Writing With Flair: How To Become An Exceptional Writer

WELCOME TO THE BESTSELLING WRITING COURSE ON UDEMY, WITH MORE THAN 100,000 STUDENTS, MANY THOUSANDS OF 5-STAR REVIEWS, AND NEWLY UPDATED CONTENT AND RESOURCES.

The program is taught by Shani Raja, a former Wall Street Journal editor whose courses have attracted close to half a millionstudentson this platform alone and have been featured in both Time magazine and Business Insider.

Shani has trained journalists at The Wall Street Journal and written for other top news outfits too, including The Economist, FT,Dow Jones and Bloomberg News. He was also rated among the top 10% of most engaging Udemy instructors.

In this newly extended version of his flagship program, Shani reveals to non-journalists the “superpower” tactics of the world’s best editors. Learning their secrets will help you stand out in almost any field of writing.

“Cuts through everything to the heart of excellent writing… the best course of its type that I’ve seen…”— MICHELLE BULLAS, UDEMY STUDENT

“Mr. Raja brings crystal clear enlightenment and a power to writing that many, who have not discovered his teaching, are unaware they can achieve…”— CS. LAWRENCE, UDEMY STUDENT

“Taught me in a few hours writing principles that would have taken me years to learn on my own…”— SEBASTIAN, UDEMY STUDENT

“The most complete writing course I have taken. I’m really blowing away the competition at work…”— EDE OMOKHUDU, UDEMY STUDENT

“Learned more from Shani about the art of writing than I ever did at school… was hooked right until the end…”— NIC JONES, UDEMY STUDENT

“Improved my technique exponentially…”— NESTOR ARMSTRONG, UDEMY STUDENT

“Unravels the problems many of us face when writing…”— STEPHEN, UDEMY STUDENT

“Saw a noticeable difference in the length of time visitors stayed on my blog…”— PREM KUMAR, UDEMY STUDENT

“Carries the weight and authority of experience…”— SEAN COOK, UDEMY STUDENT

“Simple, clear, elegant and evocative…”— CLIFTON ZHUO, UDEMY STUDENT

“His experience as a writer as well as a teacher shines through…”— NAINA MERETE HOLSVE, UDEMY STUDENT

“Writing is no longer uncertain, confusing and ambiguous for me…”— RUDYARD VON, UDEMY STUDENT

“Can see why this instructor’s course is a bestseller…”— ANNEGRET HERGERT, UDEMY STUDENT

“Phenomenal course…”— DAN BALLMER, UDEMY STUDENT

“Tremendous value…”— ELLIOT FINK, UDEMY STUDENT

“Groundbreaking…”— MAXIM VOROSHILOV, UDEMY STUDENT

“Wow…”— DANIEL BACALLAO, UDEMY STUDENT

Just Imagine being able to write with the style and flair of journalists on top newspapers, who are skilled at producing punchy and potent articles for millions of readers every day.

What could having such a rare talent do for your career, your business, or your dreams of becoming a successful author or blogger?

In this program, Shani introduces you to a range of exquisite writing tricks and tactics that most people outside the journalism profession are ignorant of, but which can make the difference between copy that is dull and flat, and prose that is lively and captivating.

In this acclaimed, 7-hour intensive writing training, Shani reveals how such accomplished editors do their magic. Fortunately, it boils down to mastering just four basic ingredients: simplicity, clarity, elegance and evocativeness.

Shani shows how a proper understanding of this “secret sauce” is all you need to become exceptional in virtually any field of writing. 

A complete writing system

In this program, you won’t get the usual “writing tips” you can find all over the internet and in other similar online programs. The four ingredients form the basis of a complete writing systemdesigned to drive you to the summit of slick writing — very fast.

The training may turn you into a confident author of blogs, books and business writing in as little as a few weeks. At the very least, you will understand how to infuse power and beauty into the soul of your writing to make it stand out dramatically.

Whatever your writing ability now, you’ll find yourself quickly transformed into an artistic composer of prose, whose copy sparkles with a rare sort of quality few people will understand, let alone be capable of emulating.

The “secret sauce” of flair

In the course, you will learn how to optimise each of the four ingredients so that, just like the world’s finest editors, you can turn humdrum writing into something extraordinary every time. As a result, your copy will always be punchy, sharp, graceful and stimulating — the hallmarks of pretty much all exceptional prose.

