INTRODUCTION

The AMA Handbook of Business Writing is a desktop job aid for all corporate communicators. The book is a collection of easy-to-find information on style, grammar, usage, punctuation, language construction, formatting, and business documents.

In writing three editions of the Administrative Assistant’s and Secretary’s Handbook, we have done extensive research on language usage. In addition, we are the founders of a corporate communications consulting business with over 25 years’ experience working for many Fortune 500 companies like IBM, AT&T, Sony, Chevron, Hewlett Packard, and Cox Enterprises. In our work, we’ve developed hundreds of business documents including Web sites, brochures, reports, presentations, marketing plans, policy manuals, video programs, software tutorials, and training materials. In The AMA Handbook of Business Writing, we take the best of these corporate business writing guidelines and organize them in a way corporate writers will find useful.

We’ve written the book so you can easily find information on a particular topic and quickly get back to your writing project. We have alphabetized most of the book and included cross-references to assist you in finding alternatively worded entries.

The book is organized into three sections:

Section 1: The Writing Process

Section 2: The Business Writer’s Alphabetical Reference

Section 3: Sample Business Documents

The book also includes a detailed table of contents and index that will assist you in quickly finding what you are seeking.

The Sample Business Documents section includes guidelines, tips, and a wide variety of business documents, including annual reports, brochures, business letters, business plans, grant proposals, mission statements, newsletters, policies, press releases, proposals, résumés, surveys, speeches, training manuals, user guides, and white papers.

We believe The AMA Handbook of Business Writing is an essential desk reference for the following business writers:

Corporate communications writers and managers

Marketing writers and managers

Human resources administrators and managers

Sales representatives and managers

Training developers and managers

Technical writers

Grant writers

Public relations writers

Administrative assistants