"Writing That Works" by Kenneth Roman and Joel Raphaelson

Writing That Works is a small book written by the American duo Kenneth Roman and Joel Raphaelson, both from the renowned marketing agency Ogilvy & Mather.

The book tells you how to write in the business world, so that you can get your point across clearly and concisely. Both authors have long experience from the ad and marketing industry. Reading the book, it’s clear that they have a solid grasp of effective communication, and their advice comes across as trustworthy.

The latest (and last) edition is from year 2000, and that’s the one I read.

I think the book works. The authors have taken their own advice to heart, and the book is well written and clearly structured. Some parts do show their age — there is a chapter on e-mail, but outside of that there’s a lot about letters and reports. But that doesn’t really matter. Most of the advice can still be applied just fine today, in 2026.

And most of the advice should also be applied. You might think that writing isn’t that important anymore. With AI fever, podcast inflation, and video meetings everywhere. But I think it’s the exact opposite — knowing how to express yourself clearly and concisely, that’s only becoming more and more important in an age overflowing with LLM slop.

What is dimly said is dimly thought, said Esaias Tegnér in 1820.

That’s still true today, 206 years later.

Of course it applies to writing too.

If you cannot write well, you cannot think well.