Meet Justine

Writing Well: Grammar

Justine has a background in marketing and communications as well as degrees in foreign languages and teaching. She has worked in a variety of industries with many responsibilities including promotions, advertising, events, technical writing and data analysis, sometimes all of this while managing a team. The common denominator in all of her work has been the need to communicate ideas and information clearly and convincingly to others.

What led you to seek out writing courses?

Firstly, like many people, I write all day long including: reports, promotional materials, customer communication and lots of emails. I also edit financial reports and coach staff with their writing. Although I have a background in communication and a degree in languages, there are always niggly little grammatical questions I have such as, does a comma belong here, or not? Or, is quicker or more quickly, correct? I want to spend less time wondering about these things and more time producing clear and accurate work.

What was a highlight for you from Writing Well: Grammar? 

There were a couple. One was the ease of working online. I thought it would be very dry compared to an in-person class because I’m a complete extrovert, but the module I took was very interactive with regular short quizzes, lots of visuals, highlighted tips, short lessons, and a format that kept me moving along and accountable. The second highlight was the friendliness of my instructor, who I never met in person, but with whom I developed a weekly banter. She was always very responsive. I looked forward to each weekly module release.

What surprised you about the course?

The level of knowledge we covered was higher than I expected. I thought that a course without pre-requisites might be diluted, or too novice-level. I was pleasantly surprised by the challenge and even with a background in communications, I was humbled by the gaps in my knowledge.

How are you applying the skills you learned in your personal or professional life?

I have already shared some of the grammatical lessons I learned with my staff. I now have the labels and language I need to clearly explain the “whys” of grammar, rather than just knowing that something “doesn’t look right.” This helps me to identify why logic doesn’t flow at times, leading to a fuzzy or unclear message. I also feel more confident about my writing being professional enough to print for public consumption. People notice mistakes!

Who would you recommend this course to?

I would recommend this course to anyone whose writing is meant to be taken seriously - be it reports, blogs, or daily emails. An error in grammar can put your work into question, as well as leading to misunderstandings. This course would also be a great way to gain some confidence when re-entering the workforce after a long break-be it parental leave, a job change or Covid.

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