Before & after: Use plain language to be clear
Let’s be clear. Those “Terms and Conditions” we have to “accept” or “agree to” before using new software, phones and other technology are anything but clear. I blame lawyers, who stuff sentences with words to cover every possible situation. The sentences are wordy and...
How to make the most of your writer
Keeping up with the pace of change is a juggling act for internal communicators. “Restructures, leadership changes, redundancies, new technology, mergers and acquisitions, office moves – you’re expected to do it all,” as consultant Rachel Miller of All Things IC...
4 prospecting strategies that beat cold calling
When I first went out on my own, I cold-called my way through a battered copy of The Canadian Writer’s Market. Although the effort eventually resulted in some freelance writing work, the experience was painful, as I recently recounted. The tactic is unlikely to...
Wordnerdery: Cat’s and other apostrophe follies
A blog post suggests that organization’s forget about people. A menu lists stir fry’s. An email warns about using knock off’s rather than original iPhone parts. A gift shop sells a charming sign about Cat’s leaving paw prints on your heart. As Grammar Monster says,...
Where’s “Waldo”? Find the human in your stories
When my sons were growing up, books were a big part of our life. One memorable series was Where’s Waldo? by Martin Handford. The boys enjoyed scanning the detailed illustrations searching for that one specific individual, the bespectacled Waldo. Company employees are...
How my solo journey unfolded
People are interested in launching their own businesses, but a little nervous about it, too. That’s the not-so-surprising conclusion I took away from this week’s panel discussion about starting an independent business. We had a great turnout, lots of information from...
Psst! Get the insider view of starting a comms business
Nearly 28 years still seems an improbable amount of time that I’ve been out on my own. Astonishing, even. But LinkedIn has done the math, and assures me Get It Write has been operating 27 years and eight months. Oh sure, luck played a role – and tremendous support...
Wordnerdery: Feathers ‘soft as a whisper’ and more expressive writing
Do you want to explain something complicated, spark a flash of understanding or create a feeling? Reach for analogies. Analogies – metaphors and similes, which show how two things are alike – help readers quickly get your meaning. “Tools such as analogies and...