JOIN NOW

Attention: Software Developers & Data Analysts

Fix Slow SQL Queries with Confidence

...Without Random Tweaks or "Trial and Error"

 

A practical, cross-vendor system to identify slow SQL queries and fix them confidently, with real examples, so you can save time without the guesswork.

$297 $147

Yes, I Want Immediate Access

00

DAYS

00

HOURS

00

MINS

00

SECS

Is This You?

Have you ever run a SQL query that should be fast… and then sat there waiting, watching the runtime increase but no results appear?

At first, you tell yourself it’s probably just a one-off.

Maybe the table is bigger than you expect.

Maybe the database is under load.

So you tweak the query. You try to add a condition or update a join.

Maybe add an index because someone once told you they can help.

But you run the query again, and it’s still slow.

At this point, you’re feeling confused, and a bit frustrated. Getting data from a bunch of tables shouldn’t be this complicated.

The ability to make an SQL query run fast seems like guesswork. But you’re not guessing because you’re lazy..

You’re guessing because you don’t have a clear way to see what’s actually slow and why.

You’re staring at a query that looks fine, but runs terribly.

You know something is wrong, but you don't know what it is.

You might even know how to show an execution plan, but you don’t really know how to read it or what it tells you.

So every change feels risky.

Did you make it better, or is it the same?

Did you actually fix the root cause, or just hide it for now?

The worst part about doing it this way is that every slow query costs you time.

Time spent context switching, trying new things, waiting for results to load.

It’s draining.

And it chips away at your confidence, even though you know you’re a capable developer.

What you’re missing here isn’t another SQL trick. There’s no magical index knowledge that will solve all of your problems.

So, what's the solution?

What will really help is a clear, repeatable way to think about SQL performance.

That’s what Write Faster SQL gives you.

Instead of guessing, you learn how to diagnose a slow query to understand why it is slow.

Instead of random tweaks, you learn how to identify the exact step that does the most work.

Instead of hoping a new index helps, you learn how to create the right index to speed up your query.

You stop asking yourself, “Why is this query so slow?”

And you start saying, “I know exactly why this is slow, and I have a few ways I can improve it.”

The outcome of this is SQL queries that run faster, less time wasted chasing performance issues, and confidence that you can handle slow SQL when it shows up at work.

Because you know why queries can be slow and how to improve them.

Who This Course Is For

 

This course is for: 

  • Developers or data analysts who know SQL basics but struggle with performance
  • Anyone pressed for time who needs clear and actionable optimisation strategies
  • Teams where slow queries cost time, money, or credibility

This course is not for:

  • Absolute beginners who don’t yet write SQL regularly
  • People who want a general SQL tutorial and aren’t focused on SQL performance

20+ Years Working With SQL

Hi, I’m Ben Brumm.

I’ve been working with SQL for over 20 years, across roles including university teaching, database development, and data analysis.

I’ve seen SQL performance problems in real systems (not just in theory) and I’ve spent years helping developers understand why their queries are slow, not just how to tweak them.

In 2016, I created Database Star to teach SQL in a clear, practical way. Since then:

  • Over 90,000 developers and analysts have subscribed on YouTube
  • More than 560 students have enrolled in my SQL courses
  • I’ve taught SQL across Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, and PostgreSQL
  • I authored a book, "Beginning Oracle 18c", published by Apress

Write Faster SQL is built from real-world experience and focuses on helping you diagnose performance issues and improve queries with confidence, instead of guessing or relying on trial and error.

Go From This... 

  • Staring at a slow SQL query and not knowing where the real problem is

  • Guessing which change might help your query run faster

  • Making performance changes without being sure if they actually fixed anything

  • Re-running queries, waiting on results, and losing focus

  • Feeling uneasy when performance issues come back as data grows

  • Hoping nothing breaks after your “fix” goes into production

To This... 

  • Quickly identifying exactly which step in a query is doing the most work

  • Understanding why a query is slow

  • Making performance improvements with confidence, not trial and error

  • Knowing what to change first, and what not to touch

  • Spending less time fixing performance issues and more time building features

  • Feeling calm and in control when slow SQL shows up, because you know how to handle it

"Ben has simplified sub-queries for me, regex, and many other topics. I feel slow when reading a lot of explanations off the internet, but his explanations are so clear, they make these topics easy to understand."

Nancy T, Database Star customer

Join Write Faster SQL Today

3 Monthly Payments of

$105 USD

$52 USD

(Total: $156)

OR

A One-Time Payment of

$297 USD

$147 USD

 

YES, I WANT TO JOIN NOW
  • 6 high-quality video modules (32 lessons) to learn and apply the core system in the course.
  • Execution Plan Guide: a quick reference to help you save time when understanding execution plans.
  • Overall Process Reference Guide: a visual reference to help you repeat this performance improvement process.
  • SQL Scripts: to save time with diagnosing performance issues.
  • Complete Course PDF: a text-based version of the course for easy reference and offline reading.

