The Writing Workshop

NWCG

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 23:36:28 GMT

NWCG
Start Date: 3-Nov-08 8:30 AM
End Time: 5-Nov-08 5:30 PM
Location: Tampa, Florida
Speaker: John Sturtevant

Event Details:

Tampa, Florida

ACEC Conference

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:05:00 GMT

ACEC Conference
Start Date: 18-Oct-08 8:30 AM
End Time: 22-Oct-08 5:30 PM
Location: Montreal
Speaker: John Sturtevant

Montreal

Say What? Start making sense.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Say What?
A blog with ideas you can use to start making sense.
http://johnsturtevant.blogspot.com/

1-Jun-08 2:00 PM

10 Clear Ideas for writing well.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 19:00:00 GMT

1. Answer the question: “Why am I writing?”

We’re taught that it’s important to fill up pages, impress people, and be right. Those goals will
rarely (make that never) result in clear thinking or clear writing. Instead, define a clear
objective for writing your memo, report, proposal, email, or letter.

Write a sentence like this and tape it to your monitor to remind you why you’re sitting there
tapping on the keyboard: “After reading my report, my manager will approve my budget.”
Then, ask yourself : “Do all my ideas support that goal? Am I giving my reader everything she
needs (and only what she needs) to compel her to approve my budget?”

2. Know your reader

I mean really know your reader. Not just a name, or a demographic, or a subscriber number.
But who they are, how they think, what’s important to them, and why and how and when are
they readers of your stuff. Learn to speak your reader’s language.

The great crime writer Elmore Leonard said it perfectly when asked why all his books become best sellers: “I leave out the parts people skip.” That’s genius. He has his material down cold and an accurate bead on his reader’s expectations. And he delivers the suspenseful shot they so crave.

3. Plan, write, revise, edit.

In that order. We’ve all struggled with the editor in our heads who won’t let us go on to
sentence number two until we’ve polished sentence number one.
Fire that editor. Do it now.

There.

Now you can write to your heart’s content. Just get your ideas down. Turn off that annoying
spell checker. (It doesn’t know the difference between form and from any way...oops I mean
anyway.) You can fiddle with the sentences later. Choose different words. Rearrange things.
Oh, and follow the advice in Clear Idea #8 instead of using spell checker.

4. Perfectly sliced tomatoes.

Remember the Ginsu Knives commercials that ran on late-night TV? Those people sold millions of dollars worth of knives thanks to seven simple words. “Look how easily it cuts a tomato.”

They showed us what we really wanted. Perfectly sliced tomatoes, not a knife. Looking at that
guy slice through those rosy beefsteaks, I could almost taste their wonderful sweetness. And so could millions of other people who ordered Ginsu Knives.

People make decisions based on benefits not features. The next time you’re pondering how to
start a letter, or planning a presentation, or editing your web site, think about the people who
have to listen to you. And imagine perfectly sliced tomatoes.

5. Information is useless.

The information superhighway. How quaint. Technology, tempered by wisdom, has evolved
the information age into the knowledge age. Most people despise data and crave context. Your
job as a communicator is to show your readers why what you think is so vitally important is
so vitally important to them. We all ask: “What’s in it for me?” Give your readers relevance,
context, and meaning.

6. Give yourself the freedom to think.

Have you ever been stuck in traffic? Do you like those moments? No? Well, I invite you to
cherish those opportunities!

That’s right. The next time you’re stuck behind the paving crew, turn off your radio, shut
down your iPod Touch (gosh they’re cool!), mute your cell phone (you’ve got voice mail!) and
think.

Here’s the thing: Being stuck in traffic is one of the few moments during our waking hours
when nobody expects anything from us! (except to move forward inch by inch) Seize the
opportunity!
And while you’re thinking, ask yourself a bunch of simple questions like the ones you see
among these Clear Ideas. The fact is, the best solution will come to you when you’re not trying to solve the problem. Try it and see for yourself. It’s a Zen experience.

7. Make your writing transparent.

Clear writing is like a window. Your ideas are the view. You don’t want your reader to think: “Gosh, that’s a clever sentence” and tap on your double-paned glass. Instead your reader ought to be thinking: “Wow, this guy makes sense. I want what he’s selling.” Your ideas are the heroes, not the words.

8. Read your writing out loud.

Before you send your document, print it, get up from your desk, and walk down the hall
reading it out loud. A few things will happen.