In the SIMPLICITY section, you’ll discover how to…

• Write in plain, upbeat language

• Steer clear of official words that weigh your writing down

• Shun redundant words that make your sentences move slowly

• Discard filler and hedging language that produce “hot air”

• Avoid needlessly complex sentences that bog readers down

• Stop yourself rambling and repeating yourself unnecessarily

• Eliminate pointless distractions that obstruct comprehension

• Clear away “sentence clutter” that can throw readers off

In the CLARITY section, how to…

• Recognise “fuzzy” and out-of-focus ideas that blur your message

• Prevent readers from getting confused or ever going blank

• Steer clear of imprecise jargon

• Make clear distinctions between contrasting ideas

• Avoid randomly mixing up time elements (past, present, future)

• Eradicate ambiguity and double-meanings

• Place “modifying” words carefully

• Avoid tangled and “curly” writing that may baffle readers

• Use potentially confusing words like “this” and “that” more carefully

In the ELEGANCE section, how to…

• Maintain an elegant consistency throughout your writing

• Keep sentences neat and parallel

• Craft graceful, flowing narratives

• Create delightful sentence rhythms

• Avoid inelegant “word echoes”

• Smoothly transition between ideas

• Construct “pretty” paragraphs

• Present your copy ultra-professionally

And in the EVOCATIVENESS section, how to…

• Avoid soul-killing clichés

• Add variety to sentence structures

• Bring a fresh scent to your prose

• Avoid the boring passive voice

• Stop tiresomely “reversing” into sentences

• Make your writing more dramatic

• Create spectacular imagery

• Master the tone of your writing

• Give life and character to your copy

“A compass for those who set out bravely to explore the distant shores that only stories ever spoke of. To the North, Shani will guide you to the austere mountains; simplicity. To the East, Shani will guide you to the crystal forests; clarity. To the South, Shani will guide you to the golden palace; elegance. To the West, Shani will guide you to the hidden alchemists; evocativeness. Do not rush. Shani has charted a course that you may journey for many years to come. Congratulations, you have stumbled upon one of Earth’s rare skeleton keys. Don’t overlook this auspicious opportunity…”— JULIEN MCLAREN, UDEMY STUDENT

Welcome to the world of “elite” writing

Good writing isn’t just another nice-to-have skill. It’s one of the most important ones you need for conveying a professional image at work, landing a high-profile job, and getting your online content noticed.

But while plenty of people can write, few can do so with style and flair of top journalists, who are familiar with heaps of fancy tricks and tactics that lift their writing above the ordinary.

After taking this course, you’ll be able to do the same.

Imagine having the power toleave readers spellbound by your writing, the same as one might feel after reading a gripping story in a newspaper like The Economist.

In this course, Shani teaches you how to craft such impossibly beautiful prose by revealing not just the key ingredients of good nonfiction writing, but also by sharing the mindset of the elite writers he has worked with and also trained.

“If Shani Raja was a baseball player, he hit the ball out of the park. The curriculum, into which he obviously poured years of successful writing and editing know-how, is comprehensive, engaging and experiential…”— JEAN, UDEMY STUDENT

Once your mindset has been appropriately shaped, Shani will reveal the four ingredients of exceptional writing in all their glory — proving that simplicity, clarity, elegance and evocativeness are the only qualities needed to create standout writing.

Shani has used this powerful formula to train journalists in top news organisations, as well as to boost the writing skills of his hundreds of thousands of Udemy students.

Soon, you too will know how to magically enhance your  blogs, essays, books, business writing, or indeed any other type of nonfiction prose.

THE COURSE COMES WITH A 30-DAY, NO-QUESTIONS-ASKED, FULL MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE, SO THERE IS NO RISK IN ENROLLING TODAY AND SEEING IF IT’S FOR YOU.

So, join the hundreds of thousands of students who’ve already invested in discovering these and many more powerful writing secrets from an accomplished news editor.

“Better than any course I took in college…” — ANNA TIERNEY, UDEMY STUDENT

“There are twenty courses in my Udemy folder, of which seventeen are in some genre of writing. Eight of those courses are Shani’s, and I’ve learned more from those than from all the others combined…”— SCOTT RALSTON, UDEMY STUDENT

“The caliber of instruction one might receive from a traditional university…”— DAVID NICHOLAS TAYLOR, UDEMY STUDENT

“If you are looking for a writing course that is outstanding look no further…”— MATT SPRENGER, UDEMY STUDENT

“Worth more than the months I slaved over books and other online writing courses…” — CONOR WELLMAN, UDEMY STUDENT

“Stunning course… delivered masterfully…”—PEDRO CARROGGIO ZOIO, UDEMY STUDENT

Slick writing can change your life

To make a mark in any field, you need to be able to do what most people can’t do: write with punchiness, precision and poise.

On the flip side, lacklustre writing can hold back your career, dent your company’s image, and prevent your books or blogs from getting attention online.

What’s more, brilliant writing can mark you out as a smart thinker with the ability to succeed as an employee, a business owner, or a “thought leader” in your field.

A well-composed cover letter, for instance, can say everything about the type of person you are and your long-term potential.

Strong business writing, in everything from reports to emails, can bolster your reputation at work and help you impress clients.

Beautifully written blogs have a better chance of being heard amid the cacophony of content on the internet.

In that case, how might your prospects for success improve if everything you wrote came out as beautiful as something you might read in, say, The Economistor The Wall Street Journal?

Few people are able to write with the style and finesse of top journalists, who are trained to weed out fluff from their writing and make it consistently sharp and stimulating.

