrange the order to position those words at the end. Positioning words for emphasis, so that you...
Researchers: Reading Bite-Size Bits of Information Hinders Our Thinking
The way many people read today — tapping, skimming, swiping – is affecting how well we process and remember information, says a neuroscientist who studies digital reading. Maryanne Wolf, author of Reader Come Home: the Reading Brain in a Digital World, says...
“C” Words are an Effective Way to Judge Writing
Ask people for words starting with “c” that describe good writing, and they will quickly toss out clear and concise, which are the backbone of good writing. But other important qualities also begin with “c.” Cohesive — When you breeze...By Ken O’Quinn
Focus on Them
Perfect Phrases for Business Letters (McGraw-Hill)
TD at Work — Business Writing for Managers
As a contributing author in this book on leadership, Ken offers insights and tips for managing difficult conversations, providing effective feedback, and being authentic. Order here.
Perfect Phrases for Business Letters (McGraw-Hill)
Provides the right words and phrases for any situation - quickly. The book was reprinted in Japanese because of high-volume sales there.
TD at Work — Business Writing for Managers
The Association for Talent Development invited Ken to write this 22-page booklet for the TD at Work series.
Current Blog Post
Writing to Persuade: Where You Should Position Your Best Option
Positioning information can be an important factor when you are trying to persuade