First, you’ll get bored. Bored! Man, if you’re bored by your own writing, just imagine how
triple-bored your reader will be! Strive to thrill yourself with what you write.

Second, you’ll get confused. That’s because your sentences contain too many ideas. How many ideas should each sentence contain? One! Just one.

Third, you’ll run out of breath while reading. That’s another signal that your sentences are
too long (or you need to jump on the treadmill three times a week).

And finally, you’ll catch typos you’re...oops, your spell checker missed.

9. Ask a lot of simple questions.

Here are a few to get you started: “Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?” Your reader is
asking those questions as he reads your letter, memo, report, proposal, email, or analysis. If
you don’t answer them for him, he’ll get distracted and bored and toss your proposal in the
trash after a couple of paragraphs.

And here’s the best question of all: “So what?” After you write each sentence, think about what
it means, the idea in the sentence, and ask yourself “So what?” The answer is always a much
more compelling idea.

10. Be clear

The essence of clear writing is to focus on being clear. So often, we simply pour out
everything on our minds – in any which way – and dump it in our reader’s lap. The next
time you’re about to reach for the “send” or “print” key, pause and ask yourself: “Are my
ideas clear? Will my reader understand this?”

28-Feb-08 1:00 PM

As a rule: Clear writing delivers bottom-line benefits.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 16:00:00 GMT

Last year, Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire ordered all state agencies to adopt what he called “plain talk” principles. Since then, more than 2,000 state employees have attended training to help them write in clear, everyday language. And they’re seeing results in more than just concise memos.

For example, by revising one letter based on clear Persuasive Writing principles, the Department of Revenue tripled the number of businesses paying the sales tax on products they purchased out of state. As a result, the department collected over $800,000 extra in tax revenue.

“Simple changes can have profound results,” said Janet Shimabukuro, manager of the department’s taxpayer services program. “Plain talk isn’t only rewriting, it’s rethinking your approach and really personalizing your message to the audience and to the reader.”

That’s sweet music here at The Writing Workshop. Over the years we’ve been teaching Persuasive Writing that helps business learn to think clearly and write what they mean. We encourage people to answer three fundamental questions before they actually start writing.

1.    Why am I writing?
2.    Who is my reader?
3.    What do I expect to accomplish?

Answering those simple questions will make a dramatic difference in what you say and how you say it. Here are seven more Clear Writing Principles for you.

Change is the only constant. Accept it.

The fact is, written and spoken language evolves over time. What used to be acceptable is now often confusing or archaic. In fact, some “rules” were never rules at all, but rather more like urbane legends (pun intended). For more enlightenment on real grammar rules, get the book at the top of this reading list.

I know some of you are about to cringe when you read the next sentence. But that’s something I’ll have to put up with. (See, I knew you’d cringe.)

In The Elements of Style, my pals Mr. Strunk and Mr. White tell me that it’s true, once upon a time, crusty old teachers told their students never to end a sentence with a preposition. Yet Strunk & White go on to say, “Not only is the preposition acceptable at the end … it is more effective in that spot than anywhere else.”

Thanks guys!

That preposition rule your eighth-grade teacher drilled into your head, like many so-called grammar rules, is a remnant of Latin grammar. It’s not a rule. And it doesn’t apply to modern American English.

What’s more, the experts don’t always agree on the rules – literally.

Take that word for example. Literally. You know when your co-worker Amanda says, “I, like, literally died when my boss caught me playing online poker.”

You roll your eyes say, “No, Amanda, you didn’t literally die. You’re literally alive, standing here telling me this.”

Well, turns out, Amanda may be more literal than you might think.

Take a look.

The Chicago Manual of Style says:

“Literally means ‘actually; without exaggeration.’ It should not
be used oxymoronically in the figurative sense…”

The Associate Press Stylebook agrees:

“Figuratively means in an analogous sense, but not
in the exact sense. Literally means in an exact sense.”

Two old reliable reference sources must be right, right?

Not necessarily.

Webster’s New World College Dictionary contradicts them:

“Literally is often used as an intensive to modify a word
or phrase that is being used figuratively.”

My preference is to use literally when I mean actually not sort of. But that’s not based on a rule. It’s based on my desire to be clear to my reader above all else.

How do you handle business writing if the rules are elusive and evolving? Heed The Writing Workshop's Golden Rule of Business Writing: Be Clear. Above all else.

