Plain Language Awards

Celebrate the stories of our clearest business communicators

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Your plain language story | Image by Hellie Hadfield


Share your plain language story with us

Here at Plain Language Awards HQ the only thing we love more than all things clear and simple is hearing from you!

So, tell us your plain language story. Upload a short video to our website, solo or grab some friends, and have fun — anything goes! (Well, almost!)

Keep reading for more information. Or jump straight in…

Upload your video

Let us know why plain language is important to you and your work

Have you created a seriously simple document, and want to share your journey? Or do you have a passion for plain language, and want to share the love? Maybe you’re entering the Awards this year, and want to show off your efforts. Or perhaps plain language has had a positive impact on you somehow.

We love hearing your stories, whether you’re bragging about your awesomeness or sharing what drives you. So, whatever your reason for sharing, we want to hear from you.

Here are some thought starters for you

Why did you choose to work through a plain language lens?

And did it create positive results?

Maybe some surprising ones?

Who benefited?

What did you enjoy?

What obstacles did you face?

How did you overcome them?

We’re all in this together, so let’s celebrate each other’s wins, commiserate the fails, and help each other along the way.

Think you can’t? Sure you can…

Not entering the Plain Language Awards this year? No worries! You can still enter a story video.

Camera shy? Don’t love technology? We’ve got you covered. How about a slide show with a voiceover? Or just shooting it on your phone? Head to our website for some more sage advice and a great how-to video by Jonny.

How to make a great video

Thank you for joining us

We truly believe in the power of words for good, and love that you have chosen to join us. So thank you for putting yourself out there, for sharing your story, and for raising the bar for clear communications. We can’t wait to hear your story!

Upload your video

Posted In: Communications


Ready Set Go! | Image by Hellie Hadfield


Newsflash: You can now collaborate on entries! Just hit the ‘manage collaborators’ link at the top of the entry form, and invite colleagues to work with you.

That’s right, we’ve gone live!

Entries are now open for the 2023 Plain Language Awards.

Our virtual postboxes at Awards HQ are waiting to be filled to the brim with your concise reports, clear technical documents, accessible websites, and simple sentences. As always, you can choose from 13 categories, so hop to it!

Short on time? Here are some easy ones…

Have you already transformed something old and gnarly into something clear and shiny? Whether a whole document or website, or merely a troublesome sentence, we’ve got you covered. Check out the Best Plain Language Turnaround and Best Plain Language Sentence Transformation categories.

Documents, plain and simple

The Best Plain Language Document category celebrates beautiful business documents that are clear on purpose and content. Enter yours in the category for public sector or private sector.

Maybe you and your team have been grappling with an annual report, making your end-of-year business story easy for all to absorb. If so, be sure to check out the Best Plain Language Annual Report category.

Or maybe you’ve created a masterful document that banishes legal jargon and uses plain language? If your document covers legal, financial, or compliance topics, check out Best Plain Language Legal Document.

Epic website?

For the technical whizzes and content enthusiasts, why not enter your super easy-to-use website in the Best Plain Language Website category?

Masters of simplification

Are you, or someone in your company, the go-to for simplifying technical topics and communicating with clarity? Then enter a portfolio in the Best Plain Language Technical Communicator.

Maybe an individual or a team in your organisation really stands out as having championed plain language changes? Maybe they’ve run workshops, created some resources, or led organisation-wide initiatives? Sounds like they should be put forward for the Plain Language Champion — Best Individual or Team.

Or, has your organisation taken things a step further, and successfully transformed the writing culture of the workplace? If so, prepare your entry portfolio for the Plain Language Champion — Best Organisation category.

Or nominate someone else

Seen someone else do an awesome job? Maybe your insurance company has a super clear website, or a friendly government agency communicated in a top-notch manner. If so, why not nominate them for People’s Choice — Best Plain Language Communication. They deserve to be celebrated!

If, on the other hand, you have come across some truly diabolical discourse, a real humdinging head-scratcher, why not enter it in People’s Choice — Worst Brainstrain Communication. That way, you’ll help to bring about a positive change.

So what are you waiting for?

The Awards categories have something for everyone and every type of business writing. So what are you waiting for? Get entering!

Enter the 2023 Plain Language Awards

Posted In: 2023 Plain Language Awards, Communications

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