Adam C.
Writing can be an extremely mysterious and perplexing topic. To the uninitiated, writing can be impenetrable and make you feel like it would be easier just to give up. We all remember sitting through grammar lessons in high school, but that didn’t provide us with a manual for how to apply practical lessons to our daily writing needs.
To address this need, in manufacturing, there is a concept called a “standard work” – a checklist to follow each time a specific task is performed. This book provides a standard work for emails, letters/memos, reports, presentations, blogs, and business proposals. 7 Steps to Better Writing excels at providing checklists to get you started and ensure you’ve considered every angle of your writing, including the arrangement of words on the page to present a professional appearance.
In several places of the book, Charles reminds us to consider the audience as an example of a step that is commonly glazed over in the fast-paced modern world. The grammar section has excellent examples and is a great resource to have as a quick reference when needed; and in a decade on the job as an engineer, I had never come across the readability index feature in Word to provide instant feedback on your writing style. I especially enjoyed the passage on the power of short words as many people attempt to signal their intelligence with large, obscure words when all it ends up doing is distracting the reader.
I highly recommend this book if you are looking for guidance in how to systematically improve your writing, but especially if you are not sure how to get started. This book deserves a spot in every reference bookshelf as improved writing skills can greatly enhance your everyday life in helping to explain your viewpoints clearly and efficiently.
S. R.
This book came highly recommended to me. I have been looking for a reference book like this for awhile. It will be an important tool for me since I have the responsibility to provide accurate technical reports to my clients for projects I manage. It is clearly authored by an engineer because of the way it is formatted. I have reserved a spot on my library shelf for it next to my desk for quick access. In addition, it is well worth the money!
T. A.
For years I have used some very archaic resources for re-honing my writing skills, like Strunk and White. Finally someone has created a book with clear and simple instructions on how to vastly improve your writing skills, and brought it into this century. Not only will you improve your personal writing skills, but your emails, reports and memos will be more professional and concise. This quick read could easily improve your job status, and with practice could streamline the way you write. Excellent book.
Tim O.
This is a system for creating any type written document. By following Maxwell’s seven steps, the writer can’t help but to create a serviceable document. I suggest buying the printed version and keeping it handy. The tips and advice will help the writer take the document a step beyond serviceable, to effective, even compelling. The guide will be especially useful for inexperienced writers because of all the “tricks of the trade” shared throughout.
R. M.
Charles’ book is an excellent guide/refresher for anyone who wants to quickly improve their writing skills. The format of each section is the same, making the steps easy to follow. It is short and concise. My background is engineering. This book would be a great reference for any young engineer looking to hone his or her writing skills.
R. T.
Very helpful book. You can use the Table of Contents as a checklist for your writing Then you can drill down on areas you want help on.
M. S.
The author shows his depth of knowledge of this important topic. Anyone engaged in technical writing should have this as a handy reference. Used in its entirety it would make an excellent text for a university level course. It is well constructed in approach. I especially enjoyed the appendix on words people confuse.
Tim S.
Great book for professionals and students about a topic that’s vital for both groups. Very nice layout. Good references, links, and notes!
M. I.
7 Steps to Better Writing is a book I will keep in my tool kit to write texts, e-mails, papers and perhaps a book. The author provided a great illustration to represent the seven steps starting with “identify readers and purpose.” This step is often neglected, even in presentations, basically the book reminds the reader to start with the basics. Additional resources are listed throughout the book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who writes, even folks who only write texts and e-mails.
Zach S.
Mr. Maxwell’s seven steps are logical and easy to follow. Each step provides a strong foundation with excellent examples and explanations of how to enhance your written communications. Mr. Maxwell shares his exceptional expertise and experience to assist you with achieving communications success. By using the techniques in the 7 Steps to Better Writing, you will be able to communicate clearly and effectively with your audience.
T. M.
Useful resource for learning about business writing. Full of suggestions on how to approach writing and actionable tips for enhancing the impact of your words. I especially enjoyed the quotes from famous writers and interesting tidbits like the history of two spaces after a period. Solid primer on effective writing.
Maggie M.
Charles Maxwell has put together a clear, concise, and accessible book that advises on the importance of writing. Maxwell argues convincingly that understandable, good writing is for everyone. With seven steps taking you from identifying the purpose of writing all the way to proofing a final draft, these writing suggestions will take any piece of writing closer to being understood and accessible to a wide range of audiences. Highly recommended for everyone across a range of experiences; there are many pockets of insight that can be applied broadly and usefully.