Next Scheduled Event:
“Writing for Professionals: Choosing the Best Style for Your Content, Context, and Audience”
Date & Time: February 27, 2012. Networking starts at 6:00 p.m. The meeting begins at 6:30, and ends at 8:30. Refreshments are served in the lobby before the meeting and during the break.
Where: KCBXnet Computer Training Center, 4100 Vachell Lane, San Luis Obispo (at the intersection of S. Higuera St. and Vachell Lane). Click here for maps and driving directions from your starting point.
Description: As a business or technical communication professional, you know that sitting down to any writing project can prompt all sorts of practical questions. For example, you might ponder: How formal should it be? Should I use an active or passive voice? Which point of view is most appropriate?
Business communication specialist Elizabeth McGregor, principal of Fine Lines Communications (FineLinesWriting.com), will answer these questions and more. For example, she’ll:
- Help us rummage through our cluttered “language attics” and clear out the piles of awkward constructions and misguided phrasing.
- Share a variety of writing “best practices” and additional sources of advice that will help us achieve greater clarity and proficiency in the genres in which we communicate most often.
- Explain how to avoid some of the embarrassing mistakes and unhelpful practices that can prevent our audiences from effectively using our information.
As a result, we can feel confident that our communication projects are intelligible and appropriate, and will actually help our audiences perform! Here are the topics to be covered:
Topic 1: Know Your Purpose and Your Audience
Do you know your audience inside out? Find out why it’s so important to identify your purpose, context, genre, and anticipated readers, and create that all-important audience profile.
Topic 2: General Style Refresher
Elizabeth will answer questions such as these:
- What are the most important writing and editing guidelines I need to keep in mind as I begin any project?
- How should I format my documents for audiences whose attention is constantly split?
- Can my computer’s editing and grammar-checking tools help me improve my writing?
- Where can I turn for help with industry-specific style questions?
Topic 3: Specific Business-Writing Applications
Do you communicate clearly and crisply in more formal business documents and procedures, for example, or do you need a little help in those areas? Elizabeth will delve more deeply into a few of the domains in which people experience the most difficulty. She’ll also provide a variety of handouts, including “before-and-after” examples.
Don't miss this opportunity to sharpen your skills, boost your confidence, and strengthen your writing “chops”!
Event Facilitator: Elizabeth McGregor is a communications specialist, freelance writer, marketing consultant, speaker, and the principal of Fine Lines Communications (FineLinesWriting.com). Elizabeth strives to teach and inspire entrepreneurs to promote themselves from the inside out through effective communication, copywriting, marketing, and public relations. Her client work, articles, and essays span several genres, including business and technology, personal development, marketing content, and creative writing.
Cost: Visitors are always welcome and there is no charge. But we gladly accept donations to cover the cost of refreshments and overhead!
Door Prize: We have an assortment of recent publications from which to choose. The drawing occurs at the break; you must be present to win.
RSVP: Optional. For more information or if you have questions, please contact us.
SLO TBC usually holds its events on the 4th Monday of the month from October through June. We generally take a break over the summer and resume in the fall. For more information, please contact us.