A+ Writing: Beyond the Basics

Overview

This workshop is for writers already adept at grammar and composition who want to write text that goes beyond informing, and engages and energizes readers. This workshop helps writers develop analytical skills to work within the format of a document, yet deliver strong messages. This is achieved through clear thinking and organizing, keeping content relevant, and using the graces of English to create compelling paragraphs and sentences. You’ll also learn practical techniques you can use regularly to keep your writing skills sharp and your perspective fresh.

During online sessions, participants will be required to complete one hour of homework each day on the first and second day.

Topics

• Good writing through great preparation
• Analyzing the audience and message for any communication
• Recognizing and working within the format required
• Writing clearly by thinking clearing
• Organizing and outlining
• Compelling readers through paragraphs and sentences
• Head and heart messages; basics of rhetoric
• Avoiding irrelevant content
• Sentence structure: exploiting structure to convey meaning, nuance, and emphasis
• Freshness: avoiding the trite and the tired; overcoming blind spots; identifying and excising clichés
• Flow: starting and ending strong, elegant transitions
• High energy writing: using vital verbs
• Rhetorical devices: use and abuse
• Getting past obstacles to writing

Audience

• Experienced writers who want to expand their range and develop their craft
• Writers of newsletters, marketing materials, speeches, web articles, essays, press releases, or brochures
• Writers who want to engage and compel their readers as well as inform them

Duration

Cost

• $1095 (plus tax)

Featured Instructor

Carolyn Brown is a writer/editor with more than 35 years’ experience. She has written speeches, press releases, news, book chapters, articles, brochures, web pages, and more. She is a regular contributor to the news service of the Canadian Medical Association Journal and writes features on biomedical research for Nature.

A rare and memorable teacher who has both the experience and passion.   

Sessions