Measurably boost your grade level score at Ann Wylie’s Rev Up Readership course May 4 – June 1
Read it and weep. More than half of all Americans have basic or below basic reading skills, according to the DOE’s latest adult literacy test.
That means they can sign forms, compare ticket prices for two events and look up shows in a TV guide. But they have trouble finding places on a map. Can’t calculate the cost of office supplies from a catalog. Are unable to compare viewpoints in two editorials.
How well are we reaching these folks with our messages?
In this concise-writing workshop, you’ll learn how to make every piece you write easier to read and understand. You’ll walk away with secrets you can use to reach more readers, measurably improve readability and sell concise writing to management.
New! Travel ban got you down? Attend Rev Up Readership online.
“TONS of new tips and tricks. I cannot believe how much I changed and improved one piece in this session. I also enjoyed the ability to hear more from the other professionals in the room. Very interactive, which I loved.”
— Megan McCarl, public relations associate, Lambert, Edwards & Associates
Read more rave reviews
What you’ll learn in our readability workshop:
Whether you’re a corporate communicator, PR pro or content marketing writer, you’ll learn how to:
Write for Readability
In this session, you’ll dive into the results of this massive global literacy study. You’ll get a reality check on the level at which your readers really read. (Prepare to be depressed!) Then you’ll find out how to write messages that get more people to:
- Read your piece
- Read more of it
- Read it faster
- Understand it better
- Remember it longer
Specifically, you’ll learn how to:
- Reach real readers. Chances are, you’re vastly overestimating your audience members’ literacy rate.
- Increase reading by up to 75% by making one change to your message.
- Measure, monitor, manage and report readability — the No. 1 tool for making your messages more effective.
“Learning how to think like a reader instead of a writer has been extremely helpful. The last press release I wrote was 20% shorter, had a catchier headline and short, punchy paragraphs.”
— Jen Baldassari, media and marketing coordinator, National Center for Victims of Crime
Cut Through the Clutter
How long is too long? What’s the right length for your piece? Your paragraphs? Your sentences? Your words?
In this session, you’ll run your message through a cool (free!) tool to measure, monitor and manage readability.
Specifically, you’ll learn how to:
- Analyze your message for 27 readability metrics — from the Flesch Kincaid grade level to Smog Index reading level to the Gunning Fog score. You’ll leave with quantifiable targets, tips and techniques for writing shorter words, sentences and paragraphs.
- Increase reading, understanding and sharing with five techniques for cutting your copy significantly.
- Stop discombobulating readers with long sentences. Leave this workshop with 11 metrics for writing shorter sentences and increasing comprehension.
“Our payment processing company loves multi-syllable words stuffed into multi-phrase sentences. Now we have better tools, such as the funnel system, to work through the clutter. The best result? Our V.P. of Sales and Marketing is thinking about readability now, too! (We had a nice little talk after I edited a 26-word sentence down to 15 and told him why!)”
— Janice Owen, public relations manager, Mercury Payment Systems
Take the ‘Numb’ Out of Numbers
“Numbers without context, especially large ones with many zeros trailing behind, are about as intelligible as vowels without consonants,” writes Daniel Okrent, former New York Times ombudsman.
Indeed, poorly handled, statistics can make your readers’ eyes glaze over. In this session, you’ll master the art of making numbers understandable as well as interesting:
- Avoid statistics soup and data dumps using three simple steps.
- Create meaningful — not discombobulating — charts and graphs.
- Find free tools that create attractive charts for you.
“Useful tips to help you achieve the goal of ‘quit whining, start measuring.’”
— Kristi Mallory, marketing communications specialist, Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International
Start Making Sense
Jargon:
- Irritates readers.
- Makes messages less understandable.
- Reduces social media reach and influence.
- Cuts media coverage.
- Makes your website harder to find.
- Demonstrates your lack of knowledge about the topic.
- May even suggest that your company is in trouble.
In this session, you’ll learn how to:
- Determine when to use jargon to streamline communication — and when to avoid it at all costs.
- Run a simple test to decide which terms to use with industry insiders.
- Turn Google into the best thesaurus ever.
“My copy is tighter. More succinct. The ideas are still there, but the filler is gone or trimmed considerably (and better off for it). The other night I was proofing my latest blog entry and I thought, ‘What would Ann think about that second paragraph?’”
— David Shoffner, public relations strategist, Pavone
Join live coaching calls with Wylie.
In the crunch of writing headlines and meeting deadlines, there’s never enough time to pause and consider how you’re doing. But in our live coaching sessions, you’ll get a great opportunity for feedback and improvement.
After each lecture, you’ll have a chance to rewrite your copy, post it to our private LinkedIn page and get feedback from the group. (We’ll ask you to provide feedback, too.)
Then, in four weekly live coaching calls, you’ll have a chance to get feedback from Ann. You’ll learn how to:
- Turn long words into short ones
- Boost your Flesch Reading Ease Score
- Shorten your sentences and paragraphs
- Make difficult-to-read passages easy to understand
- Shave syllables per word and slash sentence length to increase reading ease
Your writing coach: Ann Wylie. You’ll learn the techniques Ann’s used to earn more than 60 communication awards, including two IABC Gold Quills.
“The piece I worked on at the workshop has improved measurably. I found Cut Through the Clutter to be highly relevant to my daily work, and look forward to putting the tips and techniques into practice.”
— Scott Worden, manager, corporate communications & PR, Magna International
New! Travel ban got you down?
Attend Rev Up Readership online
You’ll cover the same content. Get the same amount of critique time. Have the same chance for feedback from your peers. Get all of your questions answered, just like in the on-site class.
But no travel (or travel expenses), no social-distancing issues, no Purell or face masks.
We’ll meet via WebEx and LinkedIn:
- May 4: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Pacific. Reach Real Readers, Pare Down the Piece as a Whole; online class orientation
- May 11: 10 a.m. to noon Pacific. Punch Out Paragraphs; Take the Numb Out of Numbers; live coaching call
- May 18: 10 a.m. to noon Pacific. Whittle Words; Start Making Sense; live coaching call
- May 26 (Tuesday): 10 a.m. to noon Pacific. Streamline Sentences; Rev Up Readability; live coaching call
- June 1: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Pacific. Live coaching call
Can’t make a date? You’ll have on-demand access to the online workshop until June 30.
Fees:
- Silver (online workshop only): $1,195
- Gold (Silver +$300 worth of learning tools): $1,295
- Platinum (Gold +$297 subscription to Rev Up Readership): $1,395
- Diamond (Platinum +$750 private coaching session with Ann): $1,795
Save $50 each when you bring a friend; $100 each when you bring two or more friends.
Already signed up for Austin but prefer to attend online instead? Let us know, and we’ll transfer your ticket.
FAQ
Please learn about our discounts, cancellation policy and more in our FAQ.
“Absolutely the best money I’ve ever spent. I learned more about writing for my audience from Ann in one day than I have in any other seminar.”
— Carie Behounek, marketing communications coordinator, COPIC Companies
Ready to learn to make messages measurably more readable?
PRSA members: Earn 4 APR maintenance points.
Save up to $100 with our group discounts.
Questions? Contact Ann.