Government Workshops
The Executive Writer specializes in teaching effective Plain Writing and helping federal agencies comply with the Plain Writing Act of 2010. Our courses teach participants how to write documents, from emails to 100-page reports, so readers can quickly and easily understand what they read—the first time they read it. We have been teaching Plain Writing for more than 20 years, and showing federal agencies how to operate more effectively and efficiently by writing clearly and concisely.
Core Capability: Writing Training
Our workshops teach participants the basic elements of Plain Writing and how to use them to create well-written business and technical documents. The courses are based on the best practices used by professional writers and include many hands-on, interactive exercises and peer feedback. Mastering the fundamentals of Plain Writing is a foundational skill that will help participants write any document of any length quickly, easily, and with confidence. Our workshops are not a boiled-down version of a traditional Writing 101 class. The method we teach is based on contemporary academic and workplace research, and does not require participants to “start from scratch” and learn a completely new way to write.
Company Information
Contract Vehicles
NAICS Codes
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Certification
PSCs
Academic Credentials
What Sets Us Apart from the Competition
In Addition, Dr. Ryan
- Earned his Ph.D. in Writing & Literature from the University of Utah, and an M.A. and B.A. in English from U.C.L.A.
- Is the author of the business-writing book, Write Up the Corporate Ladder (AMACOM Books).
- Has published articles in the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, PC Magazine, The Iowa Review, Business Communication Quarterly, and other national publications.
- Taught writing for more than eight years at the University of Utah, California State University at Northridge, and Santa Monica College.
- Is a former co-editor of Quarterly West magazine.
- Is a member of the 1) Center for Plain Language, and 2) Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN).
Partial Client List
| Government | Commercial |
| Census Bureau | American Express |
| Defense Threat Reduction Agency | Cisco Systems |
| Department of the Navy | Fluor Corporation |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | General Electric |
| Food and Drug Administration | Microsoft |
| State of Utah | The University of Chicago |
| Supreme Court of Virginia | The New York Public Library |
| U.S. Navy SEALs | United Way |
A List of The Executive Writer Workshops
What Clients Are Saying
“Kevin’s specifically tailored workshop was a great refresher for our experienced employees and a welcome introduction to the wonderful world of executive correspondence for our newer staff. I’ve had nothing but positive feedback from the 164 people who attended. Kevin is patient, knows what he’s talking about, and a pleasure to work with.”
Charles Broshous, Director, Congressional Correspondence
Department of Veterans Affairs
“Thank you for facilitating the writing workshop for our staff. Your course was both educational and engaging. You were able to really connect with the participants through your writing activities and lessons. It was clear to us that you are very passionate about helping everyone become comfortable with writing, editing, and proofreading. I appreciate the wisdom you imparted about not worrying whether the first draft is perfect. We will take this lesson back to the office and apply it. Our daily writing will surely be improved as a result of your class.”
Dr. Richard W. Etter, Principal Deputy Chief Information Officer
Department of the Navy
“I highly recommend taking The Executive Writer workshop. I found the principles easy to follow and understand. One of the first techniques I learned was how to remove unnecessary words from my documents. After the workshop, I began applying this skill to all of my correspondence including simple emails. I saw immediate improvement in my ability to write clearly and concisely just based on this one tip. My writing has certainly improved because of this class.”
Michele D. Hudson, Deputy Director, Office of Information Technology, CDRH
Food and Drug Administration