How long does the Writing Clear Texts course take and what does it cost?

The Clear Writing course takes two consecutive days. You follow the course in a classroom setting in a small group, including course materials. Afterwards you can submit a text from your own working practice for feedback from the trainer. That way you apply what you have learnt directly to reports, plans, proposals or quotations that you actually write. You will find the current price on the course page.

Who is the Writing Clear Texts course suitable for?

The Writing Clear Texts course is suitable for anyone who regularly writes longer, persuasive texts for work, such as reports, plans, proposals and quotations. You are an expert in your field, but not necessarily in writing itself. Structuring and argumentation are central. Do you mainly write short messages such as e-mails? Then Customer-Focused Writing better suits your learning objective.

Which topics are covered during the Writing Clear Texts course?

During the two-day Writing Clear Texts course you learn to determine your target audience and writing objective, choose a strong text structure (such as pyramid writing and scannable writing), phrase things convincingly and select the right style for your reader. You also work on sentences that read easily, on the structure of chapters and paragraphs, and you receive tips for language questions. Your own points for attention from the intake are incorporated into the programme.

Do I receive feedback on a text of my own after the Clear Writing course?

Yes, after the two-day Clear Writing course you can submit a text from your own working practice for personal feedback from the trainer. That way you apply what you have learnt directly to a real document from your job and see where you can still make gains in structure, persuasiveness and readability. This feedback is included in the course as standard.

Is the Writing Clear Texts course also useful if I write in English, German or French?

Yes. The Writing Clear Texts course focuses on the Dutch language, but most of the tips on structuring and persuading work just as well in other languages. Whether you are drawing up a report in English or a proposal in German: the method for pinning down your reader, your aim and your message remains the same. Spelling and grammar for specific languages are not covered.

Is any prior knowledge required for the Writing Clear Texts course?

No, you do not need any specific prior knowledge for the Writing Clear Texts course. You do not need a background in linguistics. The course has been designed for specialists who regularly write business texts, such as reports, plans or quotations. Beforehand, the trainer holds a short intake interview, so that the programme matches your working practice and writing level.

When should I choose a classroom writing course instead of self-study using a book or an online course?

A classroom course such as Writing Clear Texts has three advantages over self-study. First, you receive direct feedback from a trainer on your own phrasing and structural choices, something a book or e-learning cannot offer. Second, you learn from the texts and questions of other participants. You often recognise your own pitfalls in someone else's work. Third, the two-day set-up forces you to spend two consecutive days genuinely working on your writing skills, without distraction from your job. Self-study works if you have a specific question, for example about spelling. For structuring, arguing and style (skills that call for practice and correction) classroom learning is more effective. Afterwards, you can also submit a text from your own practice for feedback.

What is the difference between Learnit's Writing Clear Texts and Customer-Focused Writing courses?

Writing Clear Texts focuses on longer, persuasive documents such as reports, plans, proposals and quotations. Structuring and building an argument are central. The course lasts two days and is classroom-based. Customer-Focused Writing, on the other hand, deals with short documents such as letters and emails, in which tone and a customer-focused approach matter more than in-depth structure. Choose Writing Clear Texts if you mainly struggle with the structure of a piece of advice, the pyramid structure of a report or the persuasiveness of a proposal. Choose Customer-Focused Writing if you send short messages to customers every day and want to make more impact with them. Not sure which to pick, or do you mainly have questions about spelling and grammar? In that case the Dutch Spelling and Grammar course is a more logical starting point. Learnit will be happy to advise you by telephone on the right choice.

How do I know whether Writing Clear Texts is right for me, or whether I would be better off choosing Dutch Spelling and Grammar?

