[Westport, Conn. January 2, 2013] Westport Writers’ Workshop (www.westportwritersworkshop.com) founder and director Jessica Bram announced today the launch of a major new initiative for the Westport, Connecticut-based creative writing organization. In addition to its ongoing popular workshops in creative genres such as fiction, memoir, nonfiction and playwriting, the Westport Writers’ Workshop will now enter the realm of business training by offering professional level classes in business writing.
Targeted to business professionals who aspire to advance their careers by sharpening their writing skills, as well as to companies seeking to elevate the writing skills of their administrative or professional staffs, the Westport Writers’ Workshop’s new business writing focus will serve the business community by providing a cost-effective way to improve the writing skills of business owners, professionals, and employees at all levels.
“As our reputation for top quality creative writing programs has grown throughout Fairfield County and beyond, the Westport Writers’ Workshop received an increasing volume of inquiries for business writing consultation and training,” Bram said. This clearly told us there was an unmet need for writing classes specifically tailored for the business community.”
Its new business writing initiative was designed to equip professionals, entrepreneurs, and/or employees with skills to be more confident writers. Along with workshops in general effective business communication, e-mail communications, and preparation of business documents and reports, specific workshops will also be offered in grant writing, proposal writing, and PowerPoint presentations.
The classes will all be available in discrete, short term units to accommodate the schedules of busy professionals. Saturday and weekday options will both be offered.
The new venture will launch with an intensive four-hour Effective Business Writing workshop led by business trainer Victoria Amon. Prior to becoming an independent consultant in 2001, Ms. Amon had an over 25-year career in account management, corporate communications, employee development and new business for major advertising and service organizations.
Effective Business Writing will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on both Saturday, March, 2 and Monday, April 1, 2013. Participants will learn how to confidentially organize, draft, and complete a polished business document. They will receive tools for facing the blank page, and tips, techniques and best practices that can be applied immediately on the job, in emails, letters, memos and all kinds of written documents. Polished punctuation, grammar, appropriateness of tone, and word choice will be reviewed. Participants will also create a custom, step-by-step action plan aimed at improving editing, word choice, tone and writing style.
“Being able to communicate effectively, succinctly and persuasively in writing is a critical skill that helps build careers,” Amon said. “Today, even in an age of texting and e-mailing, being a good writer is as important as ever. Everything you write – every report, e-mail, letter, and presentation – speaks of who you are.”
When Jessica Bram established the Westport Writers’ Workshop in 2004, her vision was to offer high quality workshops, taught by seasoned professionals, for writers seeking to hone their craft. To date, the Westport Writer’s Workshop has exceeded that objective, with many writers having gone on to publish in multiple arenas. Since then the Westport Writers’ Workshop has grown rapidly and is now the go-to locale for writers and aspiring writers from throughout Connecticut and beyond for a variety of high caliber, craft-oriented classes.
In 2012 the Westport Writers’ Workshop began offering creative writing workshops for young writers by hosting Writopia Lab (www.writopialab.org) Creative Writing Workshops for ages 7 to 18. This year, Bram has expanded the Workshop’s scope even further by incorporating the new Business Writing initiative.
An essayist and former journalist and radio commentator, Jessica Bram is a graduate of Cornell University, and author of the award-winning Happily Every after Divorce: Notes of a Joyful Journey (Health Communications, Inc. 2009). From 2004 to 2008 her radio commentaries were frequently aired on the Fairfield, Conn. NPR station WSHU. In addition, Bram was previously special sections editor of the Fairfield County Business Journal and a freelance journalist.
At the Westport Writers’ Workshop, Bram teaches workshops in personal essay, creative nonfiction, and memoir.
The cost to attend Effective Business Writing is $495 per person; the fee includes a 100+ page workbook summarizing material covered in the workshop, which can be used as a resource and guide for further development. Registration is limited to 18 to maximize individual attention; pre-registration is required. Participants should register online at www.westportwritersworkshop.com. For more information contact info@westportwritersworkshop.com or call (203) 227-3250.
Established is 2004, the Westport Writers’ Workshop offers adult workshops in fiction, nonfiction, memoir, writing for children, playwriting, and now business writing, designed to nurture creativity, inspire imagination and develop the writing craft. In addition to its workshops and programs, the Westport Writers’ Workshop offers an optional annual membership which includes free admission to events, monthly open mic nights, a weekly one-hour group creativity jumpstart session, workshop discounts and other benefits.
The Westport Writers’ Workshop is located at 3 Sylvan Road South, Westport. Information is available at www.westportwritersworkshop.com or by calling (203) 227-3250.
