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How to Find the Right Template to Write a Document for Free

Writing documents can be a daunting task, especially if you’re not sure where to start. Fortunately, there are many free templates available online that can help you get started. Here are some tips on how to find the right template to write a document for free.

Search Online

The first step in finding the right template is to search online. There are many websites that offer free document templates, so it’s important to take some time to browse through them and find one that best suits your needs. When searching, make sure to look for templates that are easy to use and have all the features you need.

Check Out Professional Templates

If you’re looking for a more professional-looking template, then it’s worth checking out some of the paid options available online. Professional templates often come with more features and customization options than free ones, so they can be worth the investment if you need something more polished and professional-looking.

Look for User Reviews

Finally, it’s always a good idea to read user reviews before downloading any template. This will help you get an idea of how well the template works and if there are any issues or problems with it. Reading user reviews can also give you an insight into how easy or difficult it is to use the template, which can be helpful when trying to decide which one is right for you.

Finding the right template to write a document for free doesn’t have to be difficult. By following these tips, you should be able to find one that meets your needs and helps you create a professional-looking document quickly and easily.

This text was generated using a large language model, and select text has been reviewed and moderated for purposes such as readability.

The Business Writing Center

Online business writing and grammar courses.

The Business Writing Center’s courses teach the best practices organizations are using today to write clear, high-quality business documents that get the responses you want and show your competence as a business writer.

Graduation Certificate

Graduates receive a graduation certificate.

Writing Evaluation Now

An instructor will evaluate your writing and tell you training you need. Send a sample to instructor@ businesswriting.com.

Set Your Own Pace

You may work at your own pace and complete lessons, assignments, and tests on your own schedule.

Lifetime Access

The course materials remain online after you graduate so you can come back to them for reference.

Detailed Feedback

Your instructor reads your writing and writes extensive notes to help you learn the skills you need.

Instructor Access

You have access to your instructor by email or phone when you have questions.

Corporate and Government Training
Corporate and government discounts are available. Contact Us to learn more.
Purchase courses at the end of this fiscal year and defer registration for up to 12 months.
Ongoing reporting to administrators about trainee progress in the course

Training for Individuals

Individualized writing assignments and coaching to give you the training you need.
Basic and college-level courses in all areas of business writing.
Self-paced lessons so you can study when you have time.

Over 8,000 Clients Worldwide

The Business Writing Center has trained staff from a broad range of business organizations.

45 courses to fit all training needs

Training in How to Proofread Your Own Business Writing

$ 395.00

Basic Business Grammar Self-Study

$ 125.00

Writing Sales Letters That Sell

online writing business proposals course

One-on-One Coaching in Writing Quality Business Documents

$ 710.00

Using Microsoft Word to Create Quality Business Documents

Recording and Writing Meeting Minutes with Additional Minutes Evaluations

Can’t decide which course is right for you send a writing sample. we'll suggest the course..

We are here to help you become a proficient writer.

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Robert Hogan, PhD

Senior Writing Instructor

Coaching, Tutoring, and Training from Dr. Robert Hogan

Robert Hogan, PhD, is an accomplished business-writing trainer with over 40 years’ experience training business writers in companies, government agencies, and universities.

Professor of business report writing and communications in the MBA program at Illinois State University and at the University of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County College
Published expert in writing training with articles in English Education , College Composition and Communication , Research in the Teaching of English , and various conference proceedings
Author of two books training business writers: Explicit Business Writing: Best Practices for the Twenty-first Century , and Business Writing Skills for Forensic Laboratory Managers
Owner of a writing company creating documents for technology usage
Consultant with Applied Science Associates, consulting in business writing with companies such as BankIllinois, AT&T, Caterpillar, Country Companies, Medcom Systems, and others.

Director of the Business Writing Center

Dr. Hogan’s PhD is in training and supervision, with a focus on training in writing. He is the author of most of the training materials in the 45 courses offered by the Business Writing Center. As a result, he selects the training from the courses that will be most beneficial for you. As you learn with Dr. Hogan, you can expect the following:

Conscientious attention to your unique goals and needs
Personal attention from Dr. Hogan by email or phone any time you want it
Clear, simple explanations of writing skills
Training for any language, grammar, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, and word usage issues
Effective training approaches that Dr. Hogan originates for your unique needs based on his 40 years of teaching
A willingness to listen to your goals, needs, and desire to learn specific skills

You will be able to contact Dr. Hogan by email or phone at any time to ask questions about your business writing needs.

Testi monials

Most students spontaneously write emails to their instructors with positive comments about their training experiences. This is just a small sampling.

I want to thank you for working with me. Both our senior editor and my supervisor have commented that my writing has improved.

Thank you very much for your patience and instruction.

I appreciate all of your help, and have learned a lot from your course. I feel more confident in my writing and I attribute that to your patience and the way the class is designed. Thanks for all of your help and encouragement.

WONDERFUL! I have really learned a lot taking the course. It was a real challenge for me because I do this same thing all day at work and it’s hard to make yourself do it when you come home.

Most Popular Courses Based on Enrollments and Evaluations

The following is an expanded list of our most popular courses. For a more interactive experience, try our new course catalog.

The Business Writing Center’s highly trained instructors with backgrounds in higher education teach the latest best practices that we know enable business writers to write documents that are clear and have impact.

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Business Writing: Reports, Proposals & Documents

Course details.

Location: Online
Duration: 7 weeks
Times: Evenings
Cost : $949

Next Start Date:

April 10, 2024

This course is part of a certificate program. You can also take it without enrolling in the program.

