The textbook/workbook format is a convenient all-in-one learning package. The text builds on grammar and mechanics skills to help students learn to effectively communicate in the workplace. |For example, in the introduction of the proposal shown in Figure , Travis Gar-cia focused on what the customer was looking for. He analyzed the request of the Honolulu dentist, Dr. Arbon, and decided that she was most interested in specific recommendations for improving service to her patients. But Garcia didn’t hit on this hook until he had written a first draft and had come back to it later. Indeed, it's of¬ten a good idea to put off writing the introduction to a proposal until after you have completed other parts. For longer proposals the introduction also outlines the or-ganization of the material to come. Although writers may know what goes into the proposal introduction, many face writer's block before they get started. When she worked as a proposals manager at Hewlett-Packard. Mary Piecewicz recognized that writer’s block was a big problem for sales representatives on a proposal team. They simply didn't know how to get started. Piecewicz offered the following advice: “To conquer writer's block, begin with a bulleted list of what the customer is looking for. This list is like a road map: it gets you started and keeps you headed in the right direction."3
