Overall rating 8 out of 10 Usefulness 9 out of 10 Ease of reading 10 out of 10 Beautiful writing 6 out of 10 Use of examples 8 out of 10
A more appropriate title for this book would be The Art of Negotiating in Letters. The book does not say anything about the rules of registration business letter, accepted forms of address, punctuation marks after greetings, the correct wording of the subject of the letter, and. It communicates more important information - how to make a business letter effective. Some tips are cool, some are dubious. Let's start with the cool ones. In the life of every person comes the need to write a letter with a claim, refusal or apology. Karepina offers templates for such letters. These templates teach you how to properly present negative information in order to get what you want from the addressee: not to offend with a refusal, to get a positive response to the request. Templates are on the author's website. In general, I was terribly upset when I stumbled upon them in the book, because for more than a year I had been learning how to write such letters on the theory of Kemp and the advice of Ilya Sinelnikov on the Bureau website. I constantly compose letters for friends and I was terribly proud of my ability, but then it turned out that Sasha Karepina already had all this. The book is also good because the author writes easily. She delivers equally well. useful information about the structure of the text; how to use bulleted and numbered lists; where passive constructions are needed, and where real ones; when to include "official" and when to include "lover" in the writing style.
Style creates an image: once a person who writes in a personal style was called a “lover” by the participants of the training, and someone who chooses a formal style was called an “official”. Approaching in a letter to the "lover" we emphasize our personal beginning, human qualities, position; and approaching the "official", we hide everything human. Neither one nor the other image is good or bad in itself: in some situations it is beneficial for us to be more of a "lover", and in others - more of an "official"
I think that one "official" should not be used in a letter, it is better to wisely mix in a "lover" with his personal style. The recipient will appreciate To create a convenient writing structure, Karepina suggests using the form of a “tree”: the trunk is the main idea, it branches into paragraphs-branches, and the branches into details-leaves.
The lower we go down the tree, the more details become, and the higher we go, the less there are. When moving from top to bottom, the picture becomes more detailed, when moving from bottom to top, it becomes more generalized. Why is a "tree" task more efficient than a regular one? Firstly, because it is convenient for us to go from the general to the particular: first to understand the essence, and then to find out the details. And, secondly, because it is difficult for a person to keep in his head more than three unsystematized facts.
The examples in the book deserve special attention. The author takes classical texts and analyzes them. Templates for effective letters can be remembered literally from Pushkin's poems. You did well in school in literature lessons, didn't you?
Why does rejection hurt so much? It seems to us that the person behind the door does not care at all about these problems, he does not care about them, he does not see us point-blank - and there is a feeling that we have been rejected, written off. The addressee of such letters feels the same. And so that he does not have such a feeling, it is worth showing in the refusal that we just care and we understand what caused his request and why the situation turned out the way it did. Let us turn again to Onegin's letter. Refusing Tatyana, he seems to be saying: I understand how you decided on this; many would consider you immodest and ill-mannered, but I see that you are driven by purity and sincerity.
I have read the souls of trusting confessions, innocent outpourings of love; I love your sincerity...
Let's move on from the advantages of the book to the disadvantages. Inconsistency among copywriters is sinful, but in the book it is: somewhere the author writes “you” with a capital letter, somewhere with a lowercase letter, I did not find any logic in this. The book will not teach you good language. On the one hand, she does not set herself such a task, but on the other hand, the author teaches not to use clericalism, but sometimes she herself resorts to them. For example, the word “given” is often found on the pages. This is my least favorite word. But that will be another post. There are a lot of “stop words” and “amplifier words”, some texts smell like “copywriting of the brain”. In training examples, this is not good. Here Karepina offers an example of an effective sales letter:
The standard price of the book is 350 rubles. Agree, it's cheap. But there is a more interesting offer: we will sell the first 500 copies of the book at an absolutely incredible price - only 150 rubles! Do you want to be on time? Buy now! And for all those who signed up today - a bonus! You will be able to participate in a VIP session of individual coaching from network marketing guru John Smith for free!
The whole example consists of cheap tricks, exclamation points and empty words. Behind such a text, I see some nonsense, I will send it to spam and forget it forever. No, I won’t forget, it’s better to rewrite normally:
The standard price of the book is 350 rubles, but we will sell the first 500 copies at 150 rubles. The book has a lot of useful things, and we want even more people to be able to buy and read it. To participate in the promotion you need to register (link). Everyone who signs up today will receive a ticket for an individual session about network marketing John Smith. Details about the event (link).
