On-site courses
In the last 30 years, our team of presenters has gained an unrivalled store of experience by providing more than 3,000 on-site writing-skills courses for government bodies, companies, councils and law firms. Many of these organizations return to us repeatedly, trusting us to pitch courses at the right level, to respect and develop the existing knowledge and skills of their staff, and to provide rational writing and editing methods.
We can tailor courses to meet your writers' needs, which we identify by discussion with you and by studying their writing examples. The style is informal and participative, with practical work, quizzes and group work. As needed, we can devise courses on particular topics.
Course titles
Most of the courses have the general title of ‘Communication Skills’, with subtitles to reflect their particular slant, for example:
- Advanced Writing Skills — usually covering letter- and report-writing
- Better Letters and Emails
- Effective Report Writing
- Grammar and Punctuation Workout
- Clarity for Lawyers
- Proofreading
- Writing Minutes and Agendas
- Editing for Clarity and Consistency
- Writing Responses to Complaints
- Writing Effective Instructional Guides and Manuals
- Writing for the Web
Length of courses
Most of the courses last one day, but some are available in half-day or two-day formats.
General course aims
- To help your staff produce clear, well-punctuated and well-structured writing that fulfils its purpose.
- To save them time, particularly by improving their planning of written work.
- To help them identify good writing and rectify sub-standard work.
- To help them decide when writing is ‘fit to go’, and therefore when they should avoid making unnecessary alterations.
Number of participants; follow-up; one-to-one training
Courses are for up to 12 participants. We offer an optional, tailor-made follow-up. One-to-one coaching is also available.
Topics
We'll email you typical programmes on request, but many of the courses include:
- how to use the Process Method — our unique, 5-stage approach to writing
- refresher on the basics: structure, sentence length, everyday English, powerful verbs, active and passive verbs, conciseness, accurate punctuation (including apostrophes, dashes and hyphens), essential grammar
- writing myths explained and exposed
- translating bureaucratic prose into plain English
- effective planning and writing under pressure.
Course presenters
All our course presenters are seasoned professionals, usually applied linguists or other specialists in writing skills. See ‘Who we are’ for details.
Participants can get expert assessment of their writing
For most courses, we'll read, annotate and provide a brief assessment of up to 4 pages of writing from each participant.
Top-quality materials for participants
All participants get a set of attractive, regularly updated materials including a pre-course booklet on main principles, a folder and handouts.
Some assessments of our courses
- ‘It was refreshing to be taught by people who could take an independent look at our written work. Their comments and criticisms were constructive. I found them approachable and their enthusiasm motivating.’
- ‘The balance of theory and practice was just right.’
- ‘The sections on planning and structuring gave me a whole new way of approaching something I dread and, I hope, avoiding debilitating panics!’
Cost of courses
The prices shown are for a one-day on-site course in the UK for up to 12 people. There are discounts for a series and for courses on consecutive days. Prices include all materials and (for most courses) comments on up to 4 pages of each person's writing, but exclude VAT, the presenter's reasonable travel and overnight-stay expenses (if necessary), and any special preparation (costed by prior agreement).
- Local authorities, registered charities — £950
- Registered social landlords, ombudsmen, NHS trusts — £1,075
- Companies, government departments/agencies, regulators, law firms — £1,175
We list our distance-learning courses here.