If you get mired in the muck of rules you’ll only confuse and annoy your readers.

Here’s a great example of confusing and annoying business jargon:

Before:

The Department of Labor and Industries has been notified that you did not receive the State of Washington warrant listed on the attached Affidavit of Lost or Destroyed Warrant Request for Replacement, form F242.

Here’s an example of clear writing:

After:

Have you cashed your Department of Labor and Industries check yet? The state Treasurer's Office informed us that a check we sent you has not been cashed.

To read the full story I mentioned earlier about the State of Washington’s “plain talk” mandate, and see more examples, here’s an article by Rachel La Corte of the Associated Press.

My goodness, will you look at the time? I’m going to take my wife to the movies. So that’s all for now.

Over the next few days, think about the people in your company who churn out confusing writing all day long. And imagine the negative effect those bewildering reports and proposals and emails have on your clients and business partners.

Then, when you’re good and frustrated, give us a call to learn more about The Writing Workshop's Persuasive Writing Training. We’ll turn your annoying co-workers into articulate communicators. Guaranteed.

Be clear. It pays!

5-Jan-07 10:00 AM

Clear idea #10: Ask simple questions.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 23:00:00 GMT

Simple ideas to help you write what you mean – clearly and persuasively.

10. Ask a lot of simple questions.

Here are a few to get you started. “Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?” Your reader is asking those questions as he reads your letter, memo, report, proposal, email, or analysis. If you don’t answer them for him, he’ll get distracted and bored and toss your proposal in the trash after a couple of paragraphs.

And here’s the best question of all: “So what?”

After you write each sentence, think about what it means, the idea in the sentence, and ask yourself “So what?”

The answer is always a much more compelling idea.

25-Mar-06 6:00 PM

Clear idea #9: Find time to think.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Sat, 18 Mar 2006 23:00:00 GMT

Simple ideas to help you write what you mean – clearly and persuasively.

9. Give yourself the freedom to think.

Have you ever been stuck in traffic? Do you like those moments? No?

Well, I invite you to cherish those opportunities!

That’s right. The next time you’re stuck behind the paving crew, turn off your radio, shut down your iPod Nano (gosh they’re cool!), mute your cell phone (you’ve got voice mail!) and think.

Here’s the thing: Being stuck in traffic is one of the few moments during our waking hours when nobody expects anything from us! (except to move forward inch by inch) Seize the opportunity!

And while you’re thinking, ask yourself a bunch of simple questions like the ones you see among these Clear Ideas. The fact is, the best solution will come to you when you’re not trying to solve the problem. Try it and see for yourself.

It’s a Zen experience.

18-Mar-06 6:00 PM

Clear idea #8: Read your writing out loud.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Sat, 11 Mar 2006 23:00:00 GMT

Simple ideas to help you write what you mean – clearly and persuasively.

8. Read your writing out loud.

Before you send your document, print it, get up from your desk, and walk down the hall reading it out loud.

A few things will happen.

First, you’ll get bored. Bored!

Man, if you’re bored by your own writing, just imagine how triple-bored your reader will be!

Second, you’ll get confused. That’s because your sentences contain too many ideas. How many ideas should each sentence contain? One! Just one.

Third, you’ll run out of breath while reading. That’s another signal that you’re sentences are too long (or you need to jump on the treadmill three times a week).

And finally, you’ll catch typos you’re…oops, your spell checker missed.

Strive to thrill yourself with what you write.

11-Mar-06 6:00 PM

Clear idea #7: Transparent writing.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Sun, 05 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Simple ideas to help you write what you mean – clearly and persuasively.

7. Transparent writing.

Clear writing is like a window. Your ideas are the view. You don’t want your reader to think: “Gosh, that’s a clever sentence”. Instead your reader ought to be thinking: “Wow, this guy makes sense. I want what he’s selling.” Don't let your words obscure your ideas.

4-Mar-06 6:00 PM

Clear idea #6: Perfectly sliced tomatoes.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Sun, 26 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Simple ideas to help you write what you mean – clearly and persuasively.

6. Perfectly sliced tomatoes.

Remember the Ginsu Knives commercials that ran on late-night TV? Those people sold millions of dollars worth of knives thanks to seven simple words. “Look how easily it cuts a tomato.”

They showed us what we really wanted. Perfectly sliced tomatoes, not a knife. Looking at that guy slice through those rosy beefsteaks, I could almost taste their wonderful sweetness. And so could millions of other people who ordered Ginsu Knives.

