Keeping up with the famous “firehose” of information on the internet is impossible at the best of times. During the summer? Even more unlikely.
So once again, I’ve collected some of the helpful tips and fascinating reading encountered on the internet and shared on social media:
Writing tips
- 7 tools that will make you a better writer, including ones to highlight word overuse, choose synonyms in context, find shorter words and more. Via Jeremy Caplan and Fast Company.
- The one-sentence summary deck is the best-read element on your webpage. Here’s how to make it effective, says Ann Wylie.
- 15 weak, vague and tired adjectives to delete (and how to know when to delete them) to strengthen your writing, by Amanda Patterson.
- “Use the first word that comes to your mind, if it is appropriate and colorful.” This and more of Stephen King’s 23 Best Writing Tips.
Inclusion
- 5 ideas to make your content accessible to all, including language choice and alternative formats (such as transcripts with videos), by Mariah Muller for Content Marketing Institute. I did not realize that “Read more” is not sufficiently explicit, did you?
- There are many small actions internal comms pros can take to support and amplify LGBTQIA+ employees, like normalize sharing pronouns and show up as an ally. Mercer Marsh Benefits has 7 practices you can take to support your workforce.
- We can’t all create rainbow rosé bubbly, sadly, but comms people *can* engage employees during Pride Month and beyond with meaningful messaging and programming; by Emma Atkinson.
- Communication professionals play a crucial role in LGBTQ equality, like by “sharing the stories that move the needle on equality;” by Allison Carter for PRDaily.
- Let employees decide if they want to come out, and make your workplace a safe and welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ people whether they are out or not.
Long reads via Nieman Storyboard
- As a man grieves his dog, he argues that the best writing is as much about the feeling as it is about the words. Wade Livingston’s Lessons in good writing from the love of a good dog. OF COURSE I cried.
- A fascinating annotated story (with questions about structure and wording) – this one by Trevor Pyle about Lauren Hough’s “Getaway Driver.”
- A moving story about reporter Esmé Deprez’s journey to help her father die, and a close look at the writing by Chip Scanlan.
Related reading:
Links from April, including word choice, writing tips and advice for introverts
Links from March, including readability, diversity and a big proofreading fail
Links from February, including how to help Ukraine, plain language and a bit of silliness
ICYMI is In Case You Missed It. Photo by Michael Jeffrey on Unsplash.com.