Review and Test Writing – In-company training

The best reviews and tests are always interesting to read, even if the reader has no intention of buying or using the product!

Whatever your level or subject matter, we will show you how to improve your reviews so they entertain and inform, and add value to your product.

Review and Test Writing

Great if you are just starting out as a writer, features editor, review and games editor or technical editor.

One day in-company course covering:

  • Why review - the reviewer as a ‘journalist’
  • The pros and cons of negative reviews
  • Making assumptions on the reader’s behalf
  • The conflict between providing information and entertainment
  • How far to personalise a review
  • Applying standards to preparation and planning
  • The importance of structure
  • Visual impact
  • The reviewer as the voice of authority and wisdom
  • Reviewing for the web
  • Time management
  • The reader’s expectations
  • Dos and don’ts

Advanced Review and Test Writing

Great if you are a reviews editor, section editor, senior writer or review writer with more than two years experience.

One day in-company course covering:

  • The imperative
  • What constitutes a really useful review
  • Group tests: achieving balance without blandness
  • The review as the magazine’s USP
  • Focus on the reader
  • Matching the profile with the review/test style and content
  • Identifying particular problems in maintaining consistency
  • The must-read factor
  • The time factor
  • Coping with deadlines, late products and last minute pages to be filled

Actions and follow-up

These courses provide you with practical skills that you can apply immediately to your own reviews. We send you away with a list of “To dos” to focus on after your training, so you can put into practice what you have learned; and we follow-up with you afterwards to see how you are getting on. We are always available if you have any queries at all, so you just need to let us know.

Excellent. Got me to see review writing from a different angle and taught me useful techniques.