About this Course

Documents are the currency for exchanging ideas in all industries around the world. All companies — large and small — rely on reports, proposals, research papers and narratives to share ideas, articulate vision and strategy, communicate plans and lead change. Knowing how to write well is an essential skill for anyone who wants to excel in the workplace.

In this course, you’ll learn what constitutes good business writing and how to write effective documents that are clear and concise. We’ll explore various kinds of business documents and focus on the importance of structure and writing to different audiences. Drawing on reader science, you’ll learn how to write persuasively and make your documents intuitive and readable without simplifying your ideas to the point of losing pertinent details. You’ll also receive instruction and coaching on how to build and use rubrics and learn tools for effective editing.

DESIGNED FOR

Technical and nontechnical professionals in any field who want to advance their career using well-researched and well-written narratives, proposals and reports.

See Requirements

Requirements

Admission Requirements

This course has no formal admission requirements. Please read over the recommended requirements, especially for English language proficiency, before you register.

At least one year of business experience working in a mid- to large-sized organization or in the public sector
Solid foundational English writing skills and knowledge of writing conventions
Familiarity with style guides like The Elements of Style or The Chicago Manual of Style and books on the principles of good, clear writing like On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction

Want some background before you enroll in this course? Consider signing up for our free Business English Communication Skills Specialization first.

Time Commitment

Including time in class, you should expect to spend about seven to nine hours each week on coursework.

English Proficiency

If English is not your native language, you should have advanced English skills to enroll. To see if you qualify, make sure you are at the C1 level on the CEFR self-assessment grid . To learn more, see English Language Proficiency Requirements – Noncredit Programs .

International Students

International students are welcome to enroll in an online offering of this course, which doesn’t require a visa. To enroll in a classroom offering, you must have a visa that permits study in the United States. This course does not enable students to obtain or maintain F-1 visa status. For more information, see Admission Requirements for International Students.

Technology Requirements

Access to a computer with a recent operating system and web browser
Understanding of the basic functions of Zoom
High-speed internet connection
Headset and webcam (recommended)

Earning the Certificate

You earn the Certificate in Writing by completing the equivalent of three full-quarter courses — nine continuing education units (CEUs) — over two years or less. After you complete your final course, you can request your certificate by calling Registration Services, 206-543-2310; there is a $50 certificate fee.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

How to choose the right structure and style for your document
How to design and organize content with your audience in mind
Best practices for clear, concise and effective writing and editing
Tips for when and when not to use visual elements such as analytics, graphics and white space to enhance readability
How to develop and identify voice and tone in your and your colleagues’ writing

GET HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE

Prepare detailed business documents with the help of colleagues in a writers room environment
Write business documents with a group under the same time constraints found in current business climates
Learn how professional writers create and edit documents with an eye toward accuracy under tight deadlines

Program Overview

To earn the Certificate in Writing , complete any three courses in two years or less.

You should register for all courses individually; there is no application process for the certificate program.

The Art of Writing

Self-Publishing: Bringing Your Book to Market

Fiction Writing: Craft

Fiction Writing: The Novel

Fiction Writing: Character

Memoir Writing: Finding Your Story

Memoir Writing: Structuring Your Story

Memoir Writing: Writing Your Story

Women's Personal Essay Writing: A Workshop

Children’s Literature

Writing Children’s Literature: Picture Books

Screenwriting

Screenwriting: Storytelling

Screenwriting: Character & Plot

Screenwriting: Completing Your Script

Certificate in Writing

Approved by the UW Department of English .

View this program's advisory board .

Advisory Board

Each of our programs uses an advisory board to review content, guide design and recommend updates to ensure the program remains current as the field of study evolves. By tapping the minds of the top thinkers, doers and leaders in the field, we offer a transformational learning experience. The following individuals serve as the advisory board for this program.

Carla Kelly, Author, Self-employed

Jeff Kleinman , Founding Partner, Folio Literary Management LLC

Jennifer McCord , Publishing Consultant, Jennifer McCord Associates LLC

Scott McDonald , Business Consultant

Rudy Ramos, Owner, Rudy Ramos Design Studio

Kurt Sahl , Program Manager, International & Academic Programs, UW Continuum College

Paul Taegel , Screenwriter and Producer

Karen Treiger , Author

Learning Format

Online With Real-Time Meetings

Combine the convenience of online learning with the immediacy of real-time interaction. You’ll stream courses online and interact with your instructors and fellow students via chat, web conferencing or phone, all in real time. Learn More »

Course Sessions

April 2024 noncredit, april 2024 — online, registration number: 212315.

OR Download the registration form (PDF)

Other Ways to Register

Download and complete the registration form, then email it to [email protected] .

Call 206-543-2310 or 800-506-1325.

See business hours for the Registration Services office.

By Mail or Fax

Download and complete the registration form, then submit it to the address listed on the form.

Bring your completed registration form to the Registration Services office .

Related Resources

How to Register
Costs & Fees
Payment Options

All times are Pacific Time.

Meet your instructor

Owner and Instructor, Master of the Story

NONCREDIT COURSE

You'll earn 2.4 continuing education units (CEUs) for successfully completing this course. Learn more about noncredit options .

Find the right creative writing courses for you.

Learn how to capture your reader’s imagination from the first sentence, and customize the curriculum to fit your writing ambitions.

Today's 3 Must-Have Business Skills

Get the skills you need to stand out in the modern workplace: business writing, data analysis and project management.

