Indiana University professor and communications consultant Dr. Ken Davis authors a terrific website called Manage Your Writing. On it, he lists these ground-breaking books about communications for business:

What to Say to Get What You Want

On Communicating

Leading Out Loud: Inspiring Change Through Authentic Communications

Information Anxiety 2

The Brand You 50

Building Rapport is a blog that advocates plain language and clear writing -- and offers concrete advice on how to get there. It recently featured an entry called, simply, "Simplify," where it lists a half-dozen or so ways to get to the heart of whatever matter you're writing about. Read the post here.

One of my readers sent me a thought-provoking email asking "why do good writers (occasionally) produce bad copy?" I thought about it for a while and here are a few suggestions.

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Marketing communications expert Dianna Huff, who contributed this week's "Candlepower" feature, recommends these books on copywriting and grammar:

The Elements of Copywriting "This is my favorite, and most referred to, "Bly" book on copywriting. It's concise, well-organized and a great resource for experienced and "newbie" B-to-B copywriters alike."

Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay "Does the thought of reading grammar rules make your eyes glaze over? Me, too. That's why I like this book. It's a fun read plus you'll learn something."

Write on Target "If you don't have a clue what a "buck slip" is or want to get more from your direct response campaigns, read this book. It covers everything from "anatomy of a direct mail package" to "TV, Radio and Telephone Marketing."

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Dianna Huff, this week's "Candlepower" contributor, reads these marketing blogs and websites:

Web Ink Now

Blogging for Business

MarketingSherpa (Dianna also writes for them)

Marketing Profs

ClickZ

You already know that stories are the foundation of comic books, novels, biographies, and screenplays. Here's what may not seem so obvious: the principles of storytelling are equally as important in successful business communications.

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