People make decisions based on benefits not features. The next time you’re pondering how to start a letter, or planning a presentation, or editing your web site, think about the people who have to listen to you. And imagine perfectly sliced tomatoes.

25-Feb-06 6:00 PM

Clear idea #5: Information is useless.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Sun, 19 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Simple ideas to help you write what you mean – clearly and persuasively.

5. Information is useless.

The information superhighway. How quaint. Technology, tempered by wisdom, has evolved the information age into the knowledge age.

Most people despise data and crave context. Your job as a communicator is to show your readers why what you think is so vitally important is so vitally important to them.

We all ask: “What’s in it for me?” Give your readers relevance, context, and meaning.

18-Feb-06 6:00 PM

Clear idea #4 Plan, Write, Revise, Edit.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Sun, 12 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Simple ideas to help you write what you mean – clearly and persuasively.

4. Plan, write, revise, edit.

In that order. We’ve all struggled with the editor in our heads who won’t let us go on to sentence number two until we’ve polished sentence number one.

Fire that editor. Do it now.

There.

Now you can write to your heart’s content. Just get your ideas down. Turn off that annoying spell checker. (It doesn’t know the difference between form and from any way…oops I mean anyway.) You can fiddle with the sentences later. Choose different words. Rearrange things. Delete stuff. Oh, and follow the advice in Cool Idea #8 instead of using spell checker.

11-Feb-06 6:00 PM

Bank of The West invests in John Sturtevant's Business Writing Training for its senior managers.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:00:00 GMT

California-based Bank of The West recently hosted a full-day Business Writing Workshop for senior managers at its Fresno, California headquarters.

The management team is primarily responsible for Bank of The West’s agricultural banking activities. The bank supports the agribusiness community through financing for crop production, Farm equipment, Permanent crop development, Herd and feed, loans and lines of credit to support inventory expansion, and crop/hail coverage.

“This is the best writing workshop I’ve ever attended,” said Senior Financial Analyst Maria Tan. “John taught be how to be an active writer, and get my ideas across without the business jargon I’d been using for years.”

“Interactive, informative, and very helpful. I was engaged for the full day,” said Jay R. Dibble, Regional Vice President.

“This is a great class…I recommend it to anyone in our business!” added Credit Analyst Joanne Samache. “I will definitely use the techniques I learned.”

Bank of The West is one of the top 25 commercial banks in the nation, with assets of more than $63 billion. The bank serves more than 4 million customers in 19 Western and Midwestern states.. The bank is a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, one of only four banks globally now rated AA+ or stronger by Standard & Poor's.

The Writing Workshop delivers onsite business writing training to organizations worldwide. Learn more at http://www.thewritingworkshop.org

Get free ideas about how to think clearly and write what you mean here: http://johnsturtevant.blogspot.com

SunGard Energy generates new ideas and insights on clear writing with The Writing Workshop.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:00:00 GMT

SunGard Energy Systems recently hosted two, full-day workshops on clear thinking and persuasive writing for its Houston staff.

Participants included staff from all areas in the company including marketing managers, financial experts, business analysts, and administrative professionals.

SunGard develops software and solutions for global energy companies. Most of those who attended the workshop are expected to produce persusive marketing material, detailed documentation for their system users, and extensive industry reports that track usage and trends in their markets.

“This workshop helps take the fear out of writing!” said Shannon Hugetz, Systems Analyst “John opened my mind to the value of questioning and brainstorming…the exercises, assignments reinforced the learning.”

Frank Sun, Lead Technician added, “We need classes like this more often! I learned how to be clear with my ideas…everyone can use these skills.”

“Very informative,” said Biju Jose, Website Administrator. “John brought out so many new ideas and concepts I didn’t realize were important. He had great examples to help us apply the learning….plus he’s very funny!”

“Not what I expected!” said Deborah Feliciano, Financial Manager. “I was pleasantly surprised. The concepts were presented in clear, common sense ways. I enjoyed it very much and will use what I learned.”

SunGard Energy Systems provides software that helps energy companies in North America and Europe trade and market energy, process transactions, and manage risk, physical operations, transportation, storage, generation, and financial functions. SunGard Energy Systems' customer roster includes British Energy, Exelon, and the energy services operations of Louis Dreyfus.

