Overview

Imagine you could write with the style and flair of journalists at The Economist, The New York Times, or The Wall Street Journal. Do you think it would help you communicate better with your colleagues, leadership, and the general public? Of course, it would. 

Taught by an ex-Wall Street Journal editor, Shortcut to Writing Mastery will teach you the little-known writing tactics of the world’s best news reporters and editors—strategies that enable them to turn out captivating copy every day for millions of global readers.

Shani Raja reveals these trade secrets in a meticulously organized and easy-to-follow format, offering countless examples and exercises to solidify the learning.

Learning Objectives

Get ready to encounter a treasure trove of insights into the writing process.  By the end of the course, you will know precisely how top journalists break down complex information and then convey it simply, clearly elegantly, and evocatively to the joy of readers. 

In this course you will:

  • learn about the mindset of exceptional writers,
  • discover the instructor's trademark “secret sauce”—the four ingredients needed to make any piece of nonfiction writing sparkle,
  • learn how to edit a piece of writing to an immaculate standard, and
  • learn how to use punctuation with style for greater impact.

This precious knowledge will not only drive students to the summit of exceptional writing in as little as a few hours. It will immediately empower them to write with a great deal more conviction and confidence.

 Is This Course for You?

Regardless of your job title, this course is for you if you:

  • write emails, reports, research notes, articles, press releases, and other official communication 
  • need to communicate more clearly, succinctly, and gracefully at work
  • are a self-starter and motivated learner

 

Course curriculum

    1. How to Use this Course

    2. Lesson 1 How to Quickly Become an Exceptional Writer

    3. Lesson 2 The Best Editors on the Planet

    4. Lesson 3 How to Write with Style, Flair and Impact

    5. Lesson 4 Proof of the Power of Stylish Writing

    6. Lesson 5 You, too, Can be a Standout Writer

    7. Lesson 6 A Glimpse of the Road Ahead

    1. Lesson 7 My Own Journey to Writing Mastery

    2. Lesson 8 Do You Truly Have Something Worth Saying

    3. Lesson 9 The Importance of Defining Your Purpose

    4. Lesson 10 The Five Aspirations of an Elite Copywriter

    5. Lesson 11 The Two Keys to Effective Communication

    6. Lesson 12 The Anatomy of Content

    7. Lesson 13 Obsessive Attention to Detail

    8. Lesson 14 How to Become More Articulate and Eloquent

    9. Lesson 15 Two Powerful Writing Frameworks

    1. Lesson 16 How I Discovered the Secret Sauce

    2. Lesson 17 The Magic of Simplicity

    3. Lesson 18 How to Make your Writing Tight

    4. Lesson 19 How to Make your Writing Plain

    5. Lesson 20 How to make Your Writing Straightforward

    6. Lesson 21 The Magic of Clarity

    7. Lesson 22 How to Make Your Writing Precise

    8. Lesson 23 How to Make Your Writing Sharp

    9. Lesson 24 How to Make Your Writing Specific

    10. Lesson 25 The Magic of Elegance

    11. Lesson 26 How to Make Your Writing Tidy

    12. Lesson 27 How to Make Your Writing Graceful

    13. Lesson 28 How to Make Your Writing Musical

    14. Lesson 29 The Magic of Evocativeness

    15. Lesson 30 How to Make Your Writing Varied

    16. Lesson 31 How to Make Your Writing Forceful

    17. Lesson 32 How to Make Your Writing Colourful

    1. Lesson 33 Editing with Flair

    2. Lesson 34 The Content Dimension of Your Writing

    3. Lesson 35 The Structure Dimension of Your Writing

    4. Lesson 36 The Style Dimension of Your Writing

    5. Lesson 37 The Presentation Dimension of Your Writing

    6. Lesson 38 My Quick-smart Editing System

    1. Lesson 39 A Glance in the Rearview Mirror

    2. Lesson 40 The Journey Onward

About this course

  • $497.00
  • 41 lessons
  • 4 hours of video
  • Downloadable resource files

Sample Lesson

Important Details

  • Digital & On Demand

    Go at your own pace with detailed, step-by-step trainings. Guided by videos and handouts, you’ll get results, and quickly close the skill gap.

  • Community and Q&A

    Learning is best done when fully supported. That’s why you’ll get access to the Community, where you’ll get feedback on your questions from community members and facilitators.

  • Completion Certificate

    Show off your achievements to your supervisor and coworkers — not just through your new skills, but through a Certificate you can hang in your office and share on your LinkedIn profile.

  • Accessibility Features

    Closed captioning and downloadable transcripts are available. Handouts are formatted for assistive readers.

  • Mobile Friendly

    Access any course on your mobile device and continue learning wherever you go.

  • Lifetime Access

    Retain lifetime access to all course content, including updates.

Instructor

Shani Raja

Shani Raja was a senior editor at The Wall Street Journal, where he also taught many of the paper’s reporters and editors. In a journalism career spanning more than two decades, Shani has also written for The Economist, the Financial Times, Time magazine, Business Insider, Dow Jones Newswires, and Bloomberg News. He left journalism to teach the advanced writing skills he’d learned as a top-tier editor to professionals in other fields. Today, with a million students enrolled from more than 200 countries, Shani’s writing courses are among the most popular in the world.

Testimonials

“It’s just incredible how an elite writer like Shani is able to identify and cover all the aspects that a person who wishes to write is looking for. It inspired me, answered all the questions that I had, and served as a guide for me to refer to. I am sure that every time I have a piece of content, my main reference would be this course. I really enjoyed every minute of it. Thank you! ”

Ghyna Kurdy, Senior PR & Social Media Consultant at Sahara Communications

“I've learned so much! Thank you Shani!! The material was easy to follow. The presentation was well focused. His delivery style was well thought out, and from this, his experience shone through. This course is a must for any writer- beginner or advanced- looking to improve their craft and expand their readership.”

~Mike F.

“I would like to sincerely thank Shani for his amazing writing system. His simple yet all-encompassing writing system has helped me to become a better communicator not only in my writing but in conversation as well. The most painful part was unlearning the conventional way of writing, but what soon followed was a beautiful epiphany that writing is an art form where I am an artist trying to paint a beautiful yet clear picture for my audience.”

Victoria Chun, Startup Business Consultant & Project Manager

“Thank you! The course was simple, clear, elegantly presented with a few sprinkles of evocativeness ;) I enjoyed the flow and content and found it to be extremely valuable in assisting me to write better content. I will use the magic sauce and tools learned in all my writing and editing going forward. I am excited to start using these principles to become an elite writer who will write with flair.”

~Leslie F.

CFO Core Competencies

FAQ

  • How do I get started?

    Your first step is to click any of the bright orange buttons to purchase the course. Your first step will be creating your account (if you don't already have one with us). Then, you will enter your p-card information.

  • How long do I have to complete the course?

    You retain lifetime access to the course, including updates. If a course is retired, you will be notified and provided the opportunity to download all course content.

  • Are there any additional fees or costs?

    No! The course price listed is the only price you will pay for full access to this course.

  • Can I email the instructor if I have questions?

    When you purchase this course, you are automatically added to the Community, where you can post questions for your instructor to answer.

  • Can I buy multiple copies of this course for my department?

    Absolutely! We offer discounted bulk sales to all agencies. Simply email [email protected] with the name of the course and the number of seats you want to purchase, and we will respond with pricing and purchasing options.

  • More questions?

    Please email us a [email protected], and we'll be happy to answer any of your questions.

Customers also Purchased