Writing skills for planning professionals

With recent legislation changes - including the Localism Act - good communication skills have never been more vital. Whether you're writing a letter, a public consultation leaflet, a strategic policy document or design and access statements, your written messages should be clear and easy to understand

This intensive and practical workshop focuses on helping you to plan your document, write fluently without the struggle, and to polish and edit your work.  The aim is not only to get your messages across, but also to use the written word to build harmonious relationships and enhance your professional reputation Even if you have previously found writing a challenge, this course will give you all the know-how you need to tackle any piece of writing - and make it easier than you ever believed possible.

Who should attend?

• Planners and administrators in public and private sectors who need to communicate clearly and on a variety of levels with individuals, community groups, colleagues, councillors, committee members and professionals in other organisations. 

Benefits of attending

Attending this masterclass will help you:

1. Know how to structure documents, letters and emails for impact and clarity
2. Write faster and more fluently - and abolish writer's block
3. Write twice as much in half the time with a can't fail process to make it easy
4. Turn difficult situations to your advantage by controlling the tone of your written message
5. Raise your personal and professional profile by presenting yourself powerfully on paper or screen.
6. Let your written messages smooth the way for collaborative negotiations and win-win decisions  

Programme

1. What do we mean by good communication?

• Definition of communication - and why it 'takes two to tango'
• The invisible barriers and hurdles that may prevent us getting our message across
• Putting yourself in the reader's shoes
• Why the facts alone may not be enough

2. Letters and memos that get your points across

• Identify your reader - know your objective
• How to grab attention from the start
• How to start when you don't know where to start
• Structuring for brevity and impact
• Planning the content… keeping it simple
• Beginnings and endings
• Avoiding clichés like the plague
• Rules that were made to be broken
• Editing tips and techniques

3. How to make writing as easy as speaking

• Taking the struggle out - putting the fun in
• Identifying the roots of writer's block and banishing it for ever
• Understanding the psychology of the writing and editing process
• What your English teacher never taught you at school
• The four stage process that enables your writing to be fast, focused and fluent
• Step by step to achieve good business writing with ease

4. Writing effective e-mails

• Avoiding the tyranny of email
• Traps and pitfalls
• How to get your e-mails read
• Irresistible subject lines with 'read-me' appeal
• e-mail etiquette
• Cross cultural challenges of writing international e-mails

5. Introduction to writing reports and longer documents

• Defining your purpose and objectives
• Gathering your information
• Prioritising your information
• Co-ordinating your writing team
• Pulling it all together and how not to be overwhelmed
• Structuring so readers can extract essential info at speed
• How to inject life into your text with some tricks that journalists use

6. Layout and presentation

• Tailoring your text to please the eye - make your layout user friendly
• Why white space is never wasted space
• Get your reader 'in the mood' by choosing the right font
• How to use layout for maximum impact
• Devices to break up text and give your message instant accessibility

7. Grammar, punctuation and spelling

• From commas to colons. All the punctuation rules you'll ever need
• Clearing the confusion on quotes and apostrophes
• Spelling tips and when not to trust your spellchecker
• The précis process - extracting the essentials to save time and space

8. Developing your style

• Formal and informal writing styles
• Choosing and using an appropriate tone
• The 'you' focus - how to build customer care into every line
• Accentuating the positive - transforming negative messages into building blocks for your success
• Responding to complaints
• Turn difficult situations to your advantage
• Use the active voice for lively and dynamic phrasing

9. Course review

• Questions and answers
• What have I learned?
• How will I put it into action?

Trainer:
Judi Goodwin comes from a background of journalism, corporate communications and radio broadcasting. She was a regular contributor to The Daily Telegraph and the Manchester Evening News and spent five years as a freelance reporter for BBC Radio Four. She began her training career with the University of Manchester and has run in-house writing courses for Bracknell Forest Borough Council, Ashford Borough Council, and Essex County Council. She holds the Certificate in Training and Development and is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. 

Please download a brochure and booking form here