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Build practical skills in various types of editing and develop the expertise to transform a rough draft into a polished work.

Proofreading Essentials

Learn how to proofread a variety of print and digital materials and how to use traditional proofreader’s marks as well as digital markup techniques.

Developmental Editing

Learn developmental editing skills by working on manuscripts, book proposals, article pitches and letters to the author.

Medical Writing

Learn how to write regulatory documents and summarize clinical trial data. Gain experience crafting documents for regulatory submission and become familiar with the prescribed formats.

Paralegal Studies

Build an understanding of the U.S. legal system and explore the major aspects of court systems, hearings, trials and litigation. Acquire the knowledge and skills to work as a paralegal.

Professional Technical Writing

Explore the fundamental concepts and practical applications of technical writing. Learn the styles, formats and requirements for different kinds of technical communication.

Talk to an Enrollment Coach

Our enrollment coaches can help you determine if the Business Writing: Reports, Proposals & Documents course is right for you. Your coach can also support you as you enroll. Start the conversation!

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Best Business Writing Classes Online 2023

Clear communication and professionalism are a key to success in the business world. Business meetings, discussions, presentations, reports, each business process when done professionally brings fruits to the table. This clear and concise communication in a business is achieved with good business writing skills.

Business professionals use effective business writing techniques to communicate with potential customers and to present business ideas to investors. Business writing is not simple ghostwriting, and both these terms should not be intermixed. How do you define business writing? How can you master it through online resources? What are key principles and skills for successful business writing? Find out:

What is a Business Writing Class?

A business writing class is a course or short degree to learn business writing skills. These classes by business teachers and instructors teach the principles of business writing, and skills of technical writing. You can join a business writing class if you have good English grammar and great writing skills. This way, you can also learn to deploy simple tools used in business writing. Business writing principles are pre-defined and should be followed to do business writing.

From where can you learn business writing skills and principles? Here are some online resources that offer business writing classes that you can join:

What are the Best Online Business Writing Classes?

No one is born with perfect skills. Business writing is a type of technical writing that should be practiced more frequently to master it completely. Multiple online resources teach business writing skills. If you are a beginner, and new to the business writing career, then go through these mentioned resources and check a variety of online classes from experienced instructors:

1. Technical Writer HQ

Technical Writer HQ is a leading online platform that offers technical writing classes so you can become a certified business writer. You can master the required skills to become a technical writer through this class, and you can land your dream business writer’s job.

Technical Writer HQ provides you an opportunity to keep yourself updated with the business writing skills and technical documentation knowledge that every technical writer needs to be aware of.

Technical writers HQ teaches its users the in-demand business writing skills helpful for a business writer’s career. You can learn the strategies, technical and communication skills from Techni Writer HQ.

Technical writer HQ also gives you an option to divide your lessons into sections and segments as per your ease. The assessments after each section will help you assess your skills step by step in a better way.

Here is the list of possible benefits you can gain from the training materials of this class from Technical Writer HQ:

Skills to create high performing business documentation
Method to draft a high-quality technical document
Tips to ace a business/technical writer interview
Tips to improve your business writer’s resume
Method to analyze your diverse audiences
Guide to tools required in business documentation
Basic principles to develop your skillset in business writing
Detailed instructions to write white papers, user manuals, and case studies
Tips on designing the documentation layout

This list is just a brief view of the learning outcomes, but the actual class provides A-to-Z guidance to master business writing skills.

You can enroll in the class for just $199.

Technical Writer HQ provides unlimited technical writing knowledge and blog articles for free on their website. Visit Technical Writer HQ for more information regarding the detailed class contents, fee structure, and enrolment.

2. Coursera

Coursera is the world’s leading online course platform for learners. The University of Colorado offers a detailed course on Coursera with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5. Does not matter if you belong to a native-English or a non-native English speakers community with English as a second language, Coursera offers its learners some of the best business writing classes that work well all over the globe. Coursera’s short videos clearly explain the skills, along with a transcription of the instructor’s lectures.

Coursera offers the following benefits to its business writing learners from its class materials:

Online opportunity
Completion certificate
Clear business writing skills
Better presentation for business documents
Flexible assessment period
Business writing techniques for powerful writing

Coursera offers a 7-days free trial to its classes. If you are a business writing student, you can enroll in this class for free for the first 7 days. After this 7-days trial, you need to pay $19 per month to continue using your subscription. Coursera also offers financial aid for deserving learners.

For more information regarding this business writing class and pricing schemes, visit Coursera .

Udemy is a leading platform for on-demand online courses. Udemy offers a wide range of classes for learners. The business writing lectures on Udemy are designed by professionals so that you can learn the skills from an experienced instructor. You are also provided downloadable resources and keynotes after enrolment in an online business writing class.

The business writing class from Udemy offers these skills:

Effective learning
Business correspondence skills
Use of appropriate tone in business writing
The appropriate vehicle for business: Hard copy or soft copy
Enhanced business writing communication skills

The pricing schemes of these courses range between $30-$150. Keep in mind that Udemy does not offer Accredited Certificates. You can enroll in the course that fits best according to your budget and experience. Visit Udemy and search for a business writing course and you will get a whole choice of classes from the list.

Head towards Udemy for more insights into a class.

4. LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is a well-known online platform that offers valuable classes to its users and learners all over the globe. The business writing class offered by LinkedIn is designed by business professionals and experts.

