Preparing powerful communication requires two types of expertise to come together: 1) content expertise, and 2) communication expertise. Think-write writer training aims to improve communication expertise. Participants develop skills in writing documents that are more effective and more efficient. More effective - documents that are more easily read, understood and acted on by the audience. More efficient - documents are written in less time and with less review and correction by senior staff. Government clients receive a reproduction of Robert Eagleson's classic 'Writing in Plain English' Tailored training Think-write can develop and deliver a workshop tailored to the needs of participants. We've delivered workshops and coaching to government agencies focussing on policy development through to communicating scientific knowledge. Particpants have found the workshops useful, and managers have appreciated cost-effectivenes - as low as $40 per participant in some cases. Half day, full day or longer workshops Participants usually commence a document of their choice during the workshops, ideally a piece that is a normal part of work. So, in addition to developing writing skills, workshops deliver real documents ready for use. One-on-one coaching An "inoculation" (a quick jab of medicine) model of training is often not enough to achieve lasting results. It is unrealistic to expect a single day of training will undo patterns and habits of writing that have been developing over a lifetime. Ongoing coaching can help the concepts and ideas explained in the workshop be worked into real documents. A brief workshop can provide helpful information, but writing well is a complex craft that may take years to develop. Typical workshop content Workshop content is refined for each client, but the following is typical of the content covered. The importance, act and role of writing What writing does and how it is connected to the thinking process Defining purpose Having a clear purpose for a document is a prerequisite to good writing. It also provides the basis for evaluating your work. Understanding your audience Having the needs of your reader (user) in mind is essential. This notion is central to the entire course and will be revisited throughout. Defining the key message What is the single most important idea to convey Developing content Discovering what must be included to meet the users’ needs, and what can be left out. Organising and structuring What is the best way to organise the content? Organising for different purposes Chunking information Paragraphing and summarising Getting people to read your work Injecting some passion into your writing Headings and how to use them Using talking rather than bucket headings Reviewing other peoples’ work What are you looking for? Importance of using plain language Why we need it. How it improves document performance. Word choice Preferring simpler, shorter words over more complex alternatives Using the active voice Writing more directly to people and improving the immediacy and clarity of sentences Verbs not nouns Using a style to make content more accessible and less bureaucratic. Trimming the word count Finding and destroying the flab in writing Sentence structure Keeping sentences simple but interesting. Using lists and parallel structures Punctuation and grammar Some basic rules about commas, apostrophes, etc

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