by Sue Horner | Apr 29, 2021 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
When you have something to write, do you focus and get it done? Or do competing priorities or back-to-back meetings pull you away, until suddenly you have lots to write and little time to do it? When you’re pressed for time and need to write, quickly, try these ways...
by Sue Horner | Apr 23, 2021 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Maybe you’ve noticed this about the pandemic, too: People speaking about all things COVID-19 are trying to make them easier to understand. Or, sometimes, they’re trying to make a point about actions that are or are not working. Want to explain how the virus works or...
by Sue Horner | Apr 16, 2021 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
The caller got right to the point. “How much does it cost for a 250-word newsletter article?” The thing about services is that there’s rarely a simple answer to “How much?” You can always answer with a range, but that’s only helpful if you provide context and details....
by Sue Horner | Apr 8, 2021 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Dense, complicated and potentially boring subjects need explanation, no matter who you’re writing for. That’s often what I’m asked to do, and here’s my “secret” for turning a potentially boring subject into an interesting one: Find the human, because...
by Sue Horner | Apr 1, 2021 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
After a year of pandemic life, many (all?) of us are burned out. Even where it’s allowed, we’re reluctant to go out for dinner. We can’t hug people. Vaccination plans are still shaky, and new fast-spreading variations of COVID-19 are popping up. It’s not real spring...
by Sue Horner | Mar 26, 2021 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Does it matter if you dangle your modifier? Many would say it doesn’t matter; it happens all the time. I’ve done it. You’ve probably done it. Still, be aware that some people will notice your dangling modifier and have a laugh at your expense. That’s because the...
by Sue Horner | Mar 20, 2021 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
One of the joys of social media is how random posts pop up under your nose. That’s how I ran across @HistoryMuppet on Twitter (sadly, no longer around on X). This was “a fan page run by Joshua Gillespie and dedicated to continuing the spirit and silliness of Jim...
by Sue Horner | Mar 12, 2021 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
What stops you in your tracks when thumbing through social media? These days, chances are you’ll say “video.” At a webinar for IABC’s Professional Independent Communicators, Vanessa Holding of Arc + Crown Media encouraged PIC members and friends to jump right...
by Sue Horner | Mar 4, 2021 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Hold onto your dictionaries; it’s National Grammar Day! You can thank Martha Brockenbrough and the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar (SPOGG) for this “glorious” day (haha). She founded SPOGG in 2008 “for people appalled by bad grammar in public...
by Sue Horner | Feb 26, 2021 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog, Writing samples
Who sets out to hike 900 km of physically demanding and sometimes treacherous terrain, with the risk of encountering unexpected storms, poison ivy, rattlesnakes, bugs, maybe even bears? The answer: Hikers who do the Bruce Trail “end-to-end,” and there are...
