Avoid confusion by keeping it simple
“What does eponymous mean?” I’m usually your go-to gal for the meaning of words, but this one stopped me. I knew I should be able to explain the meaning, but the question sent me to the dictionary. Good for you if you know “eponymous” is an adjective relating to the...
Wordnerdery: Do’s and don’ts for captions that hook your reader
Words are my business, but I realize that a stunning photo or clever infographic can often make a point faster than plain text. The August issue of my monthly newsletter, Wordnerdery, shares tips for writing effective captions (also called cutlines) that hook readers...
Focus on content, not sender, for employee e-newsletters
What’s the best practice for sending an internal newsletter – from the CEO, “Internal Communications,” the head of the Communications department or someone else? That was a question that came up this week. I don’t know of any definitive best practices related to who...
Train your brain to be happier by being grateful
Do you have a positive outlook on life? I usually do (against all odds, you might say), but had never kept a daily journal of positive thoughts until 2014. For my birthday that year, my friend Sheila gave me a blank journal entitled, “Your story isn’t over yet.” It...
Leads like flashlights and more great quotes about writing
While collecting bits of expressive writing, I also write down words of wisdom about writing itself. Here are a few examples: “John McPhee calls the lead the flashlight that shines down into the story.” – Roy Peter Clark “Ledes are like Japanese haiku. They have to...
8 ways to get through the approval process
Sometimes, it takes longer for people to read your words than you took to write them. I’m talking about the abyss called the “approval process,” which swallows your articles, reports, web copy and other writing that will – eventually – appear in public. This is fresh...
Madness ‘like a fault line’ and more expressive writing
Do you want to explain something, make a point or reflect or spark emotion? Reach for what I call expressive language, which shows rather than tells. I’m always on the lookout for examples, and here are some appealing ones: “Catherine was his California – she was his...
The best of the Red Jacket Diaries so far in 2017
Summer has barely arrived, weather-wise, so how is it possible 2017 is already halfway through? Pause a moment to enjoy the pool, along with a look back at the 10 most-viewed blog posts so far this year: 1. “Eyes and ears still key in the digital age” summarizes a...