In a confusing situation, aim to be clear
I was among the many Canadians glued to the TV, watching the election results with America. I made it to midnight, and went to bed when it was clear there would be no speedy result. One word kept popping out at me during discussions on CBC’s The National: Several...
Comms during COVID-19: What’s working? (Wordnerdery)
Who imagined back in March that we’d be dealing with the fallout of the pandemic through nearly four seasons? The number of people affected changes daily, and sometimes the advice, too. People are hungry for news, and they want to hear from their employers – at least...
‘Like an eight-lane highway’ and more expressive writing
Do you want to explain something, make a point or spark that “aha” moment? Reach for what I call expressive writing, which shows rather than tells, often through similes and metaphors. Similes show how two things are alike, using “like” or...
Before & after: Promote your program with plain language
Plain language can save lives or make them harder, as the Center for Plain Language noted on Twitter this week. The occasion: International Plain Language Day (Oct. 13). We were disappointed with many of the results of the Federal Plain Language Report Card this year....
That’s me in the spotlight (thanks, Brad!)
One of the things I love about social media is the random way you meet interesting people. I’m not quite sure of the breadcrumb trails that led me to connect on Twitter with Brad Marley, CEO of Yelram Media, but we share an aim to help companies tell their stories...
10 ways to spark creativity in the time of COVID-19
Please tell me I’m not alone in feeling a lack of creative spirit these days. Sure, some people have taken up baking sourdough bread or learned to play guitar or are singing arias from the balcony every evening. I keep reading that Shakespeare wrote King Lear and...
5 surprising writing lessons from hiking the Bruce Trail (Wordnerdery)
While the pandemic has been busy disrupting our lives, many of us headed outdoors to bike, walk, hike and take in the peace of being in nature. My 2020 was already going to include hiking along the Bruce Trail, Canada’s oldest and longest marked hiking trail (898...
The ‘cadence’ of jargon is stepping up
After running into countless uses of the word “cadence” over the past few months, I’m hopping on my Grouch Train. As happened with the word “resonate,” overuse has turned a respectable word into one that screams jargon. Here’s a look at cadence and some of the other...