Get creative with metaphors
You can’t argue with the Publication Coach, Daphne Grey-Grant, when she encourages writers to use metaphors. “They add interest, colour and power to your writing,” she says. “As readers, we all do better when we can visualize something concrete.” I keep a file...
It’s like magic: referrals help you diversify
If all your money was invested in the stock market, you’d be feeling pretty nervous when prices start dropping. That’s why financial advisors suggest you diversify — mix it up between stocks, bonds, guaranteed investment certificates and other products with...Back away from the Internet to spend time on what matters
You knew it, and usability expert Jakob Nielsen confirms it: we’re drowning in irrelevant information, squandering an hour or more each day simply dealing with email and other distractions. So if you haven’t picked a new year’s resolution yet,...
Top 10 time: Bailout and other words of the year
Happy new year! Word nerds enjoy this time of year, when various dictionaries and other authorities name top and top 10 words: Merriam-Webster lists bailout as the word of the year for 2008 after it received the highest intensity of lookups on Merriam-Webster Online....
Santa’s blogging, and says it’s not a ‘holiday’ tree
Did you know that Santa’s blogging this year, and he’s planning to podcast next year? Dave Fleet, who listed what he’d do if he were Santa’s PR guy, directed me to Santa’s blog. Sadly, the blog is no longer live, but the list of 100...
War on weasel words gets support from this book
The quest to rid employee communications of buzzwords and management-speak can never rest, so it’s always encouraging to find support. Of course, it’s unlikely those who speak in “methodologies” and “strategic imperatives” will read...Is a job you love still possible? It is if you’re picky about saying ‘yes’
My husband and I were talking recently about how when we first started looking for work, my friends and I really didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about what we wanted. The pattern seemed to be this: apply for all kinds of jobs; take the first one offered to...
Freelancer follies, or how to follow up on unpaid invoices
While Jake and I were out walking the other day, a bird crapped on my head. I’ve heard it’s good luck and maybe that’s true. In my mail that day was payment of an invoice that had been outstanding for months. In my e-mail, promise of more money....