These classes from LinkedIn Learning help to improve your writing skills to maintain a professional image in business. Here are the features of a business writing class from LinkedIn Learning:

Learn effective business communication writing
Get to know 10 Cs of strong business writing skills
Downloadable writing samples for a better comprehension
Develop good communication skills
Develop better formatting skills for emails and reports
An accredited certificate after the completion

LinkedIn Learning offers a free trial for one complete month. You can purchase the complete course for less than $30 USD. LinkedIn also provides a 30-day money-back guarantee to its learners.

The course contents are available for both online and offline usage, and you can access them anywhere regardless of the location.

Head towards LinkedIn Learning for more information regarding the business writing class.

EdX offers its users some of the best free online classes and courses. The business writing class offered from this source is 6 weeks long and takes about 3-5 hours of class students each week. The course is prepared by a well-known instructor from the University of California. You can also adjust the lecture progress as per your own schedule.

Benefits and features

This class aids you to develop:

Persuasive writing techniques
Business essay development skills
Better proofreading, editing, and revision skills
Strong English and communication skills
Methods to achieve writing success

EdX offers you a free slot on the Audit track, but you can purchase the verified track for $199 USD.

Head towards EdX for more information.

Alison is an online platform that offers business lectures that teach the fundamentals of business writing. NPTEL is the publisher of this business writing class.

Benefits and skills

This course provides:

Fundamentals of business writing
Principles of business communication
Clear and efficient writing
Audience analysis
Distinctive business writing skills

This class is completely free, and you can gain access through a single free sign-up.

For more information regarding this course, visit Alison .

7. Business Writing

The Business Writing Center is a platform for online classes. There are multiple writing classes offered by The Business Writing Center.

Benefits and Skills

A business writing class from this source provides:

Clear and concise business writing skills
Evaluation based learning
Skills to write with impact
Flexible deadlines for assessments
Correct business vocabulary
Best business writing practices

The pricing schemes for the learning classes offered by this platform range between $60 to $600. You can choose any class based on your skills and budget.

To access the outline of these various business classes, visit The Business Writing Center .

8. Appendance

Appendance is an online platform that provides valuable information and knowledge regarding business writing. Appendance also offers a detailed business writing class that you can enroll in. Appendance instructors guide their learners in real-time and provide valuable feedback to the assessments. The business writing instructor for this class holds a Ph.D. degree.

Appendance provides you below listed benefits:

Flexible learning
Independent learning
Interactive lessons
Online recorded lectures
Individual detailed feedback from professional
Key habits of effective business communication
Techniques for clear writing
Strategies to revise your content

The Business professional writing course costs $750.

You can visit the Appendance website to analyze the course contents. You can also assess whether the course can be the right choice for you or not.

Head towards Appendance for more formation.

Our Recommendation

Although, all of the mentioned broad range of classes can help you nourish your business writing skills. But we recommend you to choose Technical Writer HQ ’s class as it provides innumerable benefits and teaches some new skills like resume building, improving your online presence and many more as well. You are also provided with a valuable accredited certificate if you join Technical Writer HQ’s business writing class.

Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked queries regarding business writing:

What is Business Writing?

Business writing is a form of writing that helps transmit information to the recipients in a concise, purposeful, and professional way. Business writing is a key factor for effective communication in a business. Writing in a business involves the drafting of reports, emails, newsletters, proposals, and memorandums.

Business writing is a type of writing that provides clear instructions to the reader in a persuasive, informational, and instructional tone. It helps communicate and present business ideas effectively to investors. Hence, business documents are written to convince the target audience for proposes terms and strategies in the document.

What are the Advantages of Business Writing?

We can summarize the definition with the saying that business writing helps to:

Direct action to guide others the method about a certain task
Convey useful information and distribute organizational knowledge for awareness
Convince/influence a buyer/investor for some service/business idea
Provide explanation and justification of an intended complex action
Deliver news of a special event to the workers and audience
Communicate internally and externally in a business organization

If you wish to learn business writing, you can master it from online resources that offer effective business writing classes. The details of registering in online business writing courses to learn business writing are shared above in this article.

What are Great Business Writing Principles?

Major principles and writing tips to become a great business writer are mentioned below:

1. Transparency of Purpose

It is necessary to know the goals before you start the writing process. You must have the answers to these questions before writing a business document:

What to convey?
Who to convey?

You can have the clarity of your purpose with the answers to these questions. Answers to these questions also direct you about the required writing tone to write a specific business document.

2. Avoid Jargons

Jargons are those tough words that are hard to understand and are not commonly used in day-to-day business communications. The use of jargon in the business documents makes it difficult to comprehend for the readers. Also, jargons result in the loss of interest for the readers.

The use of clear and uncluttered words will result in a readable business writing document. A clear business writing document with simple words leads to effective communication.

3. Avoid Verbosity

Verbosity means to unnecessarily lengthen a sentence. Verbosity negatively affects the engagement of a reader. So, if an article carries more words than it requires, this means that the article is verbose. So, make sure your business writing is straightforward, simple, and not verbose.

4. Deliver Accurate Information

The main goal while writing a business document is to convey information to the recipient. It is recommended to check whether the shared information is valuable or not.

Business writing is value-additive for the reader, so make sure that shared contents are not unnecessary, and that it should add more vision and value to its original purpose.

5. Be Direct

Business documents can be lengthy, but to save the time of the reader, a short and precise description of intended information should be written at the start of the document. This practice also gives the readers an insight into the whole document and they can scan it more easily.

