Archive: Effective Writing

Should You Write the Way You Talk? To a Degree.

Jul 30, 2019 | Communication, Effective Writing, Managing

Many people have heard the advice “write the way you talk” so as to sound conversational in a written message, but an important clarification is missing from that advice. Conversational speech is terribly inefficient, so be sure to edit carefully to make...

Use a Dash for Emphasis, a Hyphen for Clarity

Jun 24, 2019 | Effective Writing, Punctuation and Grammar

When do you use a dash? And why not a hyphen? The two marks serve different purposes, leaving many people puzzled. The traditional dash is what some people refer to as the em dash. It is thicker and longer than the hyphen, often called the en dash. The dash separates...

Use Vivid Language to Persuade People to Accept Your Idea

Jun 11, 2019 | Communication, Effective Writing, Managing, Persuasion

To persuade someone to comply with your request, use specific details, not vague statistics. Vivid description enables people to “see.” Your point is more compelling when you present the audience with information that has imagery, because people can...

Gathering Quality Information Requires Good Questions

Jun 3, 2019 | Communication, Effective Writing

Interviewing skills are not the domain only of reporters, police officers, or job recruiters. The ability to ask good questions is important for all business professionals, because the quality of the answers will depend on the questions. We ask questions every day...

Does a meaningful job matter?

Oct 2, 2018 | Communication, Editing, Effective Writing, Managing, Persuasion, Punctuation and Grammar

Managers and executives who want to motivate employees try various tactics: contests, free food, bonuses, and rousing speeches from a stage. But research shows that improving job performance can be as simple as explaining to them that their work has a meaningful...

Reference Resources For All Writers

Jul 2, 2018 | Effective Writing, Resource

Little, Brown Handbook, a simplified, comprehensive book on all aspects of writing. The Grammar Bible: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Grammar but Didn’t Know Whom to Ask, by Michael Strumpf. The Write Way: The S/P.E.L.L. Guide to Real-LIfe Writing,...

By Ken O’Quinn

Focus on Them

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
March 18, 2021
Positioning information can be an important factor when you are trying to persuade