Articles

English is a wonderfully flexible language. We borrow words from other languages, like 'ballet', 'chocolate' and 'patio', and make up words, like 'hangry' and 'mansplain'. Words go in and out of fashion, others disappear only to reappear again decades later. Other words, like 'alternate' can mean different things to different people. 

Emails are still the most common form of written communication in most organisations. Yet, the speed of transmission of emails is both an advantage and a trap. Many team members remain blissfully unaware of the etiquette of business email writing. It’s quick and easy to break some of the golden rules of email etiquette and get your reader offside. Find out the wrong way and the right way.

To meet the challenge of COVID-19, Sydney-based Concise Writing Consultancy has developed a hybrid 3-stage online learning model that combines self-paced learning and interactive virtual classroom.  Giving participants the best of both worlds, this training approach will allow participants to consolidate their learning and more easily transfer their skills to the workplace.

Writing clear and concise business communications with exactly the right tone is tricky at the best of times. But how do you get the right balance when communicating with your clients or staff about an invisible virus that's causing its fair share of disruption around the world? Discover 5 common traps when writing about COVID-19 and how to avoid them.  

At Concise Writing Consultancy, we frequently speak to frustrated managers who are spending too much time editing their team members’ reports. Sometimes this is a symptom of a team member’s poor writing skills. Often, it’s because the team member has submitted a first draft genuinely believing it’s close to the finished product, when actually it’s not. Find out how adding one simple step in the writing process can potentially solve a multitude of writing problems and keep your manager happy.

By the time we finish school we generally know how to put words on a page, but that doesn’t necessarily mean our words will communicate effectively. Several generations of native English speakers in Australia have never learned the basics of English grammar. There are others who have achieved top marks in English in Year 12 at school but are unable to write a clear and concise email or a well-structured business report. If the writing we learn at school is not teaching us the skills we need for business writing in the workplace, a do it yourself (DIY) approach could be risky business.

In the digital era, corporate and government sectors rely heavily on the written word to report on issues, communicate policy decisions, and email colleagues or customers. With such an emphasis on written communication, many organisations see the value of writing skills workshops. But are these workshops relevant for managers and senior executives? Our targeted executive business writing training will keep you ahead of the flock.

With the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) now emerging in more and more countries worldwide, many organisations, including Amazon, Apple and Google, are restricting employee travel. Extra care choosing the right words in policies, emails, board papers, staff notices and other internal and external communications will help prevent stigmatisation. It could also potentially help contain the spread of the virus in your workplace. 

Underlining is still sometimes used in headings or to emphasise words in workplace communications. Doing so could make you, or your organisation, look like a dinosaur. Find out why.

When we have a lot to say about a subject, we may find it relatively straightforward to write down our thoughts. We know what's important to us and we know what we want to tell our reader. The danger is, we may end up with a lot of words on the page that fail to communicate anything to our reader or bring about meaningful change. A subtle shift in the way you write can change this perspective and give you a competitive edge.