The Writing Workshop delivers onsite business writing training to organizations worldwide. Learn more at http://www.thewritingworkshop.org

Get free ideas about how to think clearly and write what you mean here: http://johnsturtevant.blogspot.com

The Writing Workshop prescribes clear thinking and persuasive writing for Elan Corporation.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 13:15:00 GMT

John Sturtevant recently led group of scientists, researchers, and managers through a two-day workshop at Elan’s research facility in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Elan’s staff is responsible for generating extensive, detailed documentation about the research, methodologies, and rationale for the drug delivery systems the company develops at this facility. Joost Strasters, Associate Director of Analytical Sciences said John did a great job of reinforcing the importance of perspective in our work. He gave us a fresh look at a number of tools to improve our writing skills. I strongly recommend this workshop for people in a technical field, said Dieu Tran, Analytical Scientist. People will walk away with a refreshed mind, and the skills they need to know their readers and be clear in their writing! Bill Devorick, Project Leader said John does a great job of supporting each participant. He helped us increase our awareness of how best to communicate in different situations and...

British Columbia Transmission Corporation generates new insight on clear thinking and persuasive writing.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:00:00 GMT

The British Columbia Transmission Corporation (BCTC) recently contracted The Writing Workshop to provide a series of eight workshops for analysts, engineers, managers from BCTC and its sister company British Columbia Hydro (BC Hydro). BCTC and BC Hydro handle power generation and distribution of electricity throughout British Columbia. The staff is responsible for researching often complex topics and writing persuasive reports on the company’s activities. These reports are intended for a variety of readers – government regulators, local communities, Canada’s First Nation tribes, and business interests. The BCTC staff must clearly define their purpose and expected outcome and logically present their ideas, often in several ways. This was an excellent workshop, said Wah Shum, Regional Systems Manager. It helped me understand how to think, how to organize what I want to communicate, and how to write clearly! BCTC Senior Engineer Robert Pan said, Clear communication is...

The U.S. Army Communications and Electronics Command recruits John Sturtevant's Two-Day Clear Communications Workshop.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 22:00:00 GMT

John Sturtevant recently delivered a two-day Clear Communications workshop for staff at the US Army base in Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey.

Day one of the workshop focused on analytical thinking and persuasive writing skills. Day two gave participants the confidence and skills they need to develop their own presentation style, create engaging stores, and deliver compelling presentations.

The 35 staffers rated the workshop as “very good to excellent” based on the Army’s rigorous evaluation criteria.

Kathy Clarke, Army Program Analyst said “ The workshop was interactive and though-provoking. I especially liked John’s style and humor. Plus, I’ll definitely use the handbook to reinforce the ideas and skills I learned.”

“A much-needed exposure to tools and tips on speaking and writing” said Jane Watters, Contract Specialist. “The process of change begins with a determined mind!”

“I will apply the presentation techniques John taught us,” said Marissa DeLuca, DoD Logistician. “I feel confident now that I can put together a great presentation!”

Daisy Yavrez, Management Analyst added, “Great material…John taught me so many writing skills that I will use right away at work.”

The US Army base at Fort Monmouth is the center of gravity for the development of the Army's Command and Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Sensors and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems. Much of the Army's research and development of these hi-tech systems is done at Fort Monmouth by members of Team C4ISR.

The Writing Workshop delivers onsite business writing training to organizations worldwide. Learn more at http://www.thewritingworkshop.org

Get free ideas about how to think clearly and write what you mean here: http://johnsturtevant.blogspot.com/

Singapore's largest real estate developer builds management communication skills with The Writing Workshop.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:00:00 GMT

Far East Organization, one of Asia’s largest real estate companies called on The Writing Workshop to present a full-day business writing workshop for 120 of its top managers in Singapore. Far East Organization together with its Hong Kong-based sister company, Sino Group, is one of Asia's largest real estate groups. Far East Organization and Sino Group have a combined annual turnover of US$5.5billion and total assets valued at over US$40billion. Together, Far East Organization and Sino Group employ over 13,000 staff worldwide. This is an essential workshop for staff who communicate with clients. You’ll learn how to think and how to simplify your ideas to communicate clearly, said Anna Koh, Assistant Manager of Far East Management. This was a wonderful workshop, added Joy Lim, Far East HR Manager. I learned through sharing ideas and exercies on how to write with my reader in mind to achieve my purpose. I love John’s story-telling method. I highly recommend this to senior...

