From writing support to virtual collabs, freelancers are using cool tools
Amid the shiny new digital tools discussed at a recent session with IABC/Toronto’s Professional Independent Communicators (PIC) was an old standby: The Canadian Press Caps and Spelling book. I use it often for its Plain Words section, and I wasn’t the only word nerd...
The poetic power of music (in November Wordnerdery)
Do you pause what you’re doing for a moment of silence on Remembrance Day or Veterans Day? I do, and often turn on the radio (remember radio?) so as not to get caught up in work and miss 11 a.m. One year, the radio station introduced the moment, and then went...
Gifts for writers and readers, 2023 edition
The “gifting season” is upon us! I heard this term for the first time this year, and you have to admit it is politically correct. No dancing around what holiday you celebrate, even if it does reduce the season to an exchange of gifts. In any case, it’s time for my...
Yet more writing tips in links you might have missed, fall edition
Hello friends, it’s time for yet another roundup of links you might have missed. This time, you’ll find some new and classic advice related to writing. I do post these beyond the dwindling population of X, but what are the chances you saw them the first time?...
A primer on plain language (in October Wordnerdery)
Way back when the world was still coming to grips with the pandemic, helping people understand information took on new urgency. Where could we find the latest news? How could we stay safe? And how far apart was six feet anyway? You could argue that today’s state of...
Assignment: Help readers see the value of music on mental health
Porch concerts were a thing in some neighbourhoods during the pandemic. It’s not surprising; music has been shown to lessen the effects of depression, anxiety and other mental health issues, all of which soared then and remain high. My client asked me to write about...
ngl, some of these new words weren’t on my bingo card
The English language certainly never stands still, and dictionaries like Merriam-Webster do their best to keep up. Thus they officially admit new (or newish) words or new definitions to their ranks as people use them over time. As M-W says, “Signs of a healthy...
Everything old is new again, eventually (in Sept. Wordnerdery)
On summer drives this year, I heard one song over and over again: Fast Car, sung by Luke Combs. You, too? The song isn’t new, although Luke’s version is. He was born in 1990, two years after Tracy Chapman released the original. Luke had sentimental memories of driving...