We love lists – they’re an effective way to reduce cognitive load for your reader and get your message across quickly. You can even use them to break up long or complex sentences. Want our top tips for writing an effective list? Read on.
Have you ever opened an email and not been sure what it was about? You may have just read a thriller. Jargon had you getting out your enigma machine, cliffhangers kept you on the edge of your seat, red herrings threw you off the scent, plot twists created a convoluted tale.
English grew from 2 roots. Anglo-Saxon gave us everyday words like start, help and letter/email. After 1066, Latinate French added words like commencement, assistance, and correspondence. Now we use words from both roots.
Using AI is a lot like hiring an enthusiastic intern. They’re quick and helpful but also alarmingly confident in their own ability. And the thing about over-eager interns is that if you let them, they start making decisions you should be making yourself.
Clear communication may seem obvious for good business. But many organisations still bury key details under context, leave out helpful headings or hide behind the passive voice.
A legible typeface in your documents and on your website makes it easier for readers with low vision or dyslexia to read your writing. You can start with common, easy-to-read typefaces, such as Calibri, Verdana or Tahoma.
Across Australia, organisations are moving quickly to adopt generative AI tools like Copilot and ChatGPT. The promise is clear: faster writing, greater productivity and less time spent on repetitive tasks.
Acronyms. One of the most loved and hated features of business writing. Writers love them, readers not so much, but why? And do they have a place in clear communication?
Short words benefit all readers (and writers). We love them because they are easier to read, liven up your writing, save time and reduce ambiguity.
With the Victorian overnment’s accessible communication policy in place, HR and L&D teams are moving from awareness to implementation.
Want practical, plain-language techniques for reducing cognitive load and removing barriers to understanding? Want clearer communication that works for more people? Check out our latest ebook.
As councils across Australia respond to population growth, rising service demand and increasing complexity, Blacktown City Council shows how clear communication is critical to inclusion, operational efficiency and community engagement.
It’s the season for love. And we love plain language. Because nothing says you care like an email that gets to the point.
The Victorian government has taken a major step towards clearer, fairer and more accessible public communication with its new policy. What does this mean for you?
Ever been stumped by a reviewer’s feedback on your document design or uncertain how to explain what you want to the person designing your annual report?
A tattoo is one of the most permanent messages you can send, so why are so many of them illegible? And what does this have to do with work?
They look harmless. Professional, even. Words like utilisation, implementation, completion and finalisation. These are zombie nouns, and they’re eating your writing alive.
But why should you start using plain legal language? Try these 5 reasons on for size.
Attention spans have shrunk to just 47 seconds. With less than a minute, how do you make your writing engaging and efficient?
This is the last of a series of articles exploring widely held misconceptions that diminish many workplace writers’ efficiency and effectiveness.
This is the fourth of a series of articles exploring widely held misconceptions that diminish many workplace writers’ efficiency and effectiveness.
This is the third of a series of articles exploring widely held misconceptions that diminish many workplace writers’ efficiency and effectiveness.
This is the second of a series of articles exploring widely held misconceptions that diminish many workplace writers’ efficiency and effectiveness.
This is the first of a series of articles exploring widely held misconceptions that diminish many workplace writers’ efficiency and effectiveness.
Have you noticed writing standards in your team are starting to slip? Are drafts getting wordier? Is reviewing getting harder? It might be time to consider a refresher!
Dynamic pricing one day, dynamic definition the next. This year, Oasis fans found that prices soared instantly and did not come back down, which even impacted the tickets already in their shopping carts.
When you join one of our writing workshops, you'll be starting a plain language journey. Come with us as Tom Wadsworth imagines the road ahead in this article that first appeared in 'The Mandarin'.
Mastering the art of self-editing is the key to becoming a more efficient writer. In this blog, we share 6 sure-fire tips to help you self-edit your writing with confidence and panache!
We unpack the grammar behind vigorous verbs - the powerhouses of plain language. And we also take a couple of detours to explain why no-one else talks like Yoda and why vigorous verbs really took off after the Vikings invaded England.
The forgetting curve is often considered a curse by L&D professionals. But it can also be a force for good. Find out how you can take advantage of the early memory dips that happen after training and embed new learning into your organisation.
If we asked professionals to name 3 skills central to critical thinking, we’d guess writing in plain language might not be the first that comes to mind. But dig deeper into the best ways to develop good critical thinking, and clear parallels soon emerge.
Apostrophes are tricky, but did you know that mastering them can boost your career and improve your love life? Let us show you how.
If you had the chance to enrol in a plain language workshop to improve your reviewing efficiency, would you take it? In this article, we take a look at how training can change your life!
Love them or loathe them, emojis are part of how many people communicate. But what happens when they appear in professional contexts?
Want your workplace writing to be plain sailing? Be part of the plain language movement and join forces with practitioners around the world to magically transform your writing into texts that are more precise, more persuasive and more successful.
Workplace writing cannot succeed with a one-size-fits-all approach. Yet most of us enter the workforce having learned exactly that: the essay. Why do we use this approach and how does it limit successful communication?
We worked with the NSW Education Standards Authority to transform their school registration and accreditation manuals. We created new streamlined documents that are 25% shorter, simple to navigate, and written in clear, precise terms that are easy to read.
Workplace writing cannot succeed with a one-size-fits-all approach. Yet most of us enter the workforce having learned exactly that: the essay. Why do we use this approach and how does it limit successful communication?
Find the benefits of attending one of our Sydney writing courses. Our workshops help you meet an international standard for communication.
In business, every cent matters. But companies are still overlooking plain language. This communication method can save businesses millions of dollars.
Every year we hunt for the year’s worst words: the most cringe-worthy buzzwords, jargon, doublespeak and corporate spin.
Plain language improves transparency and clarity to support a healthy, functional and inclusive democracy that protects citizens’ human rights.
When the Department of Human Services asked us to evaluate their website, we were delighted to find a government website that lives up to its name. It focuses on the humans and makes it easy for them to find the services they need!
Ever had a hard time understanding a bill? For Australian energy bills, this is a thing of the past with plain language billing guidelines.
Ever had a hard time understanding a bill? For Australian energy bills, this is a thing of the past with plain language billing guidelines.
Want to use ChatGPT like a pro? Talk to it like a human to get the best results from your prompts. And the best way to do that is to use plain language.
Wondering why your boss is leaving you on read? Read this article to discover the secret to great business writing.
Your reputation has never been more important. So how do you make your business stand out? One easy way is with plain language.
Is your message reaching everyone? Now’s the time to consider plain language. It supports equity, accessibility and inclusion.
If you're suffering from staffing cuts or need to improve productivity and efficiency at work, switching to plain language can help.
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