(Course reference: PWC)
Professional writing made simple
*** Turning ideas into clear, concise and precise writing 💬 ***
| ✍️ Write clearly & professionally 📏 Select the right sentence length 🧩 Choose a suitable tone & structure ⚡ Save time: write more effectively 📚 Apply ready-to-use tools |
Who the course is for
Anyone who:
🧑💼 writes emails, reports, documents
🧑🤝🧑 needs to explain ideas clearly
📊 wants to sound clear and confident
🌱 wants to improve their writing skills
Teams seeking consistent writing styles
How the course will help
After the course, you should be able to:
• write clearly & confidently
• write concisely
• present a professional image
• reduce mistakes, increase accuracy
• make messages easier to understand
What it covers
🧠 Intro. to the ‘Body of Knowledge’
⚠️ Writing risks to mitigate
📌 Key principles for good writing
❓ Why ‘how we write’ really matters
🎯 Stating purpose at the start
🧱 What a clear layout looks like
💬 How to share clear messages
✂️ How to keep sentences short
🛠️ Ways to reduce sentence length
📘 Grammar basics
📏 ‘Rule of eight’ for clear sentences
🧩 Strong sentences and paragraphs
🔗 How to make writing flow
🧭 Using topic sentences
🏁 Strong conclusion sentences
⚠️ How to use prepositions well
🌍 Why Plain English is best
📏 ‘Introductory phrases rule of eight’
🛠️ Tools to help you be concise
📋 Using lists effectively
📚 Selecting the best words
🎭 Choosing a suitable tone
✔️ Checking your writing
🔤 Realising why punctuation matters
🗺️ Using punctuation correctly
🔄 Using the ‘active’ & ‘passive’ voices
🗂️ Planning your writing
🔍 Reviewing writing (yours & others)
❌ Ignoring writing myths
⚖️ Avoiding ‘hedging’ & unclear words
📘 Reference booklets
🧾 Tools for clear, concise writing
🛠️ Practical guide: grammar
🛠️ Practical guide: layout
🛠️ Practical guide: punctuation
📊 Checklists for writing quality
🗂️ Planning and review guides
✉️ Tips for emails, reports, slides
📘 Workbook with key learning points
🧾 Easy-to-use checklists
🛠️ Practical tools for everyday writing
📝 Aide-memoires for quick reference
🌱 Clear approach to improve writing
How the course is run
👥 In-person and interactive
😊 Friendly, relaxed and informal
📘 Workbook and handouts to keep
❓ Plenty of time to ask questions
3-6 hours – as decided by the Hosts* in each Delivery Centre
a) the duration of each session and
b) the number of sessions
This depends on the attendees’ needs and the facilities at each Delivery Centre
See: course reviews
Full details: course syllabus
Course overview: PDF document
The course is one of a series of courses
called Positive Life Courses (‘PLC’)
A Positive Life is one that is:
✨ uplifting
✨ encouraging
✨ hopeful
✨ confident
✨ supportive
✨ useful
✨ forward-looking
✨ worthwhile
To learn more: About PLC
The course is based on ideas from:
a) books: The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century, Steven Pinker; Oxford Guide to Plain English, Martin Cutts; Plain English writing guide, The Word Centre; Style Guide, The Economist; Full Marks, John Kirkman; My Grammar and I, Caroline Taggart and J.A. Wines; Eats, Shoots and Leaves, Lynne Truss; Making a Point, David Crystal
b) web sites: dictionary.cambridge.org, grammar-monster.com, Wikipedia.org, examples.yourdictionary.com, universalclass.com and plainlanguage.gov
c) material produced by: Lois Lightfoot, Sally James, PEF Associates (Penni Fromm)
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