Behind such a text is friendly advice and a desire to help. There is another point with which I do not fully agree. Sasha Karepina says that the letter must have an introduction. Without it, it will turn out as if “they throw the ball without warning,” as the author writes. This is true, but some of the book's introductory options are unfortunate. For example:
I draw your attention to... I bring to your attention... I inform you...
These phrases are terribly boring and smell like officials. The introduction should be more friendly. This is the time to use something more personal in order to immediately lure the addressee to your side. A good introduction is related to the context of the letter. Let's try to use the phrases proposed by Karepina, correct them for less formal ones and fit them into context:
Good afternoon, Ulyana! Regarding your question about the portfolio logo.
Here it is immediately clear what will be discussed (I think it’s not scary if the introduction duplicates the topic) and it sounds quite friendly, although the business style is not violated. It is clear that the introduction is not needed when replying to a letter in a message chain, where the context is already visible. Well, the last fly in the ointment. Sasha Karepina tells how to use italics, underlining and bold writing in letters. I think it is better not to use such highlighters. First, it is necessary to formulate thoughts in such a way that the reader can easily single out the main point without additional emphasis. Secondly, bold type and underlining draw attention to themselves all the time. I have nothing against italics: it looks neat and unobtrusive. Karepina says that italics should be used in letters to "very important people." I think that all your readers should be treated equally respectfully, regardless of importance. My verdict. The book will be useful to those who know little about the correct presentation of information and effective negotiations. Interesting examples and easy language will help to learn the material well, but in some places you need to be more attentive, and not take all the advice on faith.
I noticed that a bad book swears easily and with inspiration, but it is always difficult to write about a great book. I'm sitting dumb, thinking of the beginning. I write "beautiful" and erase, must read - erase, "all the components of a bestseller" - erase. It turns out some kind of banality, and the book is so good that I want to tell about it somehow in a special way. Especially when it's a book about proper writing.
And yet, whatever one may say, but must read! And everyone. And don't let the "selling" name fool you. Where is this difference between a "business" letter and a "non-business" one? In my opinion, only letters to a close or beloved person can be considered exclusively non-business, but do we write a lot of them? Take a look at the “sent” and see how many requests, suggestions, apologies, refusals, explanations and claims are there.
Here, for example, is the famous letter from Vanka Zhukov “to the village of grandfather” - is it businesslike? Yes, the most that neither is. So Sasha Karepina dissects the document so masterfully that Vanka becomes completely sorry. Not only does he suffer all sorts of hardships, but there is also no business coach nearby who would clearly explain to him how to convince his grandfather to urgently take him back to the village.
Let's face it, the book is not about letters at all. It's about calligraphy. Those. about the ability to write not only without errors and blots, but also without verbal garbage. Systematic, logical, simple. Mentioned at the very beginning (Minto) sets such a high standard of presentation and content that a rogue specializing in "sales mailings" would not pull. Karepina's book - Minto for dummies. It doesn't mean she's weaker. It's just built differently. Minto is a theory. Brilliantly written, richly illustrated, but still difficult to digest by our "beetle vans". Karepina's book is a workbook with many picturesque, witty and convincing examples: Onegin's letter to Tatyana, a letter to the Turkish Sultan, the fable "The Wolf and the Lamb".
Here, for example, how witty and intelligibly Sasha Karepina illustrates what a dead and complicated clerk is and why it is necessary to get rid of it:
4. There is a fact of walking and swaying of the bull
3. Walking and swaying is carried out by a bull
2. The steer walks and wiggles
1. A bull is walking, swinging
Finally, this book is not about art, but about a craft or, if you like, a skill. It is not necessary to enter the Faculty of Russian Language and Literature in order to learn how to write well, just as it is not necessary to run to a culinary college in order to learn how to cook good borscht. It is enough to know “laws, tricks, tools”, just a little diligence, practice and a couple of such books are enough. And the "way to the heart" of any person is ordered to you.
How to influence people with a word at a distance? How to convey the essence of the message and your emotions without distortion? How to get the desired response? How to refuse without offending, justify without anger, demand or ask - and get what you want? Sasha Karepina, a business writing coach, answers all these questions. The rules and techniques of persuasive business writing, the technique of creating working texts are illustrated with examples not only from business, but also from history and literature. It is impossible not to remember them.
