Find our more here in our Feb 25 Newsletter
 

“Clear writing makes reading easier, and that makes work easier— for you and your readers.”  Nicole Watkins Campbell

 

 PLAs now offer you live (virtual) interactive sessions for some certificate courses. It started with Sarah Slabbert and Nadja Green, Plain Language Institute, making their Implementing Plain Language as a Strategic Priority course interactive.  This 12-week course is an excellent way to take your skills and organization closer to your clear communication goals. The next one starts March 10 and you can register here.

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New Plain Language ISO Standard courses for communicators and leaders

Nicole Watkins Campbell and Kate Harrison Whiteside are delivering their new ISO Plain Language Standard: Making it work for communicators on Wednesdays, April 2 – 23, in four 1.5 hour live sessions. The four weekly interactive lessons will include lectures, shares, discussions, and assignments. Certificates for successful completion. Register here.

Email kate@plainlanguageacademy.com if you have questions.

 

Sarah and Nadja’s the ISO Plain Language Standard: Making it work for Organizations course is coming back in September. More details here.

 

It is set up as 12 sessions: 6 lectures and discussions, 6 assignment presentations. Students came from 9 countries. They just hosted an excellent alumni peer-sharing session.

 

The Great AI debate: two sides to every coin

 

Writers around the world are using AI throughout the process – from research to proofreading. They are also debating its pros and cons. Curious to learn more so you can make informed choices? Seeking out fellow communicators to network with? Regardless of where you are at with AI, we want to help you see the big picture. Here are some ideas and learning opportunities from two PLA colleagues about different tools to help you write better and clearer for your audiences.

 

Want to make your work easier—without signing up for AI?
By Nicole Watkins Campbell

The secret lies in how you write. Clear writing makes reading easier, which means fewer questions, less confusion, and more time for what really matters—for readers and for writers.

The international plain language standard can help. No, it won’t let you control your readers’ minds (tempting, though), but it will help them follow your message without frustration.

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How the plain language standard works
The plain language ISO standard is built on research about how people actually read. And bad news: they don’t read everything. Readers are busy, distracted, and overloaded with information. They scan and hunt for what matters to them.

How do you write for readers like that? The Plain Language ISO standard offers a roadmap.

Plain language in action

To work with your reader’s brain, try these:

• Give readers only what they need.

• Use more headings.

• Break text into bullet points.
   

Focus on the information readers need

Readers don’t always have time for background or extra details. When you focus on what’s most useful, you save your time writing and their time reading.
Headings help readers navigate
They make key information easier to find. They break up text so it looks more inviting. Text that looks easier to read feels easier to read—so people keep going.

Bullet points make scanning easy
Readers scan down any text, and bullet points work with this habit. They help people absorb information quickly and they keep writing clear and concise.

Clear writing makes reading easier, and that makes work easier—for you and your readers.
 

AI Mastery Course for Writers: Transform Your Writing Career with AI
by Romina Marazzato Sparano

 

The Zero to Hero AI Mastery Course, following the AI Summit Romina lead in November, offers comprehensive AI training specifically for writing professionals. It is structured as a seven-module program, progressing from fundamentals to advanced AI in writing applications—not just for creating copy but for managing projects performing business tasks.

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Unlike generic AI tutorials, this course is designed with cognitive science principles and includes live sessions, hands-on projects, personalized feedback, and a supportive community of fellow writers.

 

Ideal for technical writers, content creators, translators, business communication specialists, and academic writers. The program helps overcome common frustrations with AI tools and enables participants to confidently implement AI to deliver higher value to clients.

 

Classes begin March 5th and accommodate various time zones. Special Academy Rate: 
$697 USD (Regular: $997). Register: aiinwriting.com/zerotohero-summit Contact: romina@aiinwriting.com. More details in the PLA blog post.

Romina also leads our Spanish Academy.

 

French courses

Our colleagues Chantale Audet and Amélie Bourret will soon be posting on Autrementdit their next public offering of Clear Writing in French. Rédiger clairement: pour des contenus compris dès la première lecture. They are currently in Senegal doing plain language training. They are also offering it along with Kate and Nicole (English version) to a Canadian client embracing English and French.

 

Find out more about our French Academy.
 

2025 PLAIN Conference

 

PLAIN (Plain Language Association InterNational) and Clarity host their 2025 Conference in Brussels in November. Become a PLAIN member to enjoy benefits. Details coming soon.