6. Practice

A key principle to master business writing is practice. The more you practice, the better you will become at business writing. Practice helps you improve your vocabulary, writing style, and sentence structures. Hence you can achieve work proficiency through practice in writing.

7. Proofread and Revise

You can extract more efficiency out of a business document by proofreading and revising it. Reading the written content loud in revision allows you to catch flaws and grammatical errors.

Constructive feedback from a colleague also improves the writing structure and overall score. Revising the document enhances its meaning and engagement from a reader’s perspective. Good grammar skills always result in better revision, hence a more accurate document.

8. Easy to Scan

Business documents should be easily scannable for the readers. Pay attention to the structure of a document from the reader’s perspective, and see if it is readable and easy to scan or not. You can achieve the document goal through the use of proper headings and sub-headings in business writing.

A short introductory description also builds a vision in the reader’s mind about the subject, and thus it helps the reader scan the document more quickly.

9. Correct Grammar Rules and Punctuation

The use of punctuation marks and correct grammar rule is a basic writing principle. As business writing should be professional and effective, this principle cannot be ignored. Make sure your documents convey the correct meaning and let not a punctuation mark distract the attention of the reader from the business writing goal.

We have provided above some major principles of business writing. Writing is a vast space, and there are unbound principles for each of its categories. Follow these principles to improve your business writing style and document tone.

What are the Main Business Writing Skills?

Business writing skills can help you communicate more effectively. Here are listed some important skills for business writing:

English communication skills
Confident writing tone
Professionalism
Use of active voice
Arrangement and organization skills
Technical communication skills
Error-free writing
Concise language with precise wording
Know-how of the formatting tools
Skillful with writing software
Goal focused and detailed oriented
Better convincing power

One can level up his business writing by mastering these skills.

Effective business communication requires great business writing skills. Business writing is a method to convey written information to the audience in a professional way. Numerous online resources offer some of the best business writing classes that are prepared by professional writers. You can enroll in a business writing class if you are willing to master business writing skills. Business writing follows some basic principles. Good English skills are a prerequisite for business writing. If you are willing to opt for some business writing classes, check the mentioned resources.

If you are new to business writing and are looking to break in, we recommend taking one of our Technical Writing Certification Courses , where you will learn the fundamentals and advanced skills of business writing.

We offer a wide variety of programs and courses built on adaptive curriculum and led by leading industry experts.

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Business Writing Online Course

We often give little thought to the everyday communication that comprises our contemporary workplace. However, business writing, when done well, improves your professionalism and makes you stand out at your job.

Online Business Writing Class

Being able to write well is invaluable.

The modern workplace is driven by new technologies, a rapidly changing economy, and the need to communicate with different audiences from all over the globe.

Writing is the medium that conducts much of this business and connects the modern world, yet we often give insufficient thought to what that really means. We spend energy thinking about how we dress, speak and behave professionally in the workplace, but we often overlook our writing.

Why This Business Writing Course

This course will help you dress up your writing and ensure that you are always clear, professional and correct. In this course, we will help you develop your understanding of:

Multiple audiences and the appropriate tone for each
Common grammar errors and tips on how to avoid them
Simple conventions to improve your communication skills
Professional writing in general and how you can ensure you're always at your best

Upon completion, you'll know how to articulate your thoughts clearly, concisely and with a newfound professional style.

What You'll Learn

Write effectively and ethically for diverse audiences by making rhetorically informed choices in style, syntax, tone, formatting, and conventions.
Apply and adapt flexible writing process strategies to produce clear, high-quality deliverables in a multitude of business writing genres.
Use writing as a mode of thinking to research, innovate, and communicate new ideas, solutions, and policies.
Use a toolkit of writing skills including word choice, grammar, organization and structure, and document design, that can be adapted to create writing styles for a variety of business writing situations.

Receive Customized Feedback

This instructor-led writing course is a condensed and accelerated version of Oregon State University's incredibly popular and long running business writing class. When you take this course, you'll receive customized feedback from expert instructors who have helped thousands of students find jobs and be successful in their professional careers.

You’ll also learn to spot, avoid and correct common writing pitfalls and gain valuable experience analyzing, writing and revising a spectrum of business documents that include:

Short Reports

The feedback you receive on these documents will improve your performance in the workplace. In this course, however, you can develop in a 'judgement-free' zone aimed at improving your writing skills and professionalism.

Oregon State University College Partnership

This program is offered in partnership with the Oregon State University School of Writing, Literature, and Film in the College of Liberal Arts.

Additional Writing Programs

You might also be interested in our other writing programs:

Technical Writing Online Course
Beer and Wine Copy Writing Course

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Effective Business Writing

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The ability to produce accurate, clear and concise written communications has never been more important than in this electronic business age. The Effective Business Writing short course provides you with practical tools and techniques to effectively develop professional business communications. This course will enable you to write structured, high quality and engaging workplace documents.

If your current role involves written communication or you're simply looking to develop your professional writing skills, this is the ideal course for you.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this short course, you’ll be able to:

Plan, research and outline business documents
Suit your writing to your audience
Write accurately, briefly, clearly, with a recognisable call to action and in Plain English
Understand how to use illustrations and formatting styles in the document layout
Apply standard editorial and style techniques
Proofread, edit and finish complex documents

> See the full 2 day agenda for Effective Business Writing in our newly expanded Course Guide

Course Overview

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AIM Effective Business Writing Digital Certificate

Learn it. Earn it. Share it.