The book will be of great help to anyone who at least sometimes makes commercial offers, conducts correspondence with clients and partners, writes resumes, fills the corporate website with information, prepares press releases, reports in writing on the work done and simply communicates in an epistolary genre.
Written speech: gift, craft, art
Letters, words, phrases, sentences, letters, letters, letters. Every day we write and read, read and write. However, we send some to the basket, some we leave without reading, we answer some. Which where - depends not only on the sender, but also on the text itself. One "hooks" us, and we read to the end; the other repulses from the very beginning.
The art of writing letters, like oratory, is thousands of years old. And this art has always been so valued that the powerful of this world hired people who own it to serve. And they put their signatures and seals under the texts composed by nameless compilers.
The times have passed, more and more literate people have become. There are more texts on different occasions. Today we do not send messengers hundreds of kilometers with a scroll and do not tie a note to a pigeon's foot. It is enough to take the phone and dial SMS, open the lid of the laptop and send a message via Skype. Written speech became more accessible and commonplace. But writing as an art did not become less appreciated. In the army and places not so remote, this is clearly noticeable: there is always a “clerk” who is asked to write a letter in especially sensitive cases: when you need to ask for forgiveness from your mother, make an offer to your beloved, or ask an old friend for help. Such a "clerk" enjoys special patronage and never needs anything. In ordinary everyday life, a person who masterfully owns the written word also has an asset that can help him, his relatives, his organization to solve many problems. Solve beautifully while saving other assets.
Personally, I, like many, are better at speaking than at writing. But here I perceive better, like most, the written text. When we make a presentation, we care little about the beauty of the style: we want an effect, a result, we are concerned about the applied nature of our words. A letter is the same presentation, but without a speaker, without a gesture and facial expressions, without slides and a microphone. And so the addressee can focus on the text. This is both bad and good at the same time. The bad thing is that we cannot influence his senses with the whole arsenal of our techniques. And the good thing is that a well-written text will not leave a chance of refusal.
Interestingly written, rich in examples from different eras and different areas of life, Sasha Karepina's book "The Art of Business Writing" is in itself a brilliant example of how any text should be written. And besides this - a very timely and modern manual for anyone who has mastered the craft of writing and is ready to master the art.
From the author
On July 5, 1871, Nevada tailor Jacob Davis wrote a letter that forever changed ... our wardrobe. We all write every day to change something: our client base, income, working conditions - yes, finally, reputation. We draw up commercial offers, correspond with clients and partners, write cover letters and resumes, we fill the corporate website with information, we prepare press releases. Sometimes our texts "shoot", but it happens that they junk like an incorrectly assembled mechanism.
However, why "how"? Each text is a mechanism - a mechanism for influencing the addressee. If it does not work, it means that we violated the assembly rules: we chose the wrong drawing, took the wrong parts, put them together in the wrong way. That is, they made a mistake in the structure, built phrases inefficiently, picked up the wrong words, or missed the design.
Of course, you can assemble the mechanism on a whim, but it is much more convenient to have instructions for this purpose. When a modern person encounters difficulties in writing a business letter, he wants to take the appropriate book and find a clear answer in it. At least that's what I wanted when I had to deal with the topic of correspondence closely. Imagine my surprise when it turned out that there are practically no such books on the shelves of stores! There are books on office work, copywriting, style, argumentation, but there is no complete instruction for those who want to use a business letter as a tool in the afternoon with fire!
As a business communications coach, this seemed wrong to me. I set about compiling the missing instruction, and three years later it was born. The result is in front of you. The book includes practical observations - mine and other authors, as well as numerous examples: business, historical and literary. And the letter of Jacob Davis, of course, was also included - it was not in vain that we started a conversation with him ...
How to influence people with a word from a distance? How to convey the essence of the message and your emotions without distortion? How to get the desired response? How to refuse without offending, justify without anger, demand or ask - and get what you want? Sasha Karepina, a business writing coach, answers all these questions. The rules and techniques of persuasive business writing, the technique of creating working texts are illustrated with examples not only from business, but also from history and literature. It is impossible not to remember them.
The book will be of great help to anyone who at least sometimes makes commercial offers, communicates with clients and partners, writes resumes, fills in information on a corporate website, prepares press releases, reports in writing on the work done and simply communicates in an epistolary genre.
