Judge: Best Plain English Annual Report

Director, GEMS Communications Ltd, Gisborne, New Zealand

Sheridan drew on more than a decade in journalism and a degree in English to set up freelance writing business GEMS Communications in 1997.

Based in Tairawhiti Gisborne, GEMS Communications specialises in the research, writing, editing, and design of projects from concept to completion.

Sheridan’s work portfolio includes newsletters, media releases, brochures, websites, and annual reports. She also works on proposals for local government, iwi, businesses, and the health, education, and seafood sectors.

Sheridan has written several significant histories of the region including Isolated Lines, a history of electricity; Making a Killing, a history of the freezing works industry; and A Splendid Isolation, a history of the wider district from 1950 to 2012.

Known for spotting a misplaced apostrophe from a kilometre away, Sheridan believes clear, concise, readable language is the best way to communicate.

‘Don’t write merely to be understood; write so that you can’t possibly be misunderstood.’

Plain English Awards judges

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