Custom Training

Do you have staff editors who bypassed traditional training as copyeditors? Writers who occasionally need to copyedit their own work? Office workers responsible for copyediting documents in a rush? Whatever your needs, we can introduce your staff to the tools and techniques of copyediting, from an overview of the basics to a targeted tune-up.

Available topics include

• Determining the role of the copyeditor
• Knowing what to look for: spelling, punctuation, grammar, usage, and more
• Learning to use a style manual
• Developing a style sheet
• Writing effective queries and communicating with others on a project

Depending on your needs, we can provide one-session overviews or multimeeting programs with time in between to practice. Handouts will provide tips and resources.

Strong proofreading skills save time, improve working relationships, and avoid costly and embarrassing errors. Proofreading can be combined with a grammar tune-up and can include customized exercises tailored to the kinds of documents your employees work with every day.

Available topics include

• Secrets of the proofreading pros
• The most common proofreading pitfalls and how to avoid them
• Grammar, punctuation, and word usage tune-up to eliminate errors at the root
• Mark-up of PDFs using Adobe Acrobat

Clear, concise communication saves time, improves working relationships, eliminates costly errors, and boosts a company’s professional image. This lively, hands-on training will give your employees the tools they need to improve their basic or advanced writing skills. Participants can practice with customized exercises tailored to the kinds of documents your company works with every day.

Available topics include

• Tuning up grammar, punctuation, and word choice
• Using prewriting strategies to save time and highlight main points
• Avoiding common pitfalls like wordiness, jargon, clichés, and passive voice
• Getting results with more persuasive memos, reports, articles, and letters
• Improving email efficiency and effectiveness
• Expressing ideas in a positive, professional, and unbiased tone
• Editing and proofreading to eradicate errors
• Writing for the web and how it differs from writing for print

Using a detailed handbook and reference guide, participants can practice new skills in class and collaborate on problem-solving exercises. They’ll acquire a host of tips, tricks, and checklists to help write clean and clear documents, alleviate writer’s block, build confidence, meet deadlines, and represent your organization more professionally.

Most employees need to write on the job—even if they never planned to be writers. Those with a strong command of basic grammar and mechanics can communicate more effectively and gain respect. Whether you’d like a brush-up on basic grammar or examination of trickier issues that can challenge even experienced editors, one or more focused sessions can do a lot to improve communications within your company and boost your professional image.

Available topics include

• Punctuation: proper use of commas and other marks
• Basics of grammar: syntax and sentence structure
• Tricky grammar: parallelism, subject-verb agreement, pronouns, possessives, dangling and misplaced modifiers, restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses, and other topics

You choose how much time you want to spend and specific issues you want addressed. Provide samples of company documents for analysis and improvement, or ask the instructor to address issues using common examples.

Training available in Word 2010 or Word 2003 for PC

Want to streamline your organization’s editorial process? We offer expert shortcuts, tools, and tricks for working more effectively on-screen and banishing common annoyances of Microsoft Word, like those pesky automated features.

In a lecture, computer lab, or webinar format tailored to a range of skills from basic to high level, we’ll demonstrate how to make electronic editing faster, smarter, and more fun.

Available topics include

• Creating keyboard shortcuts and macros for recurring tasks
• Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar and Ribbon for efficiency
• Making Spelling, Grammar, and AutoFormat work for you
• Using Find and Replace to streamline repetitive edits
• Configuring Track Changes for hassle-free use
• Handling queries with the Comment feature
• Navigating documents large and small
• Managing the electronic editing process, step-by-step

A detailed reference guide of electronic editing techniques will reinforce new skills. You won’t believe how much your company’s computers can do!

Let us know what you need, and we’ll do our best to help.