Luigi Bezzero was the first to brew a cup of espresso. Called first from mobile phone Martin Cooper. Alexey Boyarshinov (cybrat LiveJournal), Galina Popova (galina_vl), Lee D (lee-der), Maria Kuznetsova (kumanica), and also Natalya Rudina, Olga Mukhina, Sergey Solomonov, Tatyana Agafonova were the first to read this book and helped make it better and Tatyana Badya. Huge thanks to them!Written speech: gift, craft, art
Letters, words, phrases, sentences, letters, letters, letters. Every day we write and read, read and write. However, we send some to the basket, some we leave without reading, we answer some. Which where - depends not only on the sender, but also on the text itself. One "hooks" us, and we read to the end; the other repulses from the very beginning.
The art of writing letters, like oratory, is thousands of years old. And this art has always been so valued that the powerful of this world hired people who own it to serve. And they put their signatures and seals under the texts composed by nameless compilers.
The times have passed, more and more literate people have become. There are more texts on different occasions. Today we do not send messengers hundreds of kilometers with a scroll and do not tie a note to a pigeon's foot. It is enough to take the phone and dial SMS, open the lid of the laptop and send a message via Skype. Written speech has become more accessible and more commonplace. But writing as an art did not become less appreciated. In the army and places not so remote, this is clearly noticeable: there is always a “clerk” who is asked to write a letter in especially sensitive cases: when you need to ask for forgiveness from your mother, make an offer to your beloved, or ask an old friend for help. Such a "clerk" enjoys special patronage and never needs anything. In ordinary everyday life, a person who masterfully owns the written word also has an asset that can help him, his relatives, his organization to solve many problems. Solve beautifully while saving other assets.
Personally, I, like many, are better at speaking than at writing. But here I perceive better, like most, the written text. When we make a presentation, we care little about the beauty of the style: we want an effect, a result, we are concerned about the applied nature of our words. A letter is the same presentation, but without a speaker, without a gesture and facial expressions, without slides and a microphone. And so the addressee can focus on the text. This is both bad and good at the same time. The bad thing is that we cannot influence his senses with the whole arsenal of our techniques. And the good thing is that a well-written text will not leave a chance of refusal.
Interestingly written, rich in examples from different eras and different areas of life, Sasha Karepina's book "The Art of Business Writing" is in itself a brilliant example of how any text should be written. And besides this - a very timely and modern manual for anyone who has mastered the craft of writing and is ready to master the art.
Radislav Gandapas,
public speaking coach,
motivation and mastery of influence,
co-owner of the training company "Oratorika"
Market Sense Company
Daniel Pink, presenting a new understanding of motivation as part of his public lecture, said: “And this is not ... - that's the point! This is not a feeling. This is not philosophy. This is nothing but a fact." Sasha Karepina is of the same opinion, only in her field. Yes, business writing is an art. However, there are no "secrets" or insights in it. Only laws, tricks and tools.
Essence: The famous copywriter Joseph Sugarman once admitted: “You never know for sure what will work and what will not”. Therefore, it is not surprising that the skills of business writing or copywriting seem magical to many. Sasha Karepina in her book shows that there are no guarantees, but it is possible and necessary to learn how to write reliably and convincingly. And if business correspondence is a craft, then the rest is just a matter of technology.
Advantages:
- Strategy. No secrets. “This is the principle of the tree in action:cat the beginning, the headline of the letter explains what we came with, then the headline phrases of the paragraphs outline the situation in large strokes, and only then the “ordinary” sentences provide details, ”- reveals the author. Everywhere there is logic, consistency, a reliable path to follow. "If instead of clean slate we have a ready set of facts in front of us, it is more convenient to climb up the tree. We take the first fact from the set and ask ourselves the question: What does this fact say? Are there other facts on the list that point to the same thing? How can all of them be summarized?
- Style. The book is written in easy language, it is lively and understandable. Examples illustrating the technology of writing are taken from life and classical Russian literature. For example, from Chekhov's story "Vanka". “If we are writing from scratch and have not yet collected facts in support of our idea, it is more convenient to go down the tree. We ask ourselves the question why it is necessary to take Vanka to the village, and we answer it with two or three brief statements: Because in the city Vanka only suffers, but in the countryside he will be useful to his grandfather. We get "underlined" phrases - the head phrases of the branches of the tree". Fascination helps the book to be remembered, knowledge and skills settle in the head.
- Tactics. As befits a textbook, the book is full of techniques for mastering the material. Modular system, step-by-step learning process is already visible from the table of contents. Techniques are divided by types of letters, the methods have metaphorical names.
