Skip to main content

Writing with AI - Learn more

Mary Cullen

Mary Cullen
March 9, 2022
Mary founded Instructional Solutions in 1998, and is an internationally recognized business writing trainer and executive writing coach with two decades of experience helping thousands of individuals and businesses master the strategic skill of business writing. She excels at designing customized business writing training programs to maximize productivity, advance business objectives, and convey complex information. She holds a B.A. in English from the University of Rhode Island, an M.A. in English Literature from Boston College, and a C.A.G.S. in Composition and Rhetoric from the University of New Hampshire.
Articles By Mary Cullen

11 Best Proposal Creation Software Tools

We tested nine online proposal software tools to find the best options for small businesses, freelancers, and large sales ...

127 Top Business Jargon Examples [And How to Fix Them]

Skilled business writing rejects business jargon. Yet, industry-specific phrases and buzzwords are very commonly used. Even ...

How to Write a Performance Appraisal or Review

January is often the month that performance metrics are determined for the year. Whether writing an annual review or ...

Two Days’ Time or Two Days Time? (Inanimate Possessives)

A wise client business grammar question: Two Days' Time or Two Days Time? “There was always one grammatical mix up for me, ...

Business Letter and Business Email Salutations [Updated 2023]

Dear Reader: Dear Reader, Hi Reader, Good afternoon, Reader: Hey Reader! Are you confused about shaping salutations in ...

Professional Mobile Signature For Business Email [Examples]

One of the major benefits of my executive business writing coaching work is hearing first hand what bothers executives about ...

How to Say No in Business Communication [Top Technique]

We often have to say no and deliver bad news in business writing. Striking the right tone can be tricky. We need to be firm ...

How to Improve Your Written Communication Skills

Writing is an everyday activity for many people. So, you’d think that written communication would come almost naturally. ...

Me, Myself, and I - Business Grammar Rules Explained

Me, Myself, and I errors are one of the most common business grammar errors we see in business writing training sessions. ...

Who vs. Whom

Choosing between “who” and “whom” can be confusing for even experienced writers. This article will outline when to use who, ...

How to Write a Business Apology Letter

Here is a classic P.G. Wodehouse quote that so illustrates this misplaced focus of posturing to forge relationships: “It is ...

Business Email Salutations to a Group

If the group you are writing a business email to is small enough — five or fewer — the very best salutation is to use ...

How to Use I.e. vs E.g. Correctly

One of the most common questions we receive from clients is: "Are the abbreviations i.e. and e.g. interchangeable?"

Bear With Me or Bare With Me?

"Bear with me" is a phrase that essentially asks for patience and is often paired with a conjunction like "as" or "while" to ...

It's vs. Its - How to Correctly Use

Even the most experienced writers can confuse it’s and its. If you’ve made this common mistake, you’re not alone. Only one ...