In 2014, a leaked copy of the Directorate of Intelligence Style Manual & Writer's Guide for Intelligence Publications found its way to the Internet. That long title belies what it actually is: A fascinating, and very well-written, style book for the CIA—a.k.a. Strunk & White for spies. Within the manual's 181 pages (not including the index) is a terrific guide for normal folks, and not just government sleuths. It offers plenty of unique advice, and the kind of language examples you won't find in your well-worn copy of the Oxford American Dictionary. 1. There is no excuse for bad grammar, no matter how powerful your position.