Plain Language Workshops

Linda Dessau reports on a session she attended, sponsored by the Editors' Association of Canada called Plain Language: Building Results and was presented by Frances Peck.

Frances shared this definition of plain language: "The orderly and clear presentation of complex information." At the time, she was going through a long list of myths about plain language - reasons that writers sometimes argue against it.

Some of the myths were that plain language is just "dummy-ing down" the content (when, in fact, it's just a clearer way of presenting it) or that it's boring (when, in fact, it's much more engaging to read something that actually makes sense). In her words, documents that are difficult to understand quickly become disposable.

The Vancouver branch is holding a session this week:

Plain Language: The Basics
Saturday, November 29, 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
SFU Harbour Centre, room 2245
Instructor: Peter Moskos