| Why you need to know about plain language |
Anton Behr advises the Committee dealing with Plain Language and the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) in parliament. He is also the Director of The Plain Language Programme, and The Managing Director of Writers Write.
Why should I care about Plain Language?
Legislation requires that companies, and individuals, implement a plain language policy. You have until 1 April 2011 to comply. If you don’t, you face a fine of 10% of your annual turnover or a jail sentence.
“Most of us are unfamiliar with the basics of business writing,” says Anton Behr. “We aren’t all necessarily trained writers. However, we liaise with clients, colleagues and the media. Many of us feel out of our depth in this electronic world. We need to learn how to write for business in 2011. And we need to learn how to write in plain language.”
What is Plain Language?
The CPA requires that you write in the active voice. You must keep sentences short. You should avoid jargon and acronyms and adopt a user-friendly style and tone. Before you do this, you must learn how to write effectively. The Plain Language Programme is a comprehensive, easy-to-understand and easy-to-use, course that shows business writers how to improve general business writing skills. It also provides guidelines for Plain Language as written into legislation.
What would I learn on The Plain Language Programme?
1. Back to Basics – A Grammar Refresher. You will understand, and use grammar in plain language.
2. The Word Business. You will be able to write in plain language for the electronic media.
3. The Story of Your Business. You will discover how creative writing techniques help business writers.
4. You, the editor. You will work through editing in plain language.
How will this help me?
After completing the four modules, you will understand (amongst many other things):
Email etiquette
Grammar – including active & passive voice, phrase-free sentences and basic punctuation
How to edit your own writing
How to write in an electronic world
How to make your writing as readable as possible
Writing techniques to help you market and promote your product
To find out more, or to book your team on our course, call Anton Behr 0798753719 or email info@writerswrite.co.za
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