Secrets of successful writing

**Forward from the Publisher** Reference Software creates writing improvement tools for people using personal computers. Our initial release was the *Random House Reference Set*—the first pop-up dictionary and thesaurus. Our next product was Grammatik the first micro computer software to proofread word processor files for grammar and style errors. The second release of Grammatik included *The World’s Shortest Writing Course*, a book that taught people how to improve their writing using software tools. Today, millions of people own personal computers. They are aware of software like Grammatik that will help improve their writing. The software provides convenient and accurate proofreading. Yet these people still have writing problems. Their difficulty is with basic writing techniques. Good writing is the result of planning and sensitivity to the intended audience. It is concise, specific and uses fresh descriptions. Software can help identify and eliminate writing problems after they are on paper (or in a word processor file), but software can’t conceive and plan for the writer. When Dewitt Scott called me, I knew we had found the answer. He believes that writing that works is writing that communicated. We decided a book like *Secrets of Successful Writing*, combined with a powerful proofreading tool like Grammatik, would help people convey their message more persuasively. *Secrets of Successful Writing* complements Grammatik. It helps you improve your writing before you begin. Keep this book by your computer. Refer to it constantly. Your writing will become more powerful and effective. In short, it will be more than correct—it will communicate.