To be sure your formal business writing meets professional standards, it helps to follow a style guide. But which is the best style guide to ensure clear, concise business writing? Top choices include:
We’ll look at each of these style guides below. We’ll also look at the role of in-house style sheets for branded materials, as well as some other style guides you might want to try. Read on to learn more about picking a style guide for your business.
The Business Style Handbook: An A-to-Z Guide for Effective Writing on the Job is a great choice because it’s targeted specifically for business writers.
Its authors, Helen Cunningham and Brenda Greene, wrote it after surveying communications executives at Fortune 500 companies. As such, its advice focuses on writing strategically and best practices in business communications. But its most valuable asset may be its A–Z list of common terms and usage rules, a no-nonsense approach favored by many professionals.
While it is less focused on business writing than the style guide above, William A. Sabin’s The Gregg Reference Manual: A Manual of Style, Grammar, Usage, and Formatting has been a popular choice in the world of corporate communications for over 50 years. And it will meet all your professional writing needs.
As well as basic information on spelling, grammar, and punctuation, though, it includes advice on writing reports, memos, letters, emails and other business documents. On its 11th edition as of 2020, The Gregg Reference Manual is updated every few years, so it keeps up with changes in writing conventions, too.
The Associated Press Stylebook (or The AP Stylebook for short) is best known as a guide for journalists. But it’s also widely used in corporate communications. This is largely because of its emphasis on clear, concise writing, but it also boasts:
Keep in mind, though, that The AP Stylebook focuses on American English. If you are writing for an audience outside the US, you may need to adapt its guidelines.
The Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS) is used by publishers and authors all around the world for many types of writing. It is also one of the most comprehensive style guides you’ll find, covering topics important to business writing such as:
Based on this comprehensive approach, its publishers even describe it as “the ultimate resource for those who care about getting the details right.” This all adds up to a hefty book, but luckily there is an online version for easier access.
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However, because CMoS is so comprehensive, some of its information, like how to prepare a manuscript for publication, may not be relevant to business writing. And, at times, the guide can be hard to navigate. As such, if you’re looking for a compact, easy-to-use style guide, it might not be your first choice!
That said, its pros outweigh its cons, so it remains a great choice for any writer.
Many companies also have in-house style sheets and branding guides that cover other types of business writing (e.g., web copy, marketing materials). This should focus on information specific to your business, such as:
For example, a company might use AP style for formal writing. But for its branded materials, it might build on this with an in-house style sheet for things not covered in the style guide, or saying where writers should deviate from the guide. The key is capturing what makes your company or brand voice stand out.
As such, when working on less formal writing, you should check whether your company has a style sheet or branding guide. Employers, meanwhile, may want to develop a style sheet or brand guide to cover branded content.
Keep in mind, however, that you’ll only need a custom guide to capture a unique brand voice. If you’re simply aiming to ensure a clear, concise, professional writing style in formal communications, an established style guide will be more suitable.
There are a number of other style guides available to writers, including:
These are less common in the business world than the examples we gave above. Nevertheless, depending on your needs, you might find these guides helpful.
If you want to ensure that your business writing is error free, or even develop a style guide for your company, we can help. Learn about our free trial proofreading service or schedule a call to get help with your style guide.
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