I just typeset a workshop flyer for a customer who wants to add a phrase regarding the cost of the workshop. What's the difference in the meaning of "fee" or "cost". I looking at definitions it seems that "fee" is something you pay for a privilege...a "positive" spin. Cost sounds negative to me...e.g. cost of doing business, cost him his life, etc. Any rules in this regard?
If I understand the question correctly, I would say that a person would have to pay a fee to attend (for the privilege of attending) the workshop, to cover the costs (materials, payment to speakers, venue, etc.) of those putting on the workshop. I see cost not as negative, but as a fact of life, like weather. You can like it or not, but there's not much you can do to affect it.
Peter
I believe the most important distinction is that cost is most often used as a verb, whereas fee is always a noun. But there are times when cost is used as a noun, too, so I'll give you my opinion.
I think cost is a more general term, and it does not necessarily need to refer to monetary expense. In the one arena in which I'm familiar with a very important distinction between the two terms — law — fees and costs break down in a manner you imply. Fees in that case refer almost exclusively to what one pays to his or her attorney, and in the American legal system, they are the responsibility of the party hiring the attorney, win or lose (there are some exceptions). Costs are basically everything else attendant to the prosecution of a lawsuit: court filing fees, deposition expenses, outside document reviews, photocopying, expert witnesses, etc. Costs are often recoverable by the winning party. In this particular case the distinction between fees and costs is pretty clear (and pretty important), but I also think the distinctions in litigation fit into the larger scheme of distinguishing between the two: fees are what one pays for a particular service; costs are the expenses attending whatever service one is paying the fees for.
I can see the "negative" implication you see in the word cost. In economics — and in some general usage — it indeed has that sense. Cost is that which one gives up for a particular benefit, monetary or otherwise. In that regard, cost embraces fee; what a client pays an attorney is a cost to that client to obtain the benefit of professional services. In most contexts, I doubt the distinction makes much difference. However, as I said above, sometimes the distinction makes an enormous difference.
Anyway, after my long post that failed to answer your question, kathyupton, I would suggest that there is, for example, a "$1000 fee" for attending the workshop, and that is how it should be represented on the flyer. Attending the workshop would cost each attendee $1000.
The fee is $1000, therefore my cost is $1000, or it costs me $1000. Perhaps the fee is what I must pay, and the cost is what I do pay. I still think that cost being negative is a matter of context: I'm retired, living on a small fixed income. I recently ordered a book I want that sells for such a low price that even though the shipping cost is more than the price of the book, the total cost is still a bargain which I can easily afford. No negative connotation to "cost." There may be a distinction in legal usage between fees and costs; nonetheless, the attorney's fees are at least part of the client's cost. As a verb, the attorney's fees cost the client money. I suppose that fees and costs can be kept separate by including them in the category expenses. I suspect that cost can have a less specific meaning outside the realm of law, and you are absolutely correct in saying that cost need not be monetary. I would guess that all the various usages are employed in a courtroom. Context is all. The verb situation makes it awkward: if the attorney's fee is $1000 it costs the client $1000, so logically the client's cost is $1000. I don't know that I would stipulate that cost is most often used as a verb. I think it's way past my bedtime.
Peter
I have always used "fee" to denote something which is a privilege, e.g. an annual membership fee to the golf club. A cost would be something like the cost of parking your car, or getting in to a cricket match.
So the deciding factor in this case would be whether or not the workshop is open to the general public without any scrutiny of the suitability of would-be attendees (cost) or only to those considered the type of person wanted there (fee).