00

DAYS

00

HOURS

00

MINS

00

SECS

Your explanations are so clear and concise that you don’t need to go on and on and on as I have heard others do.

- Donna M

 

The brevity of lessons are more manageable and the progression is well designed.

- Merri H

 

I have learnt a lot by following your site which cannot be described in words. Examples given after each topic are very useful. The videos are simple, informative and easy to understand. 

- Korlahalli S

 

So What Do You Actually Get Inside "Write Faster SQL"?

 

Module 1

Find The Slow Queries That Actually Matter

 

Outcome: Stop guessing which queries are slow and start focusing on the ones worth fixing.

After this module, you'll know:

  • Quickly identify the slowest, most expensive queries on your database

  • Separate real performance problems from noise

  • Focus your time on the queries with the biggest impact, instead of chasing random slow spots

Module 2

See Exactly Where a Query Is Slow (and Why)

 

Outcome: Understand what the database is really doing with your query.

After this module, you'll be able to:

  • Read an execution plan and immediately spot the most expensive steps

  • Understand why the database chose a particular execution path

  • Pinpoint the true bottleneck, instead of guessing

Module 3

Use Indexes Intentionally

 

Outcome: Add indexes only when they actually improve performance.

After this module, you'll be able to:

  • Decide when an index will help, and when it won’t

  • Avoid unnecessary or harmful indexes that slow writes and maintenance

  • Use covering indexes to achieve large performance gains in the right scenarios

Module 4

Apply Changes That Almost Always Improve Performance

 

Outcome: Make safe, high-impact improvements without breaking your queries.

After this module, you'll be able to:

  • Compare performance before and after changes so you know they worked

  • Remove unnecessary work from queries that slows them down

  • Choose SQL patterns that are both readable and fast, not one or the other

Module 5

Know Which Optimisations Are Situational (and When to Use Them)

 

Outcome: Avoid over-optimising and apply advanced techniques only when they make sense.

After this module, you’ll be able to:

  • Decide when techniques like CTEs, subqueries, or alternative joins actually help

  • Reduce unnecessary data processing that hurts performance

  • Choose clearer, more efficient query structures for complex logic

Module 6

Handle Advanced Scenarios with Confidence

 

Outcome: Improve performance even in more complex or edge-case queries.

After this module, you’ll be able to:

  • Simplify complex queries while making them faster

  • Avoid common pagination performance traps as data grows

  • Make smarter data-type choices that improve performance long-term

By the end of the course, you'll know the why, when, and how to improve SQL performance with confidence.

You'll Also Get These Epic Bonuses:

 

Bonus 1

Execution Plan Guide

A PDF guide on how to view and understand all of the terms and steps in an execution plan.

(A $47 Value)

What You’ll Get:

  • Screenshots of how to show the Execution Plan in four common databases and SQL editors: Oracle SQL Developer, SSMS, MySQL Workbench, and pgAdmin
  • What each of the steps mean and a plain-English explanation of each of them
Bonus 2

Overall Process Reference

A PDF that summarises the steps to take and the strategies included, which you can use as a reference for future queries.

(A $27 Value)

What You’ll Get:

  • A summarised explanation of the index approaches with SQL syntax
  • A summary of each of the query restructuring methods, what they are, and an example of each
Bonus 3

SQL Scripts

A collection of SQL files used in the course and as extra support to help you save time.

All SQL scripts work for Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, and Postgres.

(A $27 Value)

What You’ll Get:

  • SQL scripts to find slow queries so you can save time and focus on the queries with the biggest impact
  • SQL scripts to see what indexes already exists, so you can save time and know how to update your query
  • SQL scripts to check a query before and after you make changes, so you know if youve broken a query before you implement the changes
Bonus 4

Complete Course PDF

A PDF file with the complete course included, so you can read it offline and use as a reference.

(A $47 Value)

What You’ll Get:

  • A single PDF with all lessons included, so you can refer to it in the future
  • PDF includes screenshots and SQL so you know what scripts and screens are being referenced

"I Can't Afford This."

 

Think this is too expensive? Let’s put it in perspective.

If you’ve ever thought,

"I can’t afford this right now" or "This feels like a lot for a course"…

You’re not alone.

But here’s what to consider:

  • One slow SQL query can cost your company hours in lost productivity, increased server costs, or frustrated team members.
  • Just one improvement from this course could save dozens of hours in the long run: hours you’d otherwise spend rewriting queries, testing fixes, or waiting for reports to load.
  • The skills you’ll gain can directly increase your value at work and help you land higher-paying roles.

 

If you're a developer or analyst, improving your SQL performance could pay for this course in just a few hours of saved time.