John Sturtevant develops two-day Clear Communications workshop for Weatherford International.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:00:00 GMT

A group of thirty-five scientists, engineers, technicians, and managers from Weatherford's Houston facilities, recently participated in a two-day workshop designed to give them the confidence and skills they need to think clearly, organize their ideas, and deliver compelling presentations.

The Clear Communication workshop teaches people how to uncover the real value of why they communicate; how to understand their audience’s perception and expectations; and how to speak with confidence to an audience.

John Sturtevant uses of principles of acting and acellerated learning to teach participants how to use their own strengths and experiences when they develop and deliver presentations.

“John is a fantastic instructor with great material,” said Rustum Challa, Production Manager. “He taught me an accurate approach to getting my message to my audience, how to tell a business story, and how to keep my audience in focus.”

“Excellent material and more importantly, an excellent instructor,” said Brent Rennick Production Manager. "I started using what I learned immediately."

Jason Hall, Manufacturing Lead, added “John created a relaxed atmosphere that allowed us to participate. I learned how to convey my ideas without the complexity and confusion I have done for years.”

“For the first time ever, I feel I can convey my ideas to my engineers and peers in a way they can understand…thank you!” said Kevin Wilkinson, Manufacturing Manager.

Weatherford International is one of the world’s largest diversified upstream oilfield service company. The company has $6.1 billion in annual revenues, approximately 33,000 employees in over 100 countries, and 87 manufacturing facilities supporting 730 service bases. The company provides one of the industry’s broadest portfolios of services and products: drilling, evaluation, completion, production, and intervention.

The Writing Workshop delivers onsite business writing training to organizations worldwide. Learn more at http://www.thewritingworkshop.org

Get free ideas about how to think clearly and write what you mean here: http://johnsturtevant.blogspot.com/

Pearl Meyer & Partners chooses The Writing Workshop for a full-day business-writing workshop at their 2008 annual conference.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:00:00 GMT

John Sturtevant led a full-day business-writing workshop for a group of 50 senior consultants at Pearl Meyer & Partners’ recent national conference in Nashville TN.

More than 150 consultants, analysts, managers from Pearl Meyers & Partners’ offices around the country attended the annual conference. The 3-day event also featured workshops on building client relationships, deferred compensation strategies, project management, and round-table sessions on project-specific topics.

“John’s session was excellent,” said Matt Depp, a Pear Meyer & Partners Associate. “I learned a great methodology for arguing ideas to generate action, that exactly what I need every day in my job.”

“This session was perfect…well-taught and engaging,” Added Bryan Roberts, a Senior Consultant.

“I agree,” said Mark Mundey, “It was highly-entertaining and eye-opening. I’ll be making changes to my writing process the minute I get back to the office!”

“I found the workshop active and very informative,” said Matthew Griffin. “I was engaged and focused on what I was learning throughout the day.”

Another Houston-based speaker, Karen McCullough, presented a concurrent full-day session called: Presenting Techniques: Creating your personal brand building rapport and delivering effective presentations.

Pearl Meyer & Partners is an independent compensation consultancy. For nearly 20 years, PM&P has been a recognized leader in executive and Director compensation strategy and governance. PM&P has guided the philosophy and implementation of executive reward programs at hundreds of organizations helping them link pay and performance to deliver maximum return on their compensation investment.

The Writing Workshop delivers onsite business writing training to organizations worldwide. Learn more at http://www.thewritingworkshop.org

Get free ideas about how to think clearly and write what you mean here: http://johnsturtevant.blogspot.com/

The Writing Workshop generates new thinking about clear writing at Exelon Nuclear.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:00:00 GMT

John Sturtevant recently led another two-day workshop for technical staff at the Exelon Nuclear Quad Cities Power Generating plant in Cordova, Illinois.

“Great presentation…upbeat and challenging with invaluable lessons to help me improve my writing skills.” Oran Turner, Exelon Process Analyst.

“This class was focused on the real application of communication and language,” said Jeremy Bries, Senior Operations Instructor. “It gave me the tools I need to be a successful writer on the job.”

“John made me think about what I do in a new way,” said Jack Zick, Work Planning Specialist.“ That’s exactly what I need to move beyond the kind of writing I’ve been stuck in doing.”

“Really great!” said Gary Bohms, Front Line Supervisor. “John showed us lots of ways to improve, but also what not to do. That was valuable for me.”

