by Sue Horner | Jan 4, 2017 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Post-truth, on fleek, Dad bod and listicle are among the terms that made the 42nd annual list of words and phrases the wordsmiths at Lake Superior State University in Michigan want to banish for “Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness.” Distressingly, making the list...
by Sue Horner | Dec 29, 2016 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
As 2016 winds down, here’s a look back at the most-viewed posts in the Red Jacket Diaries over the year. As I like to tell people, words are my business. So no surprise that I often blog about words and writing: Players of Scrabble and Words With Friends are always on...
by Sue Horner | Dec 22, 2016 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
All this week, Facebook has been showing me festive photos I’ve posted in previous years. My dog staring longingly at my older son’s Christmas stocking, shown here, is a classic. In the December issue of my newsletter, Wordnerdery, I share what Jake and letting go of...
by Sue Horner | Dec 15, 2016 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
For people on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social media, hashtags – words or phrases tagged with what used to be called the pound sign (#) — are a handy way to search for topics of interest. Companies use hashtags to try to connect with customers and...
by Sue Horner | Dec 7, 2016 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Confession: I’ve barely started my Christmas shopping, but I have started collecting ideas for gifts. While making my list and checking it twice, I’ve found some terrific ideas — for Christmas, birthdays or other occasions — for the reader or writer...
by Sue Horner | Nov 30, 2016 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
With December on the doorstep, we can look forward to lots of apostrophe abuse. You know what I’m talking about. Where a simple “S” is required to indicate more than one item, an apostrophe is thrown in the mix. Retailers are going to offer...
by Sue Horner | Nov 23, 2016 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
As a Canadian, I won’t comment on the recent U.S. election. But I will say it’s interesting that certain aspects of president-elect Donald Trump’s speaking style could be considered plain language. The November issue of my newsletter, Wordnerdery, talks about five...
by Sue Horner | Nov 17, 2016 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Branding is more than a logo or a tagline; it’s a promise. That’s the basic message of a recent panel discussion on “3D Branding” for IABC/Toronto’s Professional Independent Communicators (PIC). Here’s a brief look at what each...
by Sue Horner | Nov 8, 2016 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
On the eve of the U.S. election, even those of us up here in Canada are biting our nails. For a bit of diversion, here are some wonderful additions to my collection of expressive writing. In “Trump’s Tower of Babble,” talking about “the accidental...
by Sue Horner | Nov 2, 2016 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Not everyone realizes the free or low-cost resources and advice available to small businesses at the Halton Region Small Business Centre. Years ago, I visited the centre to do a search on “Get It Write” and register the name for my business. Since then, I’ve...
