Business Writing Excellence – 2 Day Workshop

How do you define good writing? In this multinational corporate world, excellent writing skills are the pillar to good communication. Through this highly interactive two day seminar, you will learn the five keys to making your writing excel above the rest. Whether it be writing an important memo to a customer, an internal e-mail to your staff, or simply a note to a colleague, your business writing will reach a new pinnacle.

Course Outline

DAY 1

THE PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE REPORT WRITING

• Channels of communication
• 5 C’s standard for professional writing
• Case Study
• Revealing gap between knowledge and application of those principles

PREPARING TO WRITE YOUR DOCUMENT

• Identifying your purpose and your readers
• Planning & organizing techniques – mind mapping & brainstorming
• Grouping information into paragraphs
• Common email structures
• The importance of Closing paragraph
• Cultural Approaches to Writing

STYLE IN WRITING

• Analysis & development of writing styles – formal v neutral
• Writing in a Neutral style
• Passive v active voice in writing
• Writing in a Formal Style
• Analysis and discussion of extracts from reports

COHERENT WRITING

• Techniques for writing for emphasis – sentence structures, placing important information early, reformatting etc.
• Focus sentences for impact
• Review of linking words and how to use them

CONCISE WRITING

• Improving clarity of expression – Techniques for concise and clear writing, and application
• Using clear, familiar words & expressions
• Avoiding wordy expressions & redundancy

WRITING PRACTICE AND FEEDBACK

DAY 2

ADDING PROFESSIONALISM & PERSUASION: STYLE & TONE IN WRITING

• Analysis & development of writing styles – formal v neutral
• Passive v active voice in writing
• Cultivating a positive writing style
• The importance of tone and the analysis of different tones found in reports
• Tentative v decisive language – determining the reaction of the reader
• Analysis and discussion of extracts from reports

ADDING COHESION

• Shaping your paragraph – unity and coherence
• Organizing information to make the message have impact and stand out
• Paragraph unity
• Use of pronouns & linking phrases for fluency
• Analysis and discussion of business correspondence
• Writing practice exercises associated with organization, unity and coherency

ADDING EMPHASIS

• Techniques for writing for emphasis – sentence structures, placing important information early, reformatting etc.
• Focus sentences for impact
• Review of common errors associated with writing with emphasis
• Writing with emphasis – conveying your message with impact
• Choosing appropriate vocabulary & language structures

ADDING CLARITY: CONCISE WRITING

• Improving clarity of expression – Techniques for concise and clear writing, and application
• Using clear, familiar words & expressions
• Avoiding wordy expressions & redundancy
• Modern v old English in writing – plain English guide
• Vocabulary and clarity – selecting expressions for the purpose of clarity
• Analysis and discussion of extracts– poor and good examples in context
• Writing practice and feedback

40-20-40: RULE EDITING & PROOFREADING TECHNIQUES

• Overview of editing techniques
• Creating writing checklists and assessment tools
• Editing paragraphs for focus and continuity
• Editing paragraphs for emphasis and variety
• Varying sentence length and avoid problem sentences
• Using clear, precise words and concepts
• Editing practice exercise

WRITING PRACTICE AND FEEDBACK