- Structure. This is a handbook. A clear table of contents, links to additional downloads, templates, and highlights that are highlighted in bold.
- Language. The book is Russian, written on the basis of trainings, adapted to the Slavic reality.
- Success. This book proves that quality business literature can be written in more than just English. According to readers prior to this book “There were reference books for secretaries, there was a “high-browed literature” on linguistics, there was a guide for translators by Nora Gal, there was a complex and abstruse Barbara Minto with her pyramid ... But there was not what was needed”.
Flaws:
- This book is not a panacea, though. In poker terms, this is " best hand”, cards that give a win with a high probability. High probability is not synonymous with guarantee.
- The book is designed for an inquisitive mind that already understands a lot. The reader's mind must be ready to accept the proposed models.
- Training book. The approach professed by the author suits the author, me and her students. Whether it works for you, I don't know.
Bottom line: The Art of Business Writing is a reliable weapon. If it suits you, fits comfortably in your hand, then it will not let you down.
Rating: 10/10 on the scalemarketsense.by
Tatyana Badya, business coach, speed reading specialisti-smeh-i-greh.livejournal.com
Show me at least one modern person who would not write a single business letter in his life. Even if you manage to find it, I will exclaim: “I don’t believe it!”. After all, even a semi-literate milkmaid probably asked the chairman of the collective farm in writing to improve working conditions. Or wrote to the local newspaper. About the very chairman of the collective farm, who, it turns out, is an anti-Soviet. Or she communicated with her gentleman in short notes - also “on business”.
I will not talk in detail about the torment into which correspondence for business people turns. You know. You won’t be able to establish contact with a potential client / investor / partner (but it seems that everything was written so beautifully). Then you will make an unfortunate mistake (well, if the addressee is not offended). Or even quarrel with a good man out of the blue (you wrote - he misunderstood - you reacted - he reacted x 2 - and so on).
I have been looking for a good book for a long time. business correspondence. A domestic book that would not be a translation of a Western edition or its tracing paper. Because, by God, it's funny when I'm offered to call our Siberian man sir. Or sign "Sincerely yours, Mrs. Badya."
The book I was looking for has finally arrived. Rather, it will appear soon - I managed to read it before it appeared in stores. The book is called The Art of Business Writing. The author is Sasha Karepina. Publishing house - "Mann, Ivanov, Ferber".
“Art…” is written easily, beautifully, “melodiously”. And this distinguishes Sasha's work from many others. After all, to tell excitingly and with humor about a topic that makes you want to yawn - you have to try! The author managed not only to tell, but to teach us, readers, how to write business letters. Competent and efficient.
I really liked the examples taken from business practice and from fiction. The latter is not decoration at all. If you look closely, many famous letters(yeah, and from Tatyana - Onegin too!) are quite consistent with the principles of business correspondence.
The classification of business letters was a discovery for me. For some reason it seemed to me that they were all equally faceless. In fact, there are letters of recognition, refusals, excuses ... And each of these letters has its own characteristics and "chips".
Already interested? If you think that I will now give out the entire contents of the book, you are mistaken! Find a book, read it, and put it into practice. On one's own. Then there will be more benefit and pleasure)))
P.S. If you are in a disgusting mood, open the last page of Sasha's book. Just do not forget to prepare a handkerchief, because you will laugh to tears;)
Kirill Emelyanov, Ph.D. PhD, Advertising Specialist, ENPRO Company, Moscow
The book "The Art of Business Writing" from the first lines captures even the most sophisticated reader, a professional copywriter. A non-standard approach to the presentation of material, vivid examples, figurative language - all this makes the process of improving your writing skills easy and fun. I never thought that a book on business writing, and, therefore, focused on a very specific and specific profession, can be learned and benefit the reader with any background - both an experienced PR specialist and a novice secretary. "The art of business writing", unlike any other art, does not require any sacrifice. Just start reading - and you will get great pleasure!
Alexey Boyarshinov, Head of Development Department, Rotor IT LLC
Writing is undoubtedly the most correct way of communication in our "twitchy" world. Personally, I prefer when a request, question, proposal to me is set out in writing. First, it documents both the request and the response received. Secondly, a letter, unlike, for example, a phone call, does not require an immediate response. The letter gives the addressee the opportunity to read and answer at a convenient time, without dropping everything because of a jangled pipe.
In general - a written presentation of thoughts to be!
