I recently submitted an enquiry to a web hosting company. The e-mail response that I received was full of spelling errors and incorrect capitalization and punctuation. The owners of the company have over a decade of experience, but the e-mail put some doubt in my mind about the ability of this firm.

More than likely this company provides top quality products and services, but I can’t help but wonder why the e-mail wasn’t even spell checked. One thing for sure – at least in this case – poor writing skills had an impact upon sales performance.

Many resources are available to individuals who want to improve their writing. Local post-secondary educational institutions are a good source of quality programs.

In addition, here are three links to free web-based writing resources which you may find useful.

A companion to the book A Writer’s Reference, Sixth edition by Diana Hacker this website provides free online writing exercises (although I certainly recommend the book).

The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Perdue University provides free information about various types of writing.

News University /The Poynter Institute have many writing courses available free of charge to website registrants.

Improving writing skills takes an investment of time and a commitment to practice. In some cases, a few hours dedicated to improving writing skills can translate into improved performance.