The difference lies in your learning objective. Writing Clear Texts focuses on the structure, persuasiveness and readability of longer documents such as reports, plans, proposals and quotations. You learn to define your reader and objective precisely, choose a suitable text structure (for example pyramid writing or scannable writing) and phrase things in an appealing way. The Dutch Spelling and Grammar course is about writing without errors: spelling rules, verb forms, punctuation and grammatical pitfalls. Choose Writing Clear Texts if you have the subject expertise but doubt whether your text comes across well. Choose Dutch Spelling and Grammar if you are mainly unsure about linguistic correctness. Still in doubt? Contact Learnit for advice.

How soon after the Writing Clear Texts course can I apply the approach to a report or quotation at work?

You can apply the approach straight after the second day of the course. The course is built up over two days around a concrete sequence: first you determine your target audience, subject and objective, then you choose a text structure (pyramid writing or a problem-solution structure, for example), after which you work on wording and style. You apply those steps immediately to a report, plan, proposal or quotation. Many participants notice that the preparation phase goes more quickly, because the writing task has been defined more sharply beforehand. For tricky wording and language questions, the course points you to sources you can consult independently afterwards. After the course you can also submit a text of your own for feedback, so you can still fine-tune your first practical application.

Can I also use the approach from Writing Clear Texts for team communication, or do I have to train each colleague separately?

The approach you learn in Writing Clear Texts (two days, classroom-based) can be applied individually, but demonstrably works better when several colleagues use the same approach. The reason: you learn to make choices about target audience, purpose, structure and style. If you apply pyramid writing and your colleague does not, your reports or quotations will still fit together poorly. For teams and departments, Learnit therefore offers a tailor-made variant, in which the programme is adapted to the working practice of the group. That is a separate route, apart from open registration. For individual participants, the open course remains suitable: you can raise points for attention during the intake that the trainer conducts briefly by email or telephone before the course dates. Contact Learnit to discuss the tailor-made options.

What happens if halfway through the Writing Clear Texts course I notice that my real stumbling block lies with another topic, such as pyramid writing or choice of style?

The programme of Writing Clear Texts is not entirely fixed. Before the course, the trainer holds a short intake interview with you by e-mail or telephone, in which you can raise points for attention. Topics that emerge from these intake interviews can be added to the standard programme. During the two course days there is also room for your own questions, as the course is set up interactively with a mix of listening, sharing, trying out and reflecting. If you find that pyramid writing, text structure or choice of style (formal, neutral, informal) matter most to you, you can say so. If you want a programme that is even more closely tailored to your working practice or that of your colleagues, tailor-made options are available.

Writing Clear Texts course (2 days)

Name: Writing clear texts
Price: 1250.0 EUR
Availability: InStock
Rating: 8.6 (4 reviews)

Do you write reports, plans, quotations or proposals that really have to convince? In two days you will gain a method for writing clear, well-structured texts more quickly. With attention to reader, aim and style — and room for your own practical questions.

Description

Do you regularly write quotations, plans, reports or proposals for your work? And does that often take you more time than you expected, while afterwards you still wonder whether your text really convinces? In this two-day course you work on an approach that lets you write professional texts faster and with more confidence.

You start by pinning down your writing task: who are you writing for, about what and with what aim? From that starting point you build a clear structure and practise formulating your text in an engaging and persuasive way. You are given tools for pyramid writing, scannable writing and choosing the right tone, whether formal, neutral or informal.

The course is practical and interactive. You alternate theory with practice and reflection, learn from the other participants and receive practical tips for quickly finding answers to language questions in your daily work. Afterwards, you can send in a text from your own practice for feedback from the trainer.

Topics

During this two-day training course you will work on the skills you need to write clear, convincing texts more quickly. The following topics are covered:

What exactly do you have to tell your reader, and why?
What does your reader want to know?
What do you want your reader to do with, or as a result of, your text?
What makes a text persuasive?
Which text structure do you choose for a text setting out a problem and its solution(s), for a piece of advice or a plan, or for an (evaluation) report? And what other options do you have?
How do you write for the impatient reader? Pyramid writing and scannable writing.
Chapters, sections and paragraphs: how do you handle them? And how do you use Word intelligently?
Do you choose a formal, neutral or informal style? For whom and in which situations?
How do you write sentences that are pleasant and easy to read?

