Find your focus in the nut graf
You’ve found a terrific opening to your story or article. Readers are interested and willing to keep reading to find out more. Where do you take them next? The “nut graf” almost always follows the lead (also called a lede) and explains the news value of the story....
So, Facebook, you think you know me
Those of us on Facebook freely share our likes and dislikes, thoughts and feelings. We know that someone is listening, but don’t really give it much thought. We may pay a little more attention now that we know a researcher collected and used data from 50 million...
Your LinkedIn competitors are just as passionate
Hey, all you experienced, passionate, strategic professionals out there. If you’re promoting yourself on LinkedIn with those words, you may not be standing out the way you hoped. Apparently, too many of LinkedIn’s more than 546 million users worldwide (as of January...
Wordies, we’re in the dictionary
Wordies, rejoice; we’re in the dictionary. Yes, we lovers of words join foodies and groupies in having a dictionary-blessed term that defines us as a collective. As Merriam-Webster.com notes, “Language doesn’t take a vacation, and neither does the dictionary.” Thus...
Gini Dietrich has a challenge for indie communicators
Gini Dietrich knows about the highs and lows of small business, and persisting through them. During a recent webinar, the founder and CEO of PR firm Arment Dietrich walked members of IABC/Toronto’s Professional Independent Communicators through the story of her...
Short attention span? Time for expressive writing
Never mind the famous thought that people have a shorter attention span than that of a goldfish. (Who measured the goldfish anyway, and how?) People pay attention when they are interested, or when it’s in their best interest. So if you’re producing articles, web copy,...
Blogging is still alive and well in 2018
More than 4.7 million people were asking Google this week if blogging is dead. After quietly celebrating 11 years of blogging in January (I was surprised too), I have to say the question comes up every year. The answer is still no. In fact, Christopher Penn of SHIFT...
30+ ways to steer clear of the T word
Writers and editors love a short, punchy word, especially in headlines. A short word grabs attention while saving precious space. It’s memorable. It gets to the point. Sometimes, though, that word brings something else to mind. I’m guessing that short punchiness is...