By completing AIM’s Effective Business Writing course, you will receive a certificate to recognise the high standard of learning and skill development you have attained. Print your industry-recognised certificate of attainment or share electronically to demonstrate your ever-growing value to employers and peers.

Included Online Courses

Effective Business Writing also gives you free access to the following online courses valued at $4125:

Creative Thinking and Continuous Improvement (Online) Introduction to Project Management (Online) Effective Communication (Online)

Delivery mode

On-Campus Workshop – 2 days face-to-face workshops

Our Effective Business Writing short course is set in interactive classrooms at one of our six campuses across Australia: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, and Mackay. The benefits of studying in a classroom setting include being able to share first-hand experiences, ideas, and questions with peers and our expert facilitators. You will study alongside like-minded people and strengthen your network.

This Communication short course will present you with hypothetical and real-world case studies that demonstrate the concepts of writing effectively in a business setting, with which you will perform practical tasks both individually and in teams to apply your knowledge gained about the best practices for writing business documents.

Virtual Classroom - 2 days virtual sessions

Utilising highly accessible digital capabilities, virtual classrooms provides the benefits of live learning — working with peers, asking questions with immediate answers from facilitators, and stimulating deeper discussions — with the flexibility of online learning.

Additional Information

What's Included?

All students receive:

Comprehensive course notes
Free access to 3 x Online Short Courses

On-campus students receive:

Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea
Internet access

Please advise AIM when booking if you have any dietary or accessibility requests.

Virtual students will require the following:

Computer or mobile device
An internet connection (broadband/4G+ recommended)
Speakers and a microphone

Payment Options

We require full payment to be made upfront prior to attending the training. Payment options we offer include:

Credit Card (Visa/MasterCard/Amex)
Direct Deposit (EFT)
Purchase Order
Payment Plan - zipMoney

Our Facilitators

AIM believes the education of the future managers of Australia to be a highly important task and that these skills are best taught by those with current real-world experience. After all, who is better placed to teach Effective Business Writing than someone who has both studied the theory and put into the practice the concepts of writing effective business documents? It is for this reason that AIM facilitators are experienced practitioners with a robust mix of academic and practical expertise.

In-House Training Solutions

Contextualising training engagements for your industry or organisation maximises relevance and increases the transfer of learning into the workplace. Develop team cohesion and achieve your specific business objectives through a shared, in-house learning solution.

AIM’s experienced learning designers develop both accredited and unaccredited learning engagements to build the critical competencies you need for success. Join over 500 organisations creating compelling and engaging AIM tailored learning solutions for industries including Government, Health, Financial Services, Mining, Manufacturing, Construction and more.

> Request an In-House Training Solution consultation

Related Courses

Advanced Communication

Dealing with Difficult Behaviours

Develop a Compelling Business Case

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"Better Business Writing" Course

Sharpen the skills of your team with this exceptional business writing course. Designed to help individuals master writing professional business documents, this course is offered in onsite, virtual, and online formats customized to suit the needs of your business.

Our Courses are Customized for Your Team.

Myth: When it comes to business writing, readers care about what you have to say. Fact: Readers decide within a few seconds whether what they're reading is essential and then stop reading if it doesn't grab their attention. So your team’s rambling emails, long-winded briefs, and never-ending presentations ? They're probably coming up short. Now that work-from-home and Zoom meetings are the norm, rather than the exception, effective business writing skills have become much more important, as professionals juggle work, school, and other tasks. That means that business documents must be to the point, on point, and written for skimmers . In addition, your team's business writing can profit from ensuring it includes incorporates basic tenets of good business writing.

Whether your organization defines business writing as emails, reports, SOPs , or sales and marketing materials; whether your documents are written for internal stakeholders, external clients, or both; or whether you work in real estate, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, or any other industry, one thing’s for certain: Hurley Write’s Better Business Writing Course is designed specifically for the types of documents your team writes, their particular readers, and how the documents are used. And the good news is that, regardless of the industry or document type, when your team's business documents meet readers' needs, are easy to read, and work for the reader, readers will continue to read. Our Better Business Writing course, offered virtually, onsite, and online , can help your team write better business documents.

If most readers decide to keep reading in a few seconds, make it count with Hurley Write training.

Choose How to Take the Course:

In our instructor-led, customized onsite "Better Business Writing" workshop, your team will learn strategies to plan, write, and revise business documents that are readable, concise, and usable. The onsite workshops are hosted at your facility and offered in two-, three-, or four-day sessions.

Learn more about onsite training here.

Course Objectives:

Create strategies to write more efficiently
Target readers and establish goals
Develop useful planning strategies
Use language effectively
Use organization to facilitate reading
Apply logic to create readable documents
Write clear emails, memos, reports, and other business documents
Develop effective editing and proofreading strategies

In our instructor-led, customized virtual workshop, your team will learn strategies to plan, write, and revise business documents that are readable, concise, and usable. Unlike the onsite training, the virtual sessions are offered in shorter sessions over time, which helps with retention.

Learn more about virtual training here.

Online Training With Coaching: In addition to 24/7 access to all of the modules for 180 days, each module includes cheat sheets, take-aways, writing options, and our professional coaching on up to 10 pages of writing per module! Discounts are available for multiple attendees from the same organization.

Starting at $1,428 per person

Thanks for everything! Your patience, flexibility, and knowledge are greatly appreciated. I am beginning to approach writing and editing in a whole new way thanks to you and this course!

