Spring greetings from Word Smiths

New on the website:

In this issue of Word Power:

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Open course programme

Word Smiths' next open event is a full-day speed reading course on 17 June at the Bristol Conference Centre. We're offering a 10% discount off the normal course fee of £250 (ex VAT) to readers of Word Power: to claim this and book a place, just email nick@word-smiths.co.uk quoting code SRD0408X.

This is one course I don't need the report to know what people felt, so many of them have been talking about it over the last few days with so many positive comments. Once again, thanks you for helping the team with this valuable skill.

Warren Sanger (Nationwide Building Society)

Please send my thanks to Jane for a day well spent. It was even interesting to three family members when I told them about it. My day doesn't normally grab them!

Jean Bailey (CSSIW - Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales)

Thanks Jane for the workshop last week - excellent as usual!

Angela Edkins (Aston University)

This training has been extremely useful in terms of my studying as I now don't have to spend so much time reading through long chapters, but can quickly go through and find the bits I really need to concentrate on.

Anne Donaldson (AUA - Association of University Administrators)

Course brochures, costs and booking info at www.word-smiths.co.uk/open-courses.php (open courses) and www.word-smiths.co.uk/in-company.php (in-company courses).

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Your memory: use it or lose it!

The Persistence of MemoryLost your car keys recently? Arrived at the top of the stairs and wondered why you had gone up there? Or maybe you've just been embarrassed because you can't remember someone's name.

Research suggests that, by the time we reach the age of 45, more than half of us are much more forgetful than we were when we were 18. It now seems that our powers of recall really do start to decline as we age.

However, the good news is that the majority of age-related memory problems are not in fact caused by dying brain cells. The reasons for forgetfulness are usually poor concentration, anxiety and stress. Having too much to do, being worried, anxious or depressed - these can all seriously affect our ability to store and recall information.

How can the memory be improved?

To remember better, you need to deploy two fundamental principles: imagination and association.

The point is that to make strong memories, you have to make connections. You either have to link the things you want to remember to something that is already fixed inside your brain or you have to create a framework (like a story or a Mind Map) which links all the new information together in a meaningful way.

You will have followed this basic memory rule - perhaps without thinking about it - many times in your life. For example, you may have used the mnemonic Every Good Boy Deserves Favour as an association to help you recall the notes on the musical stave, EGBDF. Or you may connect your friend's birthday with the fact that something else is happening on the same day.

As we grow older, we don't stretch our brains as much as we used to. The memory is like any other muscle - to work well it needs to be exercised. We all have a truly magnificent memory, but we have to use it or lose it.

There's more about this fascinating topic in Word Smiths' audio book Memory and Learning for Success. In this audio package, we tell you how your brain remembers, and how to use this information to make your memory even better. You'll be astonished at what you can achieve - and you'll have a lot of fun finding out what you're capable of.

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Grammar on the Rocks™

Despite (or maybe because of) the fact that grammar and the use of English have become hot-selling topics, many people are still stressed and confused about their written communications at work. They know that their emails, letters and reports are clumsy, lacking in clarity or just plain wrong, but they have no idea how to correct them.

Word Smiths is now licensed to run McLuhan & Davies Communications' Grammar on the Rocks course. In this in-company half-day event, we offer rules, guidelines and tips for improving the quality of written business communications. It's practical, very involving and - believe it or not - interesting and fun. Just knowing exactly what the rules are and finding out how easy it is to apply them is a tremendous confidence booster.

The feedback from initial courses has been a unanimous message that the workshop has helped participants to develop their confidence, identify their strengths and develop a deeper awareness of what is and what is not currently acceptable in written business materials.

Brochures, costs and booking info at www.word-smiths.co.uk/grammar-rocks.html

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Claim your free e-books

Many people on our mailing list have already downloaded Word Smiths' useful e-books The Secrets of Effective Speed Reading, Mind Mapping for Success, Decision Making for Success and Nick's Grammar Slammer.

If you haven't, and would like to receive them completely free, email nick@word-smiths.co.uk with 'Please email me the Word Smiths e-book login and password' as the subject. I'll send you the link, username and password that you'll need to start downloading.

Our privacy policy explicitly states that we will never share or pass on the details of anyone on our newsletter mailing list.

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Fundraising for Marie Curie

Marie Curie logoIt's great that cycling's undergoing such a revival - and the growing number of people who prefer 4 wheels to 2 don't even have to worry about whether or not to use biofuels. Partner Nick Smith's been a keen rider for many years and has done many long-distance rides, including Lands End to John O'Groats and Rome to London.

"This summer, I'm teaming up with my nephew Tom Barry to ride from London to Paris via Dieppe. We are raising money for Marie Curie Cancer Care (all the costs of trip are paid from our own funds) and have so far almost reached £2,300."

If you'd like to find out a bit more about the ride there's more information at www.nickandtom-ridetoparis.org.uk

If you want to support Marie Curie and would like to give Nick & Tom's sponsorship total a bit of boost in the process, their justgiving page is www.justgiving.com/nickandtom

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