by Sue Horner | May 22, 2024 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
The easier we make it to read what we write, the more people actually will read it. Even more important, they’ll understand and remember it. That’s a key part of plain language: Helping readers find what they need; understand what they find; and use what they find to...
by Sue Horner | May 7, 2024 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Welcome to another roundup of links you might have missed from posts I’ve shared on social media! In this edition, you’ll find plenty of writing tips, including some specific to storytelling, and one fascinating story about squirrels. STORYTELLING How to turn numbers...
by Sue Horner | Apr 24, 2024 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
A non-disclosure agreement or NDA is a common contract between contractors and large companies. It’s kind of a prenup covering the relationship, where we writers and other contractors promise not to divulge the secrets to be shared with us. You can bet the lawyers...
by Sue Horner | Apr 10, 2024 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog, Writing samples
We all assume retirement will be a natural transition, but experts say you need to learn how to be retired. My client, RTOERO, wanted to share in its quarterly magazine how its members stayed motivated when they retired. I looked for some expert advice and talked to a...
by Sue Horner | Mar 22, 2024 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Were you among the 19.5 million viewers who tuned in to this year’s Academy Awards (21.9 million in its last half hour)? If so, you may be wondering if that number is a lot, or a little. Were we a large group of trendsetters watching Oppenheimer walk away with Best...
by Sue Horner | Mar 13, 2024 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
“Click here.” That’s a classic example of anchor text or hyperlink text done wrong. (Anchor text is a clickable link on a website, usually highlighted and underlined.) That’s because people want to know where a link is going to take them. Also, people who are visually...
by Sue Horner | Feb 23, 2024 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Do you want to explain something, make a point or spark that “aha” moment? Reach for a metaphor, which shows how two things are alike without using “like” or “as.” A metaphor gives people a shortcut to understanding new, complex or conceptual info, says writing...
by Sue Horner | Feb 15, 2024 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Have you ever noticed that suddenly everyone seems to be using a particular word or phrase? “Upskilling” is having a moment, unfortunately. “Overarching” has staying power, also unfortunately. But the one I keep running into lately is “[people]...
by Sue Horner | Feb 2, 2024 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
I’m always on the lookout for examples of good and bad writing, and you’ll find plenty out in the world. Here are some of the articles recently shared online, all related to plain language and getting rid of jargon and lawyer-speak. Plain language is all about helping...
by Sue Horner | Jan 21, 2024 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Have you ever started reading something, and had to stop because you lost your way in a long, meandering sentence? That’s what happened to me while reading an article in the Entertainment section of my local newspaper. The opening sentence rang in at 49 words....