It should be noted that a competent written presentation is a separate issue, no less difficult than the art of speaking in public. Writing is easier - after all, you can read your text, correct it, re-read it, correct it again, then think, re-read and edit it again :) and only after a satisfactory result - send it to the recipient. And the word is not a sparrow, it will fly out - you won’t catch it.
But writing is even more difficult. Wrongly spoken phrase - may be missed by the audience, or forgotten. Incorrect intonation can be written off as excitement. In the end, speaking with people, you can monitor their reaction and, if necessary, quickly correct both the content and the non-verbal accompaniment of your speech. And with a letter, we lose control over the situation from the moment the "Send" button is pressed (or from the moment the letter is dropped into the mailbox). And here there is another saying: "What is written with a pen - you can not cut it with an ax."
(Wonderful Russian folklore - it has a proverb for any occasion.)
So how do you write a letter so that the reader gets past the first line? and to read to the end? so that after reading it does not tear it to pieces (or send it to spam)? If our letter - offers, sells, calls, how to make sure that it has the right effect on the reader? how to make it as if we are standing side by side, and gently guide the reader in the direction we need?
Yes, public speaking is certainly a tactic, and writing is a grand strategy.
Sergey Solomonov, culturologist - orientalist
This book is fascinating not only because it gives good advice on the topic “how to write business letters correctly”, but you can also read it just for your own pleasure, traveling with the author through famous literary works, meeting different heroes of these works, using the example which the author demonstrates the art of applying the tools and tricks of business writing.
Consultant and business coach
Team Training Company
Why is this book worth reading? First, among the large number of books on business communication, it is difficult to find books on business correspondence. Secondly, because the book is written in an easy and understandable language, it contains interesting and vivid examples of what business correspondence should be, and what it would be better not to be. And even if you don't find answers to all your questions in this book, it can make writing letters, reports, proposals, and presentations easier.
And most importantly: this book restores confidence that the business style of the Russian language can be understandable, concise and, if you like, elegant. And this is not at all the bureaucratic language that everyone has to deal with and that one does not want to get used to. I am sure that the book will be of interest to a large number of readers.
Have questions. to which there are no answers. For me, until recently, such a question was "What would you advise to read on the topic of a business letter?"
I conduct seminars on this topic, I was constantly asked the question, but there was nothing to recommend. Surprisingly, there was no intelligible textbook in bookstores - a problem book - a reference book that would cover all the issues of business correspondence and, more broadly, the creation of business and selling texts in one book.
There were reference books for secretaries, there was "high-browed literature" on linguistics, there was Nora Gal's manual for translators, the complexly abstruse Barbara Minto beat with her pyramid ... But what was needed was not there.
And now there is. Sasha Karepina's book was published last week"The art of business writing. Laws, tricks, tools." I think it's a super book. Something that has been long overdue.
Why did she get me so hooked?
- Firstly, systematic approach. The book lays out on the shelves what the result of our writing depends on, shows the main levers - and explains how to pull these levers.
- Secondly, practicality. There is no philological zaum in the book. Everything is clear, in the language of a normal person, for whom writing is a tool in the work. Especially for this person, with answers to his questions.
- Thirdly, dullness. Have you seen a lot of books on business writing with funny pictures - illustrations? I saw - but only from American authors. Ours for the first time. Moreover, Sasha drew illustrations for "Art" herself. Who knows how she knows how to misbehave, and remembers the drawings at her trainings - he can imagine.
- Fourth - unexpected cognition beyond the scope of a business letter. Do you know with what letter the history of jeans began? Have you read the instructions of an ancient Sumerian to his son? Read - find out. In the book of this shoe polish ...
I have always waited for this question - and feared it. After each seminar on business writing, the participants asked me: what would you advise to read on this topic? And every time I had nothing to advise them. Well, we didn’t sell sensible Russian-language books on business correspondence. There were paperwork, there were linguistics - but there were no such ones to give to a person who uses texts in his work, and so that this person could find all the necessary advice there.
And now there is. Today they finally brought me Sasha Karepina's book "The Art of Business Writing. Laws, Tricks, Tools." Actually, I doubted. On the one hand, I read Sasha a lot. On the other hand, it's always scary... But the book begins with a foreword by Radislav Gandapas - that's what "finished" me. Bought. I'm reading. Dov-o-olen! Highly recommend.
