12 fun, quirky gifts for writers and readers
Confession: I’ve barely started my Christmas shopping, but I have started collecting ideas for gifts. While making my list and checking it twice, I’ve found some terrific ideas — for Christmas, birthdays or other occasions — for the reader or writer...
Seasonal apostrophe abuse is in full swing
With December on the doorstep, we can look forward to lots of apostrophe abuse. You know what I’m talking about. Where a simple “S” is required to indicate more than one item, an apostrophe is thrown in the mix. Retailers are going to offer...
Is Trump the new poster boy for plain language?
As a Canadian, I won’t comment on the recent U.S. election. But I will say it’s interesting that certain aspects of president-elect Donald Trump’s speaking style could be considered plain language. The November issue of my newsletter, Wordnerdery, talks about five...
3D branding from the inside out
Branding is more than a logo or a tagline; it’s a promise. That’s the basic message of a recent panel discussion on “3D Branding” for IABC/Toronto’s Professional Independent Communicators (PIC). Here’s a brief look at what each...
The ‘word casserole’ that is Trump’s speaking style
On the eve of the U.S. election, even those of us up here in Canada are biting our nails. For a bit of diversion, here are some wonderful additions to my collection of expressive writing. In “Trump’s Tower of Babble,” talking about “the accidental...
Boost your small business with this secret weapon
Not everyone realizes the free or low-cost resources and advice available to small businesses at the Halton Region Small Business Centre. Years ago, I visited the centre to do a search on “Get It Write” and register the name for my business. Since then, I’ve...
8 ways to speed up your writing
When you have something to write, do you focus and get it done? Or do you find yourself with lots of things to write, but little time to actually do the writing? Meetings, events, planning, meetings, organizing, meetings and consulting can shrink your writing time to...
7 steps to effective interviews in my October newsletter
An interesting article usually starts with a conversation with a “subject matter expert,” as companies like to call them. Your job is to pull out the human side of the subject – sometimes against the instincts of the person you interview. How do you do it? Check out...