The Simplified blog

I finally put time aside to read Neil James's 'Writing at Work - how to write clearly, effectively and professionally' (Allen & Unwin, 2007).

Neil James is a well-known Australian plain-language writer. What's unique about his book is that it gives the theory as well as the 'how to'. So instead of simply telling you to write for your readers, it explains how things moved from the audience focus of classical rhetoric to headings such as 'Local Development Framework Core Strategy Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report' (page 21).

I also like 'Writing at Work' because it fits in very well with the Simplified approach to writing. In fact, if you've been on a Simplified course, you'll find 'Writing at Work' a useful supplement. It gives a lot more detail on elements such as brainstorming and user testing as well as many real-world examples.