Jennifer C. - Verified Business Writing Course Attendee

Business Writing Courses

Show Transcript

Did you know that most readers decide within six seconds whether they wish to continue reading any given document? Yet professionals persist in writing rambling emails and other business documents that fail to engage the reader and highlight the organization's and the writer's professionalism and expertise. We get it. Writers often assume that readers will read whatever they write and will devote the time and energy necessary to figure out what the writer's point is. But we know that nothing is further from the truth.

In our customized business writing course offered onsite, virtually, as a webinar, or online, your team will learn strategies to write business documents that are read and acted upon. My name is Pam Hurley and I'm the owner and founder of Hurley Write Incorporated, a certified women-owned small business. Would love to chat with you about your needs for a business writing course, email us at [email protected] or call us . I look forward to chatting with you.

What To Expect (Virtual & Onsite)

Before the course.

A deep dive by our analysts into your team’s documents
A customized proposal that outlines the topics we propose to cover based on this analysis
A discovery/planning call to ensure that our plan meets your vision

During the Course

In-class exercises that give participants opportunities to apply concepts
Breakout sessions in which participants work collaboratively to apply concepts and solve writing problems
Examples of your team’s rewritten workplace samples to illustrate concepts
Real-time coaching from the instructor
Micro-learning sessions
Socratic discussion
Multiple opportunities for participants to engage with the instructor and with each other

After the course

Depending which option you choose, your team can expect

Access to our digital library , which includes short videos, quizzes, and other resources
Office hours, so that participants can meet with the instructor, share work, and get personalized coaching
Personalized coaching and mentorship
An on-call editor

Why Improve Your Team’s Business Writing Skills?

Writing doesn’t have to be hard. With our business writing courses, your team will learn strategies to write professional, effective business documents.

Better Documents

Your team will learn how to write targeted and more concise, precise business documents.

Projects that Meet Deadlines

Your team will spend less time reviewing and editing, helping to maintain timelines.

Increased Efficiency

When your team has the right tools, they’ll write better documents in less time, saving time, money, and resources.

Explore Similar Courses

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What is the Best Business Writing Course?

A business writing course helps develop business writing skills that help create relevant business-related content.

Regardless of how much technical writing experience you have, business writing requires a certain kind of experience and skills. That’s because business writing is more about relaying information in a clear, concise, and effective manner.

Usually, business writing helps in developing emails, reports, proposals, notices, and even memos. It’s a crucial skill to have in the workplace for effective communication.

In this article, we’ll go over some of the best online business writing courses you can opt for in 2022.

Let’s get started.

What is a Business Writing Course?

A business writing course helps develop business writing skills while providing a baseline for creating business documents.

Business writing is all about conveying relevant information to readers concisely, clearly, and in an effective manner.

There are four main categories of business writing:

Instructional – This form of business writing helps readers complete a task. They usually list down instructions in steps.
Informational – All business documents that aim to provide information come under this category. It can include documents that provide information on core functions, plans, compliance, and more. Furthermore, it can also include the financial statements of companies, along with organizational reports.
Persuasive – These types of business documents aim to influence readers by conveying relevant information. The idea is to offer value and impress the reader. That means it usually has to do with sales and marketing. Some examples include press releases, proposals, and emails.
Transactional – This form of business writing includes all sorts of day-to-day business communication in the workplace. That can include official letters, memos, emails, forms, and invoices.

Furthermore, business writing needs to be effective from all fronts. To ensure that, it should tick the following boxes.

There should be clarity of thought
The writing should be concise
There should be correct grammar, formatting, and sentence structure
The use of simple language is crucial

A business writing course helps develop the foundation of business writing by going over the things above. After helping you understand what constitutes effective business writing, you go through the different types of business writing.

Throughout that process, you learn how to write each type of business document through examples, templates, and practical exercises.

Furthermore, having a business writing course certificate also reflects well on your resume and CV.

5 Best Business Writing Courses in 2022

A good business writing course will help you understand what business writing is. Then, it will teach you how to counter different types of business writing.

By the end of the course, you should have a good idea of how to start.

The following are some of the best business writing courses you can start with.

1. Better Business Writing Skills on Udemy

Udemy is a massive online learning library that has tons of courses in various subjects and languages. The Better Business Writing Skills course on Udemy is one of the best-performing business writing courses on the site.

It’s ideal for both native and non-native English speakers as it starts with the basics. It continues to teach students how to write business emails, articles, reports, and marketing copy.

The course emphasizes the importance of writing clear, concise, and persuasive copy. On top of that, it provides several downloadable resources to assist students after they complete the course.

The course features Cicero Award-winning speechwriter Mark Morris. In total, the course runs for around 3.5 hours in videos. It also has 11 articles and 17 downloadable resources.

Students can also access all of the content on Udemy’s mobile app.

While the course provides professional writing tips, it also provides tips on becoming a more productive writer. That includes focusing on editing techniques, polishing your writing, and how to consistently test your work.

Here are some major pros of going for this course:

The course is available on Udemy’s easy-to-use app
There’s a 30-day free trial
When you buy the course, you get lifetime access

The following are some cons of this course:

There are no quizzes, assessment tools, or practice exercises
You don’t receive any accredited certificates

The course currently costs $84.99. However, you can get a lower price if you wait for a discount.

You can check out the Better Business Writing Skills course on Udemy here .

2. Business Writing on Coursera (By the University of Colorado)

Coursera is another massive online library of courses from renowned universities and educators. The Business Writing course on Coursera is an extension from the University of Colorado Boulder.

