He/she/they: Here’s why it’s actually kind to share your personal pronouns
It’s not about me. That’s what I’ve realized about adding “she/her” to my profiles on LinkedIn, Twitter, Zoom and elsewhere. Here’s why. The pronouns we use when speaking of someone often imply a gender, such as “she” or “her” to refer to a woman or girl....
Before & after: 5K run release (Wordnerdery)
I’m taking part in a fundraising 5K event this summer called Push for Your Tush. As usual with such events, I had to sign a release – actually a “RELEASE, WAIVER and INDEMNITY AGREEMENT,” in all caps every time it is mentioned – for the organizer, Colorectal Cancer...
Are these words worth retrieving from the ‘linguistic cellar’?
The pandemic has introduced us to many words we don’t really want to know and often can’t spell (epidemiologist is a big one, or is that just me?), but that’s kind of the nature of the English language. It’s always changing. Never mind the new...
Magic happens when those ‘big shoes to fill’ turn out to be your size
Have you ever felt reluctant to take on a role because the previous person left pretty big shoes to fill? That’s how Carolyn Ray felt about taking on the legacy of the late Evelyn Hannon and her JourneyWoman “empire.” Trusting her gut feeling, she did it anyway....
10 tips to speed up your writing
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...
Like stepping on Lego and more COVID-19 analogies (Wordnerdery)
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...
Why ‘How much does it cost?’ can be difficult to answer
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....
Find the heart of your story with (many) questions
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...