The Writing Coach Course is for anyone who needs a writing makeover. Whether you want to write more enjoyable letters to your family, or produce outstanding corporate reports, you will benefit from the course.

This course covers a wide range of writing styles that are used in everyday situations. You will learn to write exactly what you mean in a reader friendly way using correct language. This course will help you create strategic impact with words and help you create well organized material with confidence.

Course Details:
Modules:          9 Modules
Duration:          5 Months
Course Fee:      R3795
Start date:        At any time; applications all year round
Student produces: There are numerous exercises and you also get the chance to specialize in two modalities. You can perfect the art of Letter Writing, Reports, Newsletter Articles, Speeches, Proposals and Memos, Emails and Faxes.

Admission Requirements:

• E-mail and Internet access required
• No previous tertiary qualification required

Tutor:

 Susan Williams

Module 1: Breaking Through The Barrier - 7 days

• Set yourself a daily schedule for writing
• Learn how to manage your writing time
• List your reasons for procrastination
• Become more aware of your surroundings by using all your senses
• Daily writing exercise: Let if flow. Keep a journal of your daily writings

Course work exercise: After 7 days write a paragraph and submit it.

Module 2: Finding Topics To Write About - 7 days

• Beware of negative self-talk
• Make lists, jot down ideas and use mind maps
• Read newspapers
• Develop an interest in life - in people, projects and developments
• Apply your writing skills in your work: email, notes, descriptions, requests and replies
• Daily exercise: journal work

Course work exercise: Make a list of all the topics you would like to write about - in your daily life or in your work. Select one topic and draw a mind map to submit.  

Module 3: Logical Writing

• Get your facts together
• Arrange them in a logical order
• Give them flesh (writing sentences and paragraphs)
• Use transitions to ensure logical flow
• Use consistency in style, tone, tenses and perspective to ensure logical flow
• Exercises: Learn the process of writing and apply it to one of your selected topics.

Module 4: What Do You Actually Say? An Exercise In Clarity

• Become more aware of how people write and speak.
• Make lists of abstract terminology, officialese and clichés you hear or see in writing and find a better way of saying it.
• Write shorter sentences.
• Test your writing phrase by phrase and sentence by sentence 
• Exercises: Rewrite a paragraph in clear English

Write a short report or a proposal that you could use in the workplace.

Module 5: Grammar Gremlins: What Are The Rules?

• Language as a communication tool requires vocabulary and grammar. What is vocabulary and what is grammar?
• Learn to define the parts of speech and know their function in a sentence
• Learn to use tenses effectively
• Avoid common errors
• Tips and exercises on how to improve your vocabulary
• Notes on how to use a dictionary and a thesaurus
• Exercises: Short exercises in correcting errors

Write an essay on any topic of choice, consciously using different parts of speech and the correct tenses

Module 6: Using Perfect Punctuation

• What is a sentence?
• What is a paragraph?
• What is punctuation?
• Exercises: Correct sentences / a paragraph

Write your own paragraph and use punctuation marks effectively.

Module 7: Is Your Writing Dull?

• Spice up your writing using figures of speech.
• Use metaphor, anecdote and descriptive language to improve your writing
• Use your senses to become aware of what you experience and apply that in writing
• Beware of: ambiguity, mixed metaphors etc.
• Exercise: Re-write a dull paragraph

Modules 8 and 9: Select TWO of the following formats to specialise in:

Specialist Module A: Letter Writing

• Find out about different types of letters, format of letters: business letter; personal letter; condolence letter; thank you letter; letter of complaint; letter to the press etc.
• Writing for the reader
• Tone of voice

Exercises: Write two of these:

• Write a letter to the press or a letter to a friend
• Write a letter of complaint
• Write a letter to your boss for a salary adjustment
• Write a cover letter for a job application

Specialist Module B: Writing Easy-To-Read Reports

• Plan a report on a selected topic
• Draft a report
• Analyse and improve on the draft
• Add anecdote and metaphor and descriptive language in an appropriate manner to interest, influence and inform your reader
• Report formats (short report, long report)
• Reports on: projects, reporting on meetings or discussions, research
• Executive summary
• Planning a theme for an employee report
• Using storytelling techniques to create interest (metaphor, anecdote, etc)

Exercise:

 Use the given theory and guidelines and write a report of use to your workplace.

Specialist Module C: Writing Newsletter Articles For The Workplace

• Practical tips and guidelines on article writing
• Learn about writing style, article formats, checking facts, do's & don'ts

Exercises:

• Write a paragraph about a business, social, or sports event, a visit from a VIP, or an interesting experience - to be published in a newsletter.
• Write a technical or specialist article based on an interview, on product specifications, or meeting minutes and research.
• Write a human interest article based on an interview (e.g. interview with disabled worker, person with interesting hobbies, NGO and its work, etc.)

Specialist Module D: Write A Riveting Speech

• Learn how to plan and do research for a speech on a chosen topic
• Use metaphor, anecdote and description
• Use rhythm and rhyme to pace the speech

Exercise:

• Write a business related or social speech. Select from:
• The opening of an event;
• Introducing another speaker,
• A product launch,
• A farewell speech,
• A national celebration (Heritage Day, Women's Day, etc),
• A 21st birthday celebration,
• A wedding,
• Or on a topic of your choice.

Specialist Module E: Writing Proposals

• Learn the different formats and styles of proposal writing
• Write for your reader 

Exercises:

• Write a proposal to your boss to attend a conference, go on training, develop a new product; or
• Write a proposal to the school board, municipality, church or community group to improve a service

Specialist Module F: Memos, Emails and Faxes

• Formats and styles for memos, emails and faxes
• Do's and don'ts for each
• Exercises:
• Write a memo
• Write an email on a given topic
• Write a fax following a given brief

How does the course work?
Detailed class notes covering the content of each module are e-mailed to students. At the end of each module, students will be required to complete one or two writing exercises. Once the writing assignment has been completed, and e-mailed to the lecturer, an assessment and feedback will be sent to the student, and the module will be considered complete.
Students can also participate in ongoing online discussions by posting comments about the materials covered in the course, as well as give feedback to students who have posted comments in the college blog.

Conditions of Certification:
Students will receive an SA Writers' College Certificate upon successful completion of the course, provided they meet the following conditions:

• Students must have completed all writing assignments
• The course must have been completed within five months of registration.
• Students are expected to attain a minimum average of 50% for the course

Minimum Estimated Time Commitment:

• Reading time: 4 hours
• Writing time: up to 20 hours