Exelon Nuclear is headquartered in Warrenville, Ill., and is a business unit of Exelon Corporation. It operates the largest nuclear fleet in the nation and the third largest fleet in the world. Exelon’s ten stations – with 17 reactors – represent approximately 20 percent of the U.S. nuclear industry’s power capacity.

The Writing Workshop delivers onsite business writing training to organizations worldwide. Learn more at http://www.thewritingworkshop.org

Get free ideas about how to think clearly and write what you mean here: http://johnsturtevant.blogspot.com/

John Sturtevant lands a series of full-day business-writing workshops for the City of Houston.

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:00:00 GMT

The City of Houston’s airport operations division, known as Houston Airport System, has contracted The Writing Workshop to run a series of full-day persuasive-writing workshops during 2008.

Based at Houston Intercontinental Airport, Houston Airport System (HAS) employs more than 1600 workers who run the city’s three airports.

HAS hired The Writing Workshop to give airport staff the skills to think clearly and write persuasively. Participants represent all areas of HAS operations, from the airport superintendent’s office, to mechanics, financial analysts, and administrative staff.

“I really respect the HAS approach to training,” says Sturtevant. “Training Director Stephen White recognizes the value of including people from all departments throughout the organization. I might have five or six guys who turn wrenches all day sitting beside a handful of executives in suits. The beauty is, both groups bring an incredible amount of insight combined with a raw desire to learn. The exchange of ideas that happens between them is inspiring.”

“It’s a great class with a great instructor,” says Chad Windsor, HAS Facilities Inspector. “John is very informative, he taught me to really look at how other people will read what I write.”

“John has a fresh style of teaching,” says Mickey Solomon, Management Analyst. “This training gave me the ability to focus and simplify my writing.”

“This workshop taught me a simple approach to making my writing clear. I’m going to use what I learned this very day!” says Jacqueline Pruitt, Contract Compliance Supervisor.

Houston Airport System is the fourth-largest airport system in the United States and the sixth-largest in the world. Considered a primary gateway to Latin America, HAS supports over 151,000 regional jobs and contributes over $24 billion to the local economy. HAS does not use local tax dollars and is entirely self-supporting through user fees and lease agreements

The Writing Workshop delivers onsite business writing training to organizations worldwide. Learn more at http://www.thewritingworkshop.org

Get free ideas about how to think clearly and write what you mean here: http://johnsturtevant.blogspot.com/

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:01:57 GMT

Business Writing Training Full-day and two-day onsite workshops give you real, practical skills you can use immediately. Give your staff the confidence and skills they need to think clearly & write what they mean. Full-day and two-day onsite workshops for up to 30 participants. Information is plentiful in business. But how you communicate that information is critical. You must continually turn information into knowledge to help your managers, colleagues, and customers understand often complex ideas, and make smart decisions. No tedious grammar rules or boring punctuation lessons! Our Business Writing Training workshops are energetic, fun, challenging, and thought-provoking sessions packed with new ideas and practical techniques – all designed to give you the confidence to master what people struggle with the most – how to think clearly and write what you mean. ...

People in these organizations learned to write what they mean.

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 20:35:52 GMT

(And they’ll even tell you how.) A & E - The Graphics Complex AEGON Insurance Group Alaska Society of Professional Engineers American Advertising Federation Ambulatory Surgery Center Association American Business Women’s Association American Council of Engineering Companies American Institute of Graphic Artists American Society of Association Executives American Society of Training and Development APQC - Research, Benchmarking & Best Practices Aramco Services Company Asia Business Forum, Singapore Asia Business Forum, Malaysia Association for Career and Technical Education Association of Proposal Management Professionals Atwood Oceanics Baltimore Bureau of Health Bank Of The West BP North America British Columbia Hydro & Power Authority British Columbia Transmission Corporation Brown & Brown CPAs California Agricultural Lending Institute Child Health Corporation of America City of Los Banos, California Clear2Pay...

On-site training, at your location. Anywhere in the nation & around the world.

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:24:20 GMT

Communication Skills Training John Sturtevant America's Expert on Clear Writing. Clear writing begins with clear thinking. The Writing Workshop's Effective Business Communication Skills Training builds on three powerful Persuasive Communication questions: Why am I communicating? Who is my audience? What do I expect to accomplish? Your staff will discover how to develop insightful and meaningful answers to those three essential questions. Through interactive learning techniques, your colleagues will gain the communication skills they need to think analytically, organize their ideas, structure a logical document, and communicate clearly and effectively – free of...