The course helps students build a solid foundation in business writing. It takes them through the principles of good business writing through the four-week course.

The course is for business professionals and non-native English speakers. It goes over the top ten principles of good business writing, offering complete methodologies.

The course instructor is Dr. Quentin McAndrew of the Department of English at the university.

In total, the course consists of 52 videos and 16 quizzes that amount to around 13 hours. However, students have to complete the course over a period of four weeks to avoid information overload.

Regardless, it’s still a self-paced course; that means students can manage the completion according to their own schedule.

The course provides various practical applications of all business writing principles. It also provides simple tools to improve your professional writing skills. On top of that, it teaches you how to organize, structure, and revise your writing.

You get a shareable certificate that you can add to your LinkedIn profile
It’s a self-paced course
There’s financial aid for students who can’t pay the whole amount
While you can enroll for free, most lessons are not available in the free version
The course has subscription-based pricing
Therefore, there’s no lifetime access

The current subscription price is $49 per month. However, you can utilize Coursera’s seven-day free trial and financial aid.

You can check out the Business Writing course on Coursera here .

3. Business Communication Skills: Business Writing & Grammar on Udemy

Business Communication Skills Course Udemy

Another great business writing course on Udemy is the Business Communication Skills course. It’s essentially a business writing and grammar course available in one insightful and collective course.

Most business writing courses tend to focus on strategy and style. However, this particular course starts you off with basic grammar skills and then moves on to developing good writing skills.

That means it’s an ideal course for people who are learning English as a second language. However, even if it’s your first language, the course will help fine-tune your business English skills.

Meanwhile, it’s also a great course for freelancers that want to build upon their professional communication skills.

The course instructor is Alex Genadinik – a best-selling Amazon author. He runs through his course, focusing on the foundations of business English and grammar, including helping with common grammatical errors.

The course emphasizes its efforts on helping freelancers communicate better with their clients. That includes communication over email, phone, and chat. The idea is to help them run more efficient meetings and effectively manage and resolve conflicts.

In total, the course has around 15 hours of on-demand video, one article, and 157 downloadable resources.

It’s available on the Udemy app
You get lifetime access to the course materials when you buy it
The course helps finesse your English grammar skills
There are no quizzes, practice exercises, or assessment tools
You don’t receive any accredited certificates upon completion

The course currently costs $84.99 on Udemy. However, you get lifetime access, justifying the price. On top of that, you can get a 30-day free trial, allowing you to complete the course for free if you’re new to Udemy

You can check out the Business Communication Skills course on Udemy here .

4. Tips for Better Business Writing on LinkedIn Learning

Tips for Better Business Writing LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) is a massive collection of courses, certifications, and articles from industry experts, enterprise organizations, and academic institutions.

The course focuses on helping business professionals improve their writing skills. As a result, the idea is to help them deliver clear messages while maintaining their professional image and stance.

The course instructor is liberal arts major Natasha Terk, an expert communication consultant who leads workshops and webinars globally. Her focus is on real-world exercises that help build practical experience. She provides ways to analyze and improve business communication in an organization and with diverse audiences.

The course has four modules that provide actionable tips on improving business writing for emails, reports, memos, and other documents.

Furthermore, the course also helps you develop a writing process to develop more persuasive writing skills. The course content also focuses on self-editing, proofreading skills, and a step-by-step process on how to create clear copy.

There are a lot of written examples throughout the course. You won’t be starting from a blank page. On top of that, the extra training materials and the broad range of new ideas and tips will help in writing clear and concise documents.

A one-time purchase means you get unlimited access
When you get a LinkedIn Learning subscription, you get access to all other courses as well
There’s a 30-day free trial when you get a subscription
You don’t get any accredited certificate upon completion of the course
There’s no detailed feedback or in-person help
The lesson only focus on how to write specific documents

Currently, the LinkedIn Learning subscription costs around $26.99 per month.

You can check out the Tips for Better Business Writing course on LinkedIn Learning here .

5. Business Writing Strategies on LinkedIn Learning

Business Writing Strategies LinkedIn Learning

Another LinkedIn Learning course is the Business Writing Strategies course by Judy Steiner-Williams of the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

This is among the most popular courses because it consists of less than two hours of online training material. That makes it an excellent choice for students who are only looking to get a quick update on important skills rather than learn new skills.

The content provides strategies and tips on developing powerful writing skills, along with minor lessons on how to speak better.

You can complete the course at your own pace. At the same time, you can make use of the frequently asked questions section to get quick answers. However, it’s best to take notes in your own writing.

You’ll learn internal business communication, ways to create a writing plan, and how you can avoid common grammatical errors.

Once you are through, you’ll get a certificate of completion that you can share on your LinkedIn profile. However, this is not an accredited certificate.

Covers important points of different business writing methods
There’s a free trial and the subscription has monthly and annual pricing
You get access to all other LinkedIn Learning courses too
There are no flexible deadlines; you can only access the course during your subscription period
There are no accredited certificates
Your access to the course ends with your subscription

The current price of the subscription is $26.99.

You can check out the Business Writing Strategies course on LinkedIn Learning here .

Wrapping It Up

There are a lot of online learning platforms today that provide courses in all shapes and sizes. However, finding the right courses with experienced instructors can be tricky.

You should always check out the rating of a course and find online reviews. It’s also best to contact someone who has enrolled in the course.

Most importantly, check whether a particular course is right for you based on where you are in your career.

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