The latest “What happens on the internet every minute” is out courtesy of Domo.com, and oh my, we are online a lot. (Click on the image to get a better view of it.)
- Every minute, enough people are watching YouTube videos to add up to more than 694,000 hours.
- Every minute, Zoom hosts 856 minutes of meetings and webinars and updates. (It only seems like your meeting lasted that long.)
- Every minute, TikTok users watch 167 million clips of the latest challenge or attempt at becoming a viral sensation.
- And every minute, 575,000 tweets are flashing by on Twitter.
So even if you follow me on Twitter, or if you aren’t on Twitter or social media at all, there’s a good chance you missed some of the excellent links I’ve found and shared on social media. Here are some of them:
Writing tips
10 editing tips to make you a better writer, including “Be concise” and “Strengthen your words,” by GrammarCheck.
Warren Buffett’s no. 1 writing tip, which goes along with his advice to never invest in something you don’t understand, via Dr. Clare Lynch.
Documents that are hard to understand result in a lack of trust. Plain language increases customer satisfaction and business success, says Cheryl Stephens.
Interviewing tips
“Interviewing is not just for getting quotes from people — it’s for actually understanding them. And if you approach it that way, you’ll get better quotes.” Science journalist Ed Yong of The Atlantic, interviewed by Kim Cross for Nieman Storyboard.
5 ways to interview and draw out even the most reserved sources, including ask about emotions, by Sally Ann O’Dowd via Ragan Communications.
Words
Formal language is less personal and I am usually against it. Here’s a list of 100 examples of Formal vs Informal Words (like ‘affluent’ vs ‘rich’), again by Grammar Check.
The words you use in a news release headline matter, and more insights from Cision’s 2021 State of the Press Release Report.
Top 10 buzzwords that employees despise — including one of my all-time most hated: “win-win” — by Geoffrey James for Inc.
Things to think about
A look back at Ann Handley’s way of using “15 minutes of Sunday” vs writing in a journal to start the day more calmly and creatively.
Great reminders about things to remember, right from “I want you to realize that your vision of who you are is skewed.” Peter Shankman posted his birthday wish for readers, on his birthday in August, saying “I have nine gifts for you. I hope you’ll use them all.”
What a great suggestion for framing a compliment: “You might not know this, but…” A 6-word shortcut that shifts the focus, and makes compliments much more memorable by Bill Murphy Jr. via Inc.
Made me laugh
Speaking of compliments, do you graciously accept them? I didn’t think so. The pottymouthed The Oatmeal hilariously explains why it’s “so hard to take a god damned compliment,” and advises how to react: “Say thank you.”
And finally, in a nod to Thanksgiving: Turduckenyms, also called “three-toed portmanteaus,” are a blend of three or more words like the famous turducken: a turkey stuffed with a duck stuffed with a chicken. Examples are Nabisco (NAtional BIscuit COmpany) and Waffullicious (an IHOP waffle topped with toppings and toppings baked into the waffle, and full of delicious). Nancy Friedman reports.
Do you enjoy reading these roundups? Which ones were your favourites?
Related reading:
Links posted in September, including tips for inspiring creativity and squirrel parkour
Links posted in August, including headline formulas and avoiding ableist language