Press Kit

Words at Work: Powerful business writing delivers increased sales, improved results, and even a promotion or two.

Winner of National Best Books 2009 Award

Association for Creative Business Writing
ISBN 0-615-30426-5
Paperback 5.25 x 8
164 pages

Creative writing isn’t just for novelists, poets, or copywriters. Isn't it time somebody thought of all the workers writing letters and reports, articles and proposals every day at work? With a little creativity, they can enjoy increased sales and improved results—and, while they're at it, have a little more fun at work.

Check out my excerpts, Q&A, and/or press releases. And the interesting angles? I’d love to discuss them with you. To schedule an interview or event, contact me directly.

Lynda McDaniel, Director
Association for Creative Business Writing
San Francisco's East Bay, California
925.465.1831
director@afcbw.com

PRESS RELEASES

#1. 7 Easy Ways to Improve Your Writing—and Gain a Competitive Edge at Work.

Writing is one of the most accessible—and overlooked—tools for getting a job, keeping a job, and earning a promotion or two. Seven easy tips help anyone write better today.
Read complete press release

#2. “Sloppy business writing is like greasy hair and spinach between our incisors. It’s like walking around unkempt.”

In her latest book—Words at Work: Powerful business writing delivers increased sales, improved results, and even a promotion or two—Lynda McDaniel offers proven tools and techniques to give business writing a much-needed makeover. Includes five unique ways to improve writing.
Read complete press release

#3. Association for Creative Business Writing takes business writing from awful to awesome.

New association offers instruction and inspiration to help everyone in the workplace write with more pizzazz.
Read complete press release

WORDS at WORK BOOK COVER
Download Cover an Acrobat (pdf) file
Download Cover as a .tiff file

FACT SHEETS

	Interesting Angles Read it
	Q&A with Lynda McDaniel Read it
	Excerpts Read it
	Lynda McDaniel Biography

Short Bio: Lynda McDaniel, director of the Association for Creative Business Writing, is author of five books. Her latest book, Words at Work: Powerful business writing can deliver increased sales, improved results, and even a promotion or two, offers tools and techniques to help everyone in the workplace write more effectively. Lynda brings more than 25 years of writing and writing-training experience to her books, coaching, and seminars. Her business writing and training career includes national and regional clients such as DuPont, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The Boeing Company, Key Bank, City of Seattle, U.S. Small Business Administration, and the University of Washington. Her long career as a journalist includes feature articles for magazines and newspapers such as Law & Politics, Associations Now, Southern Living, Country Living, AmericanStyle, guideposts.com, and washingtonpost.com.

Detailed Biography Read detailed bio.

Praise for Words at Work

This solid little book packs a punch—with powerful reminders for the pros while giving fearful writers a coach, cheerleader, and role model. McDaniel shares proven practices learned the hard way. This deceptively simple and engaging guide for workplace writers is highly recommended.   
                             —ForeWord Reviews    Read full review

Professional writing coach McDaniel addresses the sad fact that business writing is becoming somewhat of a lost art, largely because of e-mail and other electronic communications. “When you write only short e-mail and text messages,” she writes, “your ability to develop your thoughts shrivels, along with your ability to persuade, sell, teach, improve, guide, change, contribute, and create.” ...Unlike most business-writing courses and books that are dry and dull, McDaniel’s work is a breezy, well-written how-to guide, nicely held together with stories of her experiences. The author is unafraid to illustrate some of her lessons with personal challenges and failures, which may be the best teacher. ... McDaniel presents all of the material in the book clearly, concisely, and with a healthy dose of encouragement based on the optimistic belief that “everyone can learn to write well” and that “bad writers just stopped too soon.” ... The book’s readability is proof positive that the author’s counsel is sound. A timely manual that business people at any level will find useful.                   —Kirkus Discoveries Review 

Good writing skills are a solid predictor of career success and in this excellent and engaging reference, McDaniel’s mantra is ‘You CAN improve your writing.’ If you want or need to become a better writer, you need this book. Words at Work will help you banish your fears of writing while providing you with all the tools you’ll need to confidently tackle any writing task you’re called on to handle.
                             —Peter Bowerman, Author, The Well-Fed Writer series, www.wellfedwriter.com 

As a professional, I have had the opportunity to read and use the wisdom from many self help books, and the key is finding one that is timely, doesn’t demean and is immediately useful. McDaniel achieves this by teaching you the process from beginning to end, including the little used rough draft and self-critique. In order to become a good writer, you need to become your audience. McDaniel shows you how to see your writing through the eyes of others, how to target your audience and how to make more out of less. I found her insight, experience and teaching style a very nice blend. Whether you are just starting out, well seasoned or just wondering if your style is helping or hurting, Words at Work will give you the answer. It is a great desk reference that I completely recommend.        
                           —Gregory J. Saunders, Allbooks Reviews 

Words at Work is a short storybook full of true tales from the writing life of a successful publicist, journalist, and writing coach.  In it, she introduces us to the key lessons anyone needs to effectively connect with others through words on paper and screen.  Along the way she introduces us to her mentors, and by doing so, makes them our own, and in the process her book becomes a gift.
                            —Dan Kennedy, Results That Matter (www.ResultsThatMatter.com), Seattle, Washington 

If you want—or need—to become a better writer, then get yourself a copy of Words at Work. Lynda McDaniel provides a treasure chest of practical information, but she offers readers so much more than “instruction.” Using stories from her own journey as a writer and consultant, Lynda’s chapters lead by example and take the “dry” out of commercial and business writing. No other book I know explains timeless writing concepts—active versus passive voice, creating strong leads, using similes, and choosing vivid verbs—with such delightful style and sense of fun. Most of all, Lynda’s stories and examples will nudge even the most insecure writers to push aside their fears and trust their ability to write well. Lynda reminds us that “bad writers stopped too soon.” Concise and entertaining, Words at Work is definitely a keeper. You’ll go back to it again and again for inspiration and practical advice.   —Virginia McCullough (www.virginiamccullough.com), ghostwriter/editor and author of numerous books

Words at Work is fabulous, fabulous, fabulous.  I couldn’t put it down.  I’m going to recommend it in my writing and graduate-reading courses.  It’s so readable, and the style is lively and thoughtful.  Words at Work is a perfect example of what Lynda is talking about—and she obviously knows what she’s talking about.  I just love it.   
                              —Dr. Irene Willis, educator, author, and poet; most recent collection, Those Flames.

"Creative writing takes time and talent; but the basics can be learned.  Words at Work will equip executives and creative types alike with the tools to make your writing come alive. "
                              —Andrew Glasgow, Executive Director, American Crafts Council

What's wonderful about Words at Work is how grounded in real-life experience it is. No hocus-pocus or hokum. It's going to be very valuable resource for those who want to improve their business and professional writing. And it was a nice refresher for me too! (I'm a professional writer/editor)  
                             —Anne Simpkinson, online managing editor, Guideposts.com