Dr. GoodWrite Featured in "Best Practices in HR"

We are pleased to announce that Dr. GoodWrite is featured prominently
in the latest issue of “Best Practices in HR,” published by BLR, Inc.

In a front-page article, this respected industry newsletter discusses
how, “Poorly written e-mails or proposals can tarnish a company’s
image, reduce productivity, and hold employees back in their careers.”

The article quotes Bill Kozel, president of Dr. GoodWrite, as saying,
“As a company invests millions of dollars in its overall image, it
should also consider how quickly that image can be undone by a poorly
written e-mail or a grammatically incorrect memo.”

For additional details, or to enroll your company in a free trial of Dr. GoodWrite, please e-mail sales@drgoodwrite.com.

Safire's Rules

William Safire, the great speechwriter, language commentator and wit who passed away in September, offered these tongue-in-cheek rules for writers:
• Remember to never split an infinitive
• Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixing metaphors
• Proofread carefully to see if you words out
• Avoid cliches like the plague
• Don't overuse exclamation marks!!

Great Letter to the Editor

Here's an excerpt from a recent letter to the New York Times:

What I learned in my English composition courses I have distilled into advice that I subsequently imparted, over and over again, to my own first-year students during nearly 40 years as a professor of American history: If you will not devote yourself to learning to write, you will discover yourself hampered and frustrated by your inability to think effectively.

Writing and thinking stand among the keys to learning.

Michael H. Ebner
Professor Emeritus, Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Ill.

In a Tough Economy, Writing Matters

In a brutally competitive economy, you need every e-mail, letter, PowerPoint, and proposal to be as professional as possible. And yet, today’s workforce is less prepared than ever before to make a favorable impression.

• 72% of employers rate high school graduates as “deficient” in basic writing skills
• 28% of employers rate college graduates as deficient in writing
• One-third of employees in blue-chip U.S. companies write poorly

What is your organization doing to improve the communication skills of its employees? Your thoughts and stories welcomed.

Advertising Hall of Shame

This week's entrant into Dr. GoodWrite's Hall of Shame: Outback Steakhouse and its latest slogan: "Live Adventurous"

How hard would it be to make it grammatically correct: "Live Adventurously"?

Hall of Shame Entry

The latest entry to Dr. GoodWrite's Hall of Shame was forwarded by a friend.

The following e-mail contained the subject line, "position needed," which signaled the quality of the thinking to follow. Here, with details changed to protect the innocent, is how it looked:

Hi Don,
Thanks for attempting to help This position is a Dir. Of Cosmetics Sales, must have RSD/Broker exp. This person will be responsible for Direct Accounts and Broker Accounts, overseeing the Q-Mart org.; reports to VP of Sales, wants person in N. or S. Nev. , someone that has managed people, a working knowledge of cosmetics, someone that can lead and motivate tems….5-10 years exp. in cosmetics channels. $55-100K, + 25% bonus, equity…..Thank you for putting any feelers out, much appreciated!! Hope to see you all soon!!! Take care, Molly