Jeanne-Marie Schumann has joined the WritersInc team.
What’s New
Jeanne-Marie Schumann has joined the WritersInc team.
Jeanne-Marie says:
“I am a food technologist with 12 years of experience in the New Zealand dairy industry, primarily in technical and advisory roles. During that time, I designed and delivered numerous technical training courses, including a week-long course on yoghurt! I enjoy experimenting and creating new foods in my kitchen.
I have also taught evening classes in foreign languages for 16 years — this reflects my lifelong love of languages and learning.”
Write-on-Target Update
WritersInc now offers its informative and practical Write-on-Target, Business Writing Course, as a series of short courses, including:
- Clear, Confident Business Writing
- Writing Policies, Processes and SOPs that People Actually Use
- Structuring and Organising Documents
- Editing, Revising and Efficiency.
For more details, email ruth@writersinc.co.nz
Top Tip
Try these keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Word:
- Ctrl+F1 = hides the ribbon. Esc gets the ribbon back in view.
- Alt+Shift+D = inserts the date
- Alt+Shift+P = inserts the page number
AI and Writing
It’s hard to keep abreast of AI assistants, tools, automation, creative generators and agents. I’ve been experimenting to see what AI can do for me as a technical writer. So far I used Co-pilot, Chat GPT and Claude to generate ideas, generate images (Claude doesn’t do images), summarise or compare information, research topics and provide instructions.
I’m interested in how AI Automation works when it comes to streamlining administrative processes, which should also reduce the risk of human error.
If workflow automation interests you, try asking a couple of AI assistants to provide a simple explanation of how a business would automate a workflow using an AI Automation tool. Then give an example of the workflow you want to automate.
Plain Language Awards
Congratulations to all the Plain Language Award Winners.
Transforming gobbledygook to clear, concise English is not easy. It takes skill.
It was great to see organisations and companies taking an active role in supporting their writers and the Plain Language movement.
Plain language:
- Makes the complex clear.
- Improves accessibility and understanding.
- Makes it easier to spot a mistake.
Ask WritersInc
Kia ora WritersInc
Since you last worked with us, we’ve made changes to how we do business and some staff roles have changed. In theory, the changes will improve how we operate, but in practice, we are feeling challenged.
Are you able to assist us to update our SOPs?
Ngā mihi
Josh
Kia ora Josh
It’s good to hear from you – and to answer your question, yes, we can certainly update your SOPs.
Let’s meet so we can discuss this project in more detail and your desired outcomes.
If you’ve already mapped your new processes, I can review them alongside your existing documentation and identify where updates are needed to keep your SOPs accurate and consistent.
If you haven’t, I recommend meeting with your relevant team leaders. Together, we can capture the updated workflows, identify any current issues, and explore solutions.
From there, we can work with your subject matter experts to update or develop operating procedures that have been affected.
Given how much technology and workplace expectations have evolved in the last few years, this could also be a good opportunity to modernise your SOPs. For example, we can explore making them more accessible, visually helpful, and easier for staff to follow.
If you have a question you would like us to answer, please email ruth@writersinc.co.nz
Quick Quiz
1. Where in Auckland was this photo taken?
2. What word, meaning having a one-sided, imaginary emotional connection with someone you don’t know, is Cambridge Dictionary’s Word of the Year?
3. Which NZ university developed the first climbing robot that could climb on surfaces like stainless steel?
4. What’s the current Sheep to People ratio?
5. Which is the fastest growing sport in New Zealand?
Quick Quiz Answers
- Cornwall Park
- Parasocial
- University of Canterbury’s School of Engineering
- Approximately 5 sheep to every 1 person
- Basketball. Participation rates are up 61% since 2000
Christmas is Coming
Availability over the Christmas-New Year Breaks
We are working right up to Christmas, so please don’t feel shy about asking us to develop some templates, map a few processes, help with documentation for upcoming audits, or assisting with bid writing.
And we are keen to get started early in the New Year. If this is a quiet time for your business, it could be a good time to update documentation or organise some staff training. We are re-launching our writer training programmes. Courses and dates will be on our website very soon.
Merry Christmas and a Happy and Productive 2026