Based on the intake, we tailor the programme to your writing practice, so that your own points for attention are also covered.

Result

After this two-day course you will write professional texts more quickly and with more confidence, texts that get through to your reader. You will know how to define a writing task clearly: who you are writing for, about what and with what aim. From that analysis you set up a logical basic structure for reports, plans, proposals and quotations.

You can choose between different text structures, for example for a problem with solutions, a piece of advice or an evaluation report. You write in a scannable, pyramid-style way for the impatient reader, and you formulate sentences that read pleasantly and persuade. You also consciously adapt your style to your target group: formal, neutral or informal.

You will also know where to find reliable answers to your language questions, so that you can continue independently after the course. Afterwards, you can submit a text from your own practice for feedback from the trainer.

Target audience

Do you regularly write longer texts for your work that need to convince? Think of reports, plans, proposals and quotations. Then this course is for you. Structuring and building arguments play an important role.

The course focuses mainly on the Dutch language area. But structuring and persuading are more international than you might think. Do you also write in English, German or French for work? Then most of the tips will serve you well too.

Do you mainly write short documents such as e-mails and letters? Then the course Customer-focused writing may suit you better. If your questions are mainly about writing without errors, we recommend the course Dutch spelling and grammar on. Feel free to contact Learnit for advice.

Teaching method

This course is practical and interactive. You listen, share experiences, try out new techniques and reflect together with the other participants. You ask your own questions, learn from each other's texts and receive plenty of tips for finding answers to language questions in your daily practice. Afterwards you can submit a text from your work for personal feedback from the trainer.

Prior knowledge

You do not need any specific prior knowledge for this course. It helps if you regularly write longer texts in your work, such as reports, plans, proposals or quotations. That way you can apply what you learn directly to your own practice.

Comments

This course takes two consecutive days. Afterwards you can submit a text from your own practice for personal feedback from the trainer. The programme is tailored on the basis of a short intake beforehand, so that your own writing questions are addressed.

In-company

Would you like to organise this training for a whole group or several groups? This can be cost-effective. For example, we can tailor the content entirely to your organisation, and training a whole group is also cheaper.

Are you looking at large numbers of participants or a complete academy? That involves a great deal. Consider planning and communication, for example, or identifying and agreeing the objectives and content of the training. Or differences in level, feedback mechanisms and safeguarding. Fortunately, Learnit has extensive experience in this field (more than 25 years) and we are happy to help you through this process.

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Language

The training is given in Dutch as standard. The trainer has a good command of English. English-language course material can be used. With a minimum enrolment of 3 participants, the training can also be given entirely in English.

Number of days:

2 days

Course times:

from 10 am to 5 pm

Study load:

14 hours

Education level:

This training is suitable for all levels.

Exemptions:

Exemptions do not apply to this course.

Preparation time:

No preparation time applies to this course.

Certificate:

At the end of the course, a certificate is issued as proof of participation.

The best training for you

At Learnit you will always find a course that takes you further. From (technical) IT skills to communication or personal leadership. You can also choose the training format that suits you best: a classroom course, a tailor-made course at your own office, an online course or an e-learning. We have the right course and the right format for everyone. Because learning in the way that suits you best delivers the best results.

Moving forward together

Taking a training course at Learnit means learning together. Together with your experienced trainer, together with your course group or together with your colleagues. And whether you take the training at home, at your office or at one of our training locations, we are always available to help you. To share our knowledge with you in a way that is genuinely useful to you. Getting further together through personal attention and understanding each other well; that is what we believe in.

Apply it directly in your work

Learning theory from a book that you can then hardly use in your work? Not at Learnit! Whichever training you take with us, you can put it to use at your workplace straight away. Because of the unique learning objectives you set together with the trainer at the start of the training. Because of the alternation between theory and (interactive) practical assignments. And by bringing the challenges you face in your daily work along to the training.