Effective Plain Language Writing

Professional writing today must be concise, clear, and comprehensible — or it doesn’t get read. This means that writers must understand Plain Language principles and be able to apply them effectively. 

This lively, hands-on workshop equips participants with the knowledge and skills they’ll need to write clearly for today’s fast-paced work environment. Each participant will receive a workbook full of explanations, exercises, and helpful references that is theirs to keep. 

Learning Objectives

By the end of this seminar, participants will 

• understand the principles of Plain Language communication

• know how to apply Plain Language techniques to communicate effectively

• understand when and why to use Plain Language techniques

• write clearly and concisely

• have the chance to improve their writing in a supportive environment

Workshop Topics

1. Understand communication today

• Understand how people read today

• Learn about the five Cs of Plain Language communication: conciseness, clarity, correctness, coherency, and consistency

• Learn about encoding and decoding information

1. Know your reader and purpose

• Define your audience, purpose, and key issues

• Plan your writing

• Establish a writing process that brings results

1. Words

• Use concrete words to tell a story

• Eliminate unnecessary words 

• Use the active voice when appropriate 

• Use active verbs to provide energy

1. Sentences

• Find the optimum length for readability

• Use bullets for emphasis

• Unpack embedded ideas

• Use prepositional phrases to add only necessary information

1. Paragraphs

• Ensure there’s only one idea per paragraph

• Use topic sentences effectively to guide readers

• Make paragraphs coherent

1. Document Design

• Help readers find necessary information

• Use white space and margins effectively 

• Understand the impact of fonts 

About the Instructor

Moira Rayner White is an Ottawa-based editor, writer, and trainer. She has decades of experience in plain language editing, writing, and teaching for government and corporate clients. She has a Master’s degree in Social Policy and extensive experience editing documents so that they can be clearly understood by their intended audience. 

Moira has specific training in plain language communication, copy editing, structural editing, stylistic editing, and proofreading. She has managed onsite production of reports in Canada, the United States, and Europe; has travelled across Canada with public consultations writing, editing, and producing reports; and has synthesized the work of multiple authors. 

Moira is an honorary life member and past president of Editors’ Association of Canada. She is also a member of PLAIN.