Author Archive
The world’s best writing tip
miscellaneous, writing February 4th, 2010
I didn’t invent it, of course, but I have been practicing it of late. What? The world’s best writing tip: Butt in chair.
Sure, I’ve heard it before but with my current workload (thanks, clients!), the only way to keep all the balls in the air and projects moving forward is to start cranking out copy.
And that requires putting my behind in the chair at my desk in front of my computer and getting things done. Not emailing, tweeting or posting my status. (During writing time, at least.)
It’s hard to sit still. But when I do, the words come. The type goes on the page. The copy gets done. The client is happy. And, frankly, so am I.
What’s stopping you from butt-in-chair-writing?
No ideas? Write about it. Too many ideas? Write about it. Not sure what to write? Write about it.
The point is to just sit and write for a period of time with no distractions. Set a timer if you have to. Reward yourself at the end of 30 minutes. Whatever it takes. I promise you will be more productive. I know I am.
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Evernote Is the Ultimate Go-Anywhere, Save-Anything Swipe File
miscellaneous, resource, swipe file January 29th, 2010
As most of my readers know, I’m a HUGE fan of the swipe file. So why it took me so long to find and use Evernote, I’ll never know.
I’ve had it on my iPhone for weeks now and only started using it last night started. Wowza! This is the electronic swipe file application I dreamed up in my head in the late 80s. Seriously.
Now there’s no excuse not to start and keep a swipe file. And Evernote makes it far easier to sort and find that little piece of information you just know you put somewhere.
I refer to my swipe file several times a month but I recently purged my office and made the mistake of purging some things I hadn’t used in years — just to save file cabinet space. Had I scanned it and put it on Evernote, well, you see where this is going. I would’ve had what I needed.
That’s it. Just wanted to make you aware of Evernote if you weren’t already. I’m off to start filling up my own Evernote swipe file …
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3 Tips to Write Better Instantly
effective communication, shortcuts, writing January 27th, 2010
Regardless of your job title, you probably have to write something every day (email, memo, documentation).
Improve your writing instantly with my three top tips:
1. Read it out loud to see how it will “sound” to the reader. Fix anything that trips you up. (I call these hiccups.)
2. Examine each individual word. Can you delete it? If not, can you substitute a short, simple word? (One of my favorites is swapping “use” for “utilize.”)
3. Vary sentence length. Some should be short. Some long. Still other sentences should be longer, since they create a rhythm that’s more interesting to the reader.
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Is it time to rethink your choice of words?
effective communication, marketing, writing January 14th, 2010
Since hubby turned 50, we’ve become members of AARP; which means we receive (and enjoy) their excellent publications.
In the Jan/Feb 2010 issue of the AARP Bulletin, there’s a short article about a British survey commissioned by financial company AXA, and the subsequent renaming contest surrounding the word “pension.”
Turns out that nearly a fifth of 18- to 24-year-old Brits think the word pension is stodgy. (No duh.)
The winning replacement, submitted by 29-year-old Donna Wood of Hampshire, England is:
Save Now. Play Later.
Genius.
But what this really brings to mind is how we get stuck using words and phrases that have lost their relevancy. With business writing and marketing/communications, it’s far too easy to lapse into same-old, same-old boilerplate language.
No word or phrase should be sacred. Everything should be, at least periodically, rethought. Step back now and then and ask this question: “What does this word or phrase really mean to my reader?”
P.S. Hey, State Farm Insurance, are you listening? With the transient culture we live in, I’m pretty sure “Like a good neighbor” doesn’t resonate like it used to.