Articles

Being able to connect with your reader is fundamental to any written communication. This is not a new concept. In the digital age there are additional hurdles we need to overcome if we want to stay ahead of the race. With the potential barriers of reading from a screen rather than the printed page, and increasingly sophisticated search engines that prioritise easy-to-read content, producing high-quality written communications has become more critical than ever.

Like other momentous times in history, the 2020 coronavirus pandemic has brought new words, as well as new meanings from old words, into our everyday language. In an effort to stop the spread of the new disease COVID-19, we are going in and out of iso and social distancing. Industrialisation in Victorian England also generated new words from  ‘shoddy’  to ‘sweater’ to  ‘sandwich men.’  Variations of these words are still used today, sometimes with new connotations.

There are many opportunities in written communications to create inconsistencies of style. But how do you know when to use single or double quotation marks? How do you punctuate lists and is it okay to use acronyms? Find out the answers to these questions and more.

Unfortunately, our school system and many university degrees don't prepare students for writing at work. Many people are unaware their reports are unclear, unless the report's weaknesses are pointed out to them by a manager. Find out 7 of the most common report writing pitfalls that can be avoided through report writing training. 

If you’re working from home during this pandemic, you might be feeling as though you’re living inside your computer. But it’s not just nostalgia and technology overload that’s making me hark back to the fountain pen and redisover the benefits of some endangered work practices.

The first draft of any communication you write is likely to be wordier than it needs to be. There will be ambiguity. There will also be typos and inconsistencies. This is normal. Even professional writers need to go back and refine their work multiple times to make it clear and concise. Find out how our systematic, 3-stage approach will increase efficiency and achieve a better result.

In times of crisis, we naturally seek comfort from others. When someone is ill, anxious or sad, we instinctively want to be near them, to squeeze their hand, give them a hug or have a chat over a cuppa. Yet as we don our masks and keep a physical distance to stop the spread of COVID-19, we have to find other ways to show we care. Words become increasingly important.

Writing is often seen as a solitary task. Yet to produce a report, brochure, fact sheet or other workplace communication, you’ll need to involve others. Having different team members contribute ideas as well as provide feedback on drafts can strengthen your communication. But beware. Too many cooks can sometimes spoil the writing broth leading to time consuming, costly and embarrassing outcomes.

If you were applying for a senior management position at a large corporation, wearing thongs and shorts to the interview is likely to give the wrong impression. A top hat at Ascot might look appropriate there but completely out of place at the family Sunday barbecue. It’s a similar principle with writing. 

With word processing programs in workplaces often remaining in the default setting of US spelling, many people are increasingly unaware of the differences between Australian and American spelling. Australian spelling closely follows British spelling, yet many common words are spelt differently in American English even though they mean the same thing. In an interconnected world with English an international language, do these differences matter?