This is a unique chance for you to discover how such journalists perform this sorcery, and to make your own writing sizzle by incorporating their tactics.

The result will be a more refined style of writing that will leave your readers awestruck.

The best part is that after completing this newly expanded edition of Writing With Flair, you won’t just be aware of the ingredients that go into making your copy stand out. You’ll know how to apply the “secret sauce” with the flamboyance of a master chef.

“Most great teachers can’t write, and most great writers can’t teach. Shani Raja is one of the few who excels at both. I managed dozens of reporters and editors during my 12-year career atBloomberg. Now he’s the person I go to when I want help with my writing…”— NICOLAS JOHNSON, A FORMER EDITOR AT BLOOMBERG NEWS & THE GLOBE AND MAIL.

“As a young reporter my prose might have been robotic and jargon-laden if not for Shani’s watchful eye. Beyond the standard reporting skills —like accuracy, clarity and integrity — I also learned refinement. Shani teaches you how to write well, and with grace…”— HAWA ALLAN, JOURNALIST & FICTION WRITER

Knowing these elite writing skills will help you to…

• Make your business correspondence shine

• Make sales prospects instantly “get” your product

• Make your marketing copy captivating

• Attract more readers to your blogs and books

• Get more clicks and conversions on your website

• Get your resumes to the top of the “must see” pile

• Make your essays the most stylishly written in your class

And also to rediscover a love of writing…

If you’ve hated writing until now, or found it hard going, there’s a good chance you’ll leave this course with a new appreciation for what might have seemed like a mysterious process.

Better than that, you’ll discover a newfound joy for sculpting your own prose to an immaculate standard.

You’ll emerge from the program a thoughtful designer of words and sentences. And if you apply yourself well throughout the course, you will almost certainly emerge a better and more confident writer.

The best editors on the planet

Writing With Flair is the first in a series of programs designed to supercharge your writing ability. It is a foundational course that others — including Ninja Writing and Editing Mastery — build upon.

You’ll also learn how to develop the mindset of a standout writer, which includes guidance on how to write with integrity, to care deeply for your readers, and to approach your copy with a clear awareness of your intent.

Also, this updated version of the course comes equipped with an editing workbook, helpful lecture summaries, “live” edits, and suggestions for further reading. There are heaps of examples and exercises, too, which will help you apply each technique with even greater skill.

Don’t let pass this once-in-an-age opportunity to get the highest quality training from someone who has crafted riveting stories for millions of global readers and coached many accomplished journalists in his time.

“Simply amazing class…” — SONIE SANDHU, UDEMY STUDENT

“Blown away by quality of material…”— TRISTAN DONOFRIO, UDEMY STUDENT

“Reveals the secret of exactly how to make your writing stand out in a crowded jungle of information…”— TAFFILIAE, UDEMY STUDENT

“Great look into the mindset of a higher level writer…” — BRAM BARBER, UDEMY STUDENT

“Learned more in a few hours than I did throughout many years of formal education…”— LEE FRAMPTON, UDEMY STUDENT 

“I considered myself a decent writer before taking this course…”— MIA TURPEL, UDEMY STUDENT

“As a published author I have taken no less than 10 courses in improving my own writing skills. This is, by far, the best…”— ALICIA ADAMS, UDEMY STUDENT

“Be ready for some enlightening stuff…”—MARTIN TONEVSKI, UDEMY STUDENT

“Helps fine tune your writing and take it to another level…”— NISHANT BHIDE, UDEMY STUDENT

“Best writing course I’ve ever taken. Worth ten times the price…”— HARBANS, UDEMY STUDENT

“Shani knocks it out of the park…” — JOHN MICHAEL BARNETT, UDEMY STUDENT

“Among the most useful I’ve ever had the privilege of taking…”— FRANS DU PLESSIS, UDEMY STUDENT

“Improved my writing in ways that cannot be expressed…” — REMCO BOERMA, UDEMY STUDENT 

“Writing stopped being a chore…” — VENKAT DINAVAHI, UDEMY STUDENT 

“A breath of fresh air for my writing…”— DARRYL, UDEMY STUDENT

“Delivery and explanations were perfect…”— CHRISTOPHER, UDEMY STUDENT

“Presented with great passion and understanding…”— BRYAN SUHARLY, UDEMY STUDENT

“Will improve your skills even if you only write post-it notes…”— HECTOR RUBIO, UDEMY STUDENT

Rating Distribution

• 1 stars: 167 votes
• 2 stars: 339 votes
• 3 stars: 2134 votes
• 4 stars: 7311 votes
• 5 stars: 12190 votes

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have access to the course materials?

You can view and review the lecture materials indefinitely, like an on-demand channel.

Can I take my courses with me wherever I go?

Definitely! If you have an internet connection, courses on Udemy are available on any device at any time. If you don’t have an internet connection, some instructors also let their students download course lectures. That’s up to the instructor though, so make sure you get on their good side!