The Quick and Easy Guides for Writers

(A Guide to the Guides)

We all need a little help every now and then. The Quick and Easy Guides offer quick references for various writing topics. These are not comprehensive tutorials. But they'll get you started by covering the most common areas writers find challenging. Read the descriptions below, and click on the guide that interests you. If you have any suggestions for future guides, e-mail me using the link at the bottom.

The Quick and Easy Comma Guide covers the basic rules of comma usage and offers clear examples of each rule. Most of us rely too much on the "breath rule" or "when in doubt, leave it out." This guide will give you a quick overview of how commas should be used.

If you're a student needing to write a response paper, The Quick and Easy Guide to Reading Essays is for you. This guide offers a helpful process for reviewing essays and developing your own topics. (Then you can write your own essay, which someone will review and ....)

The Quick and Easy Guide to Arguments provides an overview of argumentative essays and a discussion of evidence and fallacies.

The Quick and Easy Resume Guide gives you "real rules" for real job search preparation. This guide includes samples of different formats and a description of scannable resumes.

Want to build a web page? The Quick and Easy HTML Guide will show you how to build a simple page "from the ground up." It even covers how to build a page without using HTML.

The Quick and Easy Guide to Technical Descriptions characterizes this key element of technical writing and compares descriptions with other technical formats.

Need to write a set of instructions? Just follow the directions listed on The Quick and Easy Guide to Instructions and Procedures.

If you are thinking about writing a proposal, you need to read The Quick and Easy Guide to Written Proposals. This guide describes the purpose of proposals, gives an overview of major components, and offers helpful hints to persuading your audience.

Writing in the 21st Century can be tricky. On-line writing requires a different approach to using technology to communicate ideas. The Quick and Easy Guide to Electronic Documents has tips on how to do it right electronically.

The Quick and Easy Guide to Interviewing will help you gather information directly from the experts. The guide includes tips on preparing, setting up and conducting an informational interview.

If you are doing research, you'll need to summarize and present your findings. The Quick and Easy Guide to Reports and Studies provides an overview of organizing your report and referencing sources.

The Quick and Easy Guide to Abstracts provides an overview of these small but important documents. Tips, samples and a comparison with executive summaries should help you write these brief summaries.

A picture is worth a thousand words, but a picture with text really paints the picture. See The Quick and Easy Guide to Using Graphics in Documents for suggestions on how to find, create and use graphics within your documents.

What is a ......? The Quick and Easy Guide to Definitions explains what definitions are and how to write them.

White papers are tricky documents, combining the "feel" of technical writing with the "focus" of marketing. The Quick and Easy Guide to White Papers shows how to write and use white papers.

Want A Little More?

If you're looking for more information and help on the topics above, or have other areas of interest, or just want to see some samples, check out my "Web Resources" pages. Each is a fairly comprehensive list of web sites, on-line tutorials and samples useful to writers of all levels.

Web Resources for Literature and Writing is a general resource covering the wide realm of the "English Major".

Web Resources for English Composition has the beginning college-level writer in mind.

Web Resources for Technical Writing is for those who take their applied writing seriously.

Don't See What You're Looking For?

Check back periodically for additions and updates. And e-mail me to suggest topics for future guides. I won't promise anything, but, if it sounds like a good idea, I just might put something together.