Frequently asked questions

Clarity Writers is a plain language agency based in Wellington. We help organisations across New Zealand and Australia communicate clearly through three core services: digital learning and eLearning, business writing workshops and coaching, and plain language writing and editing. Plain language is the product.

The Clarity Box is Windows software for eLearning teams. It has four tools: Clarity Bank finds answers in your own documents, Clarity Create drafts storyboards from them, Clarity Review grades finished SCORM courses and Clarity Chatbot adds learner support to courses you already have. AI features run on your organisation's own provider account. See the Clarity Box.

We are based in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand, and work with corporate, government, and technical teams across New Zealand and Australia. Our clients include NZQA, KPMG, The Property Group, Matamata-Piako District Council, Leadership Lab, and House of Science.

Plain language is writing your reader can understand the first time they read it. It uses clear structure, everyday words, and short sentences, without losing accuracy or nuance. It matters because clear writing saves time, reduces mistakes and follow-up questions, and builds trust with the people who read your documents.

The Plain Language Act 2022 is New Zealand legislation that requires public service agencies and Crown agents to use plain language in the official documents they make available to the public, and to appoint plain language officers who report on how they are doing. In practice it means clearer letters, forms, web content, and reports for the people who use government services. We help teams meet that standard.

We pair professional writers and editors with instructional designers, so clear writing runs through everything from a single workshop to a full eLearning course. We build our training around your team's real documents, not generic examples, and we measure the change with before-and-after Scored Document Reviews, so you can see the improvement.

Both. We deliver workshops online, in person, or as a mix, across New Zealand and Australia. A one-day workshop delivered online is usually run as two half-days.

Our flagship Business Writing Foundations is a one-day workshop. Sessions run with a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 12 people, with around 6 being ideal. Larger groups are split across multiple sessions, and a single person can be supported through one-on-one coaching.

Yes. Before each workshop we learn what your team writes and for whom, and review and score real writing samples. We then design the exercises around your own documents, so the training is relevant from the first minute. Workshops are in-house only, because the value comes from being specific to one organisation.

They can, when they are built the right way. We focus on practical habits and a repeatable writing process, work from your real documents, and give participants feedback after the session. We also benchmark writing before and after with a Scored Document Review, so the change is measured rather than assumed.

Yes. Coaching is usually delivered as in-depth one-hour sessions, online or in person, built around a Scored Document Review of the person's own writing. It suits leaders and individuals who want focused help rather than a group workshop.

Not at this stage. Our workshops are in-house only, because the value of the training comes from being specific to one organisation's needs and real documents.

We work across board papers, reports, technical guides, policies, procedures, and web content. We write original content from the ground up, edit and rewrite what you already have, proofread, and run content audits that return a prioritised report of where effort will have the most impact.

Yes. A lot of our work is taking content you have already written and making it land, fixing anything unclear, inconsistent, or hard to read with plain language precision. We can also build tone of voice frameworks and content standards so your writing stays clear even when we are not in the room.

Yes. Government and technical teams are a core audience. For legal, compliance, and health content, we make it clear in partnership with your subject matter experts. We do not provide legal or medical advice ourselves.

Digital learning is training people actually finish, because the content is written clearly and tells a story. We build animation, video, online modules, performance support tools, apps, blended learning, and websites or microsites. The format is chosen to suit the outcome, and every course flexes from a widescreen monitor down to a phone.

Yes. We build SCORM-ready courses that drop straight into your LMS, using whatever tool suits the outcome, such as Articulate Rise, Storyline, or a custom build. We can also embed Clarity Chatbot inside a SCORM module so learners get instant plain-language answers without leaving the course.

Yes. We build to WCAG 2.1 AA as standard from day one, including keyboard navigation, screen reader support, strong colour contrast, and captions on every video.

It depends on the work. Workshops are fixed-price and quoted up front, including discovery, design, and delivery. Editing, writing, and digital learning are usually quoted by the hour, and there is no minimum spend. An initial consultation is free, and we are happy to give you a firm quote once we know roughly what you need.

Plain language editing is usually quoted by the hour, with no minimum spend, because cost depends on the length and state of the document. We give you a firm quote once we have seen a sample, and an initial consultation is free. A Scored Document Review shows you where your writing stands before any work begins.

Half-day business writing workshops start from $3,000 + GST and one-day workshops from $5,000 + GST, for up to 12 people. The price is fixed and quoted up front, and we give you a firm quote once we know what your team needs.

Tell us about your project through our contact form, or call us. For a workshop quote we just need roughly how many people and the issues your team is seeing. Workshops need about 2 to 3 weeks to prepare, while many projects can start straight away with a kick-off meeting.

Yes. An initial consultation is free. We also use a Scored Document Review to assess real writing samples against plain language metrics, which shows you exactly where your writing stands before any training or project begins.

It is how we benchmark writing and track progress. We assess real writing samples against plain language metrics and score them, so you can see where the writing stands now and the return that training or editing is likely to deliver. It runs through our writing and training work, and is included as part of the solution rather than charged separately.

Yes. We write in New Zealand English by default, including -ise and -our spellings and "programme" for training contexts, and we can follow your own style guide or build one with you.

We focus on clear business communication, so we do not run marketing, SEO, or social media campaigns, and we do not offer translation or te reo Maori writing services. We also do not write academic assignments or university essays, though we can copy edit a thesis for formatting and referencing.