Most writing programs don’t actually teach writing.
A university survey of 104 writing classes found that only four taught the nuts and bolts of writing.
It’s not much better in corporate training. These programs just hammer the same old cliches: Hook the reader. Get to the point. Tell stories.
But rarely do they show how.
This program is different.
We offer a complete set of distinct skills. Together, we choose the ones that will make the biggest impact.
Then we connect those skills to the specific kinds of content you need to write.
We show you how to master all these elements—step by step, with quick case studies of exemplary writers in all fields.
This program works, not in some ever-distant future. It works now.
take a look at this basic outline of topics. Consider how you might tailor this program to fit your organization’s needs.
Simplify
• The Golden Rule of Writing: A simple eight-word imperative that changes everything
• Fractals: The common structure of sentences, paragraphs, sections, and whole pieces
• Details: When you get the right specifics, everything gets easier
• Long Tossing: Developing your authentic style
• Grammar Made Simple: Traffic control and collaboration
• Editing From Big to Small: A simple, deliberate process
• As Simple as Possible–But No Simpler: Finding the essence of everything you do
Clarify
• Differential Diagnosis: Finding the ONE Idea that drives your whole piece
• Gestalt: Visualizing/finding the whole piece at a glance
• Editing With Intent: Honing in on what matters
• Connecting the Dots: Creating images, ideas, and motifs that matter
• Themes and Variations: Expressing core ideas in memorable ways
• Proof: Showing the Evidence to Demonstrate Your ONE Idea
Storify
• Neurostory: How the brain perceives and acts in the world
• The Narrative Arc: The universal for all stories–and how to use it with originality and creativity
• Moments of the Story: Giving your story the essential reveals, twists, and turns
• Knowing Your Characters: Creating unique archetypes for the journey ahead
• Desires, Needs, and Conflict:
• Creating a Storyworld: How to make the setting pulse with meaning and possibility
• Movement with Meaning: Create actions, scenes, and sequences that matter
• The 2+2 Rule: Make your audience the “extra” character