Read everything you like, and several things you don't.

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:11:31 GMT

Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies June Casagrande Funny, smart, insightful. This is the world’s only useful grammar guide. Rivers of Revenue Kristin Zhivago Your brand is the promise you keep, not the one you make. That's brilliant. Read this book for more insight about marketing and selling. &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;b&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/b&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;June Casagrande&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; A smart, funny, insightful, and often surprising guide to what really matters when it comes to so-called grammar...

The Writing Workshop Video Clips

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:35:12 GMT

Forget What You Learned in High School

Tell A Story

Get Stuck In Traffic

Walk Down The Hall

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:27:40 GMT

Learn to deliver professional-quality presentations.

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:24:50 GMT

Speak Like You Mean It!™ Learn what it takes to present with clarity and confidence. Want to gain the skills you need to give powerful, compelling presentations? Here's your chance to learn what it takes to engage your audience and deliver your ideas with clarity & confidence. Speak Like You Mean It! combines improvisational acting exercises, public speaking techniques, story-telling principles, and practical guidelines for designing and creating presentation graphics. Morning: Developing a presence Through a series of physical and verbal exercises, you will learn to feel comfortable with your physical presence, project and enunciate your words correctly, and connect with your audience through speaking rhythm, vocal emphasis, eye-contact, body language, and other essential public speaking skills. Participants will engage in fun, challenging, and insightful exercises designed to help them focus on how they look and sound to their audience. The...

Business Writing Training

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:19:57 GMT

Do you have a hard time putting your ideas into words? Do you freeze up when you have to write a proposal, or a business letter, or even a simple email? Do you wish you could just say what you want to say in writing? Video preview Here’s how to schedule John Sturtevant for your organization. America’s Expert on Clear Writing. John Sturtevant is a nationally-recognized writing trainer and speaker. John was a highly-successful business writer for more than 20 years. He also taught business writing for five years at Harvard Business School and The European School of Economics in Rome, Italy. This is refreshing, out-of-the-box insight. If you like what Apple makes, you’ll love and learn from John Sturtevant. He is the iPhone of trainers. Roger W. Pynn, APR, President Curley & Pynn Public Relations & Marketing Communications Schedule John Sturtevant for your organization now. Learn how to lose bad writing habits, and gain the skills you need to...

Sharpen your skills with 1-on-1 writing coaching!

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 15:32:43 GMT

1-on-1 Clear Writing Sessions The Writing Workshop’s one-hour 1-on-1 Clear Writing Sessions are a great opportunity for you to learn the same communication skills, concepts and techniques our corporate clients learn in the full-day Business Writing Training Workshop – the difference is, you get hands-on personal coaching from the convenience of your home or office. We’ll schedule a series of 1-hour sessions over the telephone and Internet. You’ll get hands-on personal writing coaching, editing, and clear suggestions for dozens of ways to improve your writing and presentation skills. In The Writing Workshop’s 1-on-1 Clear Writing Sessions, you’ll see first-hand how to: • apply clear writing techniques in real-time • tighten your sentence structure to make your writing transparent • revise your paragraphs to help your ideas flow • use the so what model to test your ideas • eliminate needless content • use elements...

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:19:28 GMT

Very very good…should be given by all companies whose employees’ writing affects their business. Barbara Capun Brown & Brown, CPAs Writing Skills Seminar These 90-Minute Clear Writing Seminars show you The 5 Big Ideas behind what it takes to think clearly & write what you mean. You’ll learn the most important goal in writing (it’s not what you think). You’ll hear the #1 question on every reader’s mind (you’re thinking it right now). Plus you’ll discover why tomatoes will make you a better communicator – (you just have to think about them – it really works!) Best of all, you’ll leave the seminar armed with practical skills you can use immediately to say what you mean clearly and persuasively – and take less time doing it. This was great because it was interactive. I was constantly engaged with the material. Ferah Ileri Marketing Coordinator MacTec Environmental Engineering Learn to give better...

HAFPD with Ed Schipul

noemail@thewritingworkshop.org — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 21:00:00 GMT

Objectives: Please provide your comments!

Release Date: 26-Jul-05 4:00 PM
Expiration Date: 25-Aug-05 4:00 PM