Everyone Can Write is an easy-to-understand, practical, 'how to write' book that is accessible to everyone from a business executive wanting to polish his reports to a retiree wanting to chronicle her family history. It solves the problems that beginning writers struggle with by giving them an easy-to-follow and simple set of rules that allows them to write rapidly and clearly.

The book outlines the three forms of non-fictionwriting: report, narrative and essay. Each one is dissected and a set of rules applied to each structure.

The rules are easily put into practice and vary for each structure. For example, in report writing, two easy-to-apply rules are: 25 words to a sentence and 3 or 4 sentences in a paragraph.

The author has also developed a foolproof method of structuring your writing, so that you make effective use of your time. It's based on the easy-to-remember three step formula: Pre-write, Free-write, Re-write. Pre-write refers to researching the necessary information. Free-write refers to getting the information onto the computer screen. Re-write refers to the essential task of editing the writing into clear readable text. This technique allows writers to become the editors of their own writing, thereby dramatically improving its quality.

The essentials of grammar and punctuation, easily confused words and other useful tips for writers are also covered.

Howard Gelman is an associate lecturer in the Faculty of Arts at Macquarie University,where he teaches business and media communication. He worked in broadcasting,producing programs in Britain, the USA and Australia where he was commissioningeditor for the ABC. As a consultant to Australian publishing companies, he projectedited many non-fiction trade and business books. He has also developed writingworkshops for businesses in Sydney, London, New York and Chicago.