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...
Before & after: The Hemingway app judges direct mail
Last week, I got a letter from the publisher of Reader’s Digest, indicating I “could” be a winner. Ooh, I have a chance to earn a chance to win ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS! The letter is a classic direct mail sales letter, complete with the required P.S., supposedly...
5 reasons you should still embrace print
“How many words can you read on a computer screen before you start drifting off or your eyes start burning?” asks journalist, magazine editor and internal communications manager Rachel Ifans. Rachel calls print the best medium for long-form journalism (which you may...
How to write a great event recap
“Are you just a really amazing note-taker or great with shorthand to get the info you need?” That’s what a colleague asked me recently, wondering how I take down the notes I turn into event summaries (recaps). Shameless flattery accepted. I do often recap events for...