The first thing that catches your eye is that the book is absolutely not boring. Even, perhaps, hooligan. With cheerful illustrations of the author - firstly. With examples from Zoshchenko, Chekhov, from Sumerian clay tablets and even ... from thieves' lyrics, secondly. My favorite examples are a letter to a neighbor (Chekhov) and a letter that started the fate of jeans. However, I will not be ahead of time;)
Moreover, this is absolutely not only a "book to neigh." Yes, it all starts with entertaining and funny things - but then, when the technique is explained, Sasha will definitely show it on the real one, working situation. Moreover, all letters for real situations, all clichés and templates can be downloaded at in electronic format from the book's website. As a coach, this is super convenient for me.
Alexander Volchenkov
Paper book. My reading time: 2.5 hours. Rating 5 points out of 5 possible.
Some friends and acquaintances consider me a "writer". Yes, I write a lot and I'm proud of it.
But even with my experience of writing a variety of texts, this book grabbed my soul. And there are several reasons for this:
- It is written in simple and good language.
- It has a very subtle irony and a touch of charming humor (especially in pictures and examples) - to decompress the most famous literary letter for ANY target audience you have to be able to, and Sasha did it.
- An excellent system for writing business messages, and a variety of them (from offers to informing letters)
- Indeed, as the title promises, there are working models and clear instructions for the tools...
But there is also a fly in the ointment in this drop of ambrosia. If you need to write a sales text, then do not look for advice on this matter here. There is a section on sales texts, but honestly, it is not the strongest either in the book or in business literature in general. You can understand the author and publishers who follow fashion trends. But it seems that selling texts are not Sasha's strongest point.
But still I put it 5 out of 5, because I like understanding, simplicity, clarity and lively instrumentalism. And this book has more than enough of all my favorite things.
How many letters do you write per day? My colleagues write and receive, according to them, from 100 to 200 letters a day (I would go crazy))). Some of us write less, some more, but what unites us is that everyone does IT. And it will be good if you can do it. That is, you will be able to write letters that achieve their goals.
Before us is a book about how to write such a letter. Official or not, a request or a refusal, a claim or an excuse. About how to build text, and even how to format it.
- The principle of the tree in the construction of the text: first, the title phrase explains what we came up with, then the title phrases of the paragraphs describe the situation in large strokes, then the “ordinary” sentences provide details. (You can read more about the construction of the text in the Minto Pyramid)
- You need to find a “penny” - something that interests and excites the addressee, meets his needs - and show this penny.
- If we need really understandable texts, then the subjects and predicates in these texts need to be made specific and informative. And if we are talking about an action, then the verb should convey the essence of this action in the predicate.
- Sentences should begin with the most important (subject-predicate, only then the details).
- Lead paragraph options (the one at the very beginning): sign up for influential ones; sign up with relatives and friends; try to please; we convince that we will disappear without an addressee; interest and intrigue.
There are a lot of things, but I'm afraid to rewrite the whole book if I start writing something else)
Each chapter contains an example of writing, including from the classics (Chekhov, Pushkin, Krylov), which corresponds to the given topic. One of the examples can be read only for pleasure - the correspondence of residents with the head of the housing office.
In a good way, you need to write that this book should be a desktop one, you need to leaf through it when composing difficult letters, until all the tips are imprinted on your fingertips and become a habit. All this is so. But if you keep all the desk books on the table, then there will soon be no room for work on it and you will have to start a second table. But!
Even if this book is not at hand, you can use letter templates for different circumstances (which I do from time to time). They clearly describe what should be in a particular letter. This information can be of great help, especially if you do not know how to approach the text.
Just don't overdo it. As in any business, in letters you should not get too carried away, go beyond the invisible line. And then you write to one smart person “you, as a smart person, should be clear ...”, and he will suddenly look askance at you. An example from life, by the way! Be careful;)
Everything else for writing extraordinary letters can be found in The Art of Business Writing. It is read almost in one breath (and when it is necessary to write the most important letter, then in two - it is read and re-read!).
jsalt
It is hard to imagine that there are still people who do not use email. But even if there are such, by all means everyone writes letters.
business person, no matter how much he had a desire, correspondence cannot be avoided. To show his professionalism in all plans, he must write correctly. This refers not only to punctuation and spelling, but also to the style of writing.
This book is a panacea office worker. With the help of the book, you will learn not only to correctly refuse, but also to sell competently. Usefulness of the book highest level. Be sure to keep it on the table, if only because of practical examples.
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