You don’t need to master everything at once to get a return: even one or two techniques from the course could save your team or company hundreds (or thousands) of dollars over time.

This is not just an expense. It's an investment in your efficiency, your confidence, and your career.

"I Don't Have Time"

 

Worried you don’t have time? This course was designed for you.

You’re busy. I get it.

That’s why Write Faster SQL was built with efficiency in mind, so you can make real progress even if you only have 20-30 minutes here and there.

Here’s how it helps you save time, not consume it:

  • Short, focused lessons: Each video is concise and actionable, with no fluff or filler. You’ll get straight to the point so you can apply what you learn immediately.
  • Watch at your own pace: No live sessions, no fixed schedule. Learn when it suits you: before work, during lunch, or on the weekend.
  • Quick wins early: You’ll start optimising queries from the very first module, so you see real improvements fast, even before completing the course.
  • Lifetime access: Start now, pause when you’re swamped, and pick it up again anytime.  Or, join now and start when your busy project is finished. There’s no rush, and no pressure.

Even if you’re juggling deadlines or stuck in meetings all day, this course is designed to work around your schedule, not against it.

You don’t need to clear your calendar to get faster SQL results. You just need a few focused moments.

 

"Why Can't I Just Use The Free Resources Like YouTube?"

 

You might be wondering why you can't just learn all this stuff from YouTube videos or blog posts.

Free SQL performance content gives you tips and one-off fixes.

But when you’re dealing with your queries which have different data, different schemas, and real production pressure, these tips aren’t enough.

What’s missing is a repeatable way to diagnose slow queries.

Write Faster SQL teaches you how to:

  • Find the queries that actually matter
  • Read execution plans without feeling lost
  • Identify why a query is slow — before changing anything

So instead of guessing, copying fixes, or hoping an index works, you have a clear system you can apply every time, across Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, and Postgres.

 

Here’s what you’re getting when you join today:

Write Faster SQL - $2,000 Value

  • Execution Plan Guide - $47 Value
  • Overall Process Reference - $27 Value
  • SQL Scripts - $27 Value
  • Complete Course PDF - $47 Value

Total Value: $2,148

 

But when you join today, you’ll get access to everything for just:

3 Monthly Payments of

$105 USD

$52 USD

(Total: $156)

OR

A One-Time Payment of

$297 USD

$147 USD

 

YES, I WANT TO JOIN NOW

00

DAYS

00

HOURS

00

MINS

00

SECS

30-Day Money Back Guarantee

I'm very confident that this course can help you improve the performance of your SQL queries.

 

If you enrol in this course, and are not satisfied, let me know within 30 days of enrolling and I'll provide a refund for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Join Write Faster SQL Today

3 Monthly Payments of

$105 USD

$52 USD

(Total: $156)

OR

A One-Time Payment of

$297 USD

$147 USD

 

YES, I WANT TO JOIN NOW
  • 6 high-quality video modules (32 lessons)
  • Execution Plan Guide
  • Overall Process Reference Guide
  • SQL Scripts
  • Complete Course PDF
  • Immediate and Lifetime Access

00

DAYS

00

HOURS

00

MINS

00

SECS

Still thinking about it?

You should give Write Faster SQL a 30-day risk-free shot if you're motivated by any of the following:

  1. You know the basics of SQL and want to make your queries better and faster
  2. You often work with slow queries and want to make then run faster
  3. You work on a data-heavy application that's started to run slowly, and you want to speed up the database and improve the user experience
  4. You want to stop spending hours tinkering and running your query in the hope that it will run faster.
  5. Ready to take the actions needed to improve your SQL performance skills

I can’t wait for you to join Write Faster SQL

I created this course because SQL performance is an important topic to learn - and a well-performing query can have massive benefits to everyone involved.

So much of the material out there is hard to follow and goes into more detail than you need to know.

As someone who works with data, it's important to have SQL queries that run fast, so you can save time when running them, improve the user's experience with the application or reporting tool, and save on cloud computing costs.

Knowing how to improve the performance of your SQL will serve you for years to come.

All it takes is a small investment in your education, and practicing the strategies highlighted in the course.

You're in the right place, and this is the course for you.

There's no risk to joining, with my 30-day money back guarantee.

I hope to see you inside.

Ben Brumm

Join Write Faster SQL Today

3 Monthly Payments of

$105 USD

$52 USD

(Total: $156)

OR

A One-Time Payment of

$297 USD

$147 USD

 

YES, I WANT TO JOIN NOW
  • 6 high-quality video modules (32 lessons)
  • Execution Plan Guide
  • Overall Process Reference Guide
  • SQL Scripts
  • Complete Course PDF
  • Immediate and lifetime access

00

DAYS

00

HOURS

00

MINS

00

SECS