Whether you want to write a business letter, report, e-mail, memo, or a best seller, this authoritative book is the place to start. Drawing on her extensive writing experience, as well as interviews with other writers, Jan Yager, who has published more than 12 books, has taught writing at Penn State, and has appeared on Oprah and other talk shows, demystifies the art of using words gracefully and effectively. In this second edition of the book first published with the title How to Write Like a Professional, under the author's maiden name of J.L. Barkas, here are just some of the topics covered: a self-evaluation to access your current writing skills, the 4 basic steps to effective business or nonfiction writing, how to craft a style that's right for you and your audience, how to get your writing published, time management tips for writing and writers, exercises to hone your writing skills, reprinting of the actual book proposal that sold to a major publisher; bibliography; resources including web site addresses; index