2 day course

We all know what good writing is. It’s the novel we can’t put down, the poem we never forgot, and the speech that changes the way we look at the world. Good writing is the memo that gets action, the letter that says what a phone call can’t.

In business writing, the language is concrete, the point of view is clear, and the points are well expressed. For those who must write as part of their job, being able to write well is a real career boost. Good writing is hard work, and even the best writers get discouraged. However, with practice you can feel more confident about your own writing.

We can think about writing either as a process or as a product, the finished piece of writing.  If we can think of it as a process, then by changing the way we go about writing, we can change the finished product.  While participants will still be aiming to turn out a good product, their sense of satisfaction will arise partly from a greater appreciation of the process by which they get there.

This workshop will concentrate on the nitty-gritty details that writers have to contend with, and give them some practical advice on making the job less difficult. They will also have opportunity to discuss their writing problems and share solutions with others in the workshop.

• Introduction and Course Overview
• Why Write?     
• The Four C’s: Clear, Concise, Complete, and Correct    
• Making Words Agree     
• Active and Passive Voice      
• Sentences and Sentence Types     
• Courtesy in Writing
• Practical Language      
• Inclusive Language      
• Sentence Construction     
• Punctuation     
• Writing Business Letters             
  • Parts of a Business Letter     
  • Types of Letters
  • Dissecting Letters    
• Reports     
• Spelling & Proofreading    
• Writing Memos     
• E-Mail Etiquette
• Writing Challenges