by Sue Horner | Jul 10, 2009 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Everyone can write, can’t they? But it takes real skill to come up with truly awful writing, like that celebrated by the annual Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. This is almost as much fun as the Oddest Book Title of the Year contest. But instead of just finding...
by Sue Horner | May 27, 2009 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
I just love finding words eloquently or imaginatively written for the enjoyment of readers. No coincidence, such writing also helps readers visualize what you’re explaining. Here are more examples spotted recently, with my fave parts in bold: “An earthquake will...
by Sue Horner | May 4, 2009 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Have you noticed the use of somewhat dated phrases in modern copy? While they are interesting, I wonder if the reader’s eyes just skip right over the words without registering them. Here are a few examples: “Above the fold” when referring to a web...
by Sue Horner | Apr 9, 2009 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
(Updated July 31, 2018) If ever there was encouragement to stay away from the overused word “unique” (not to mention “very unique”), here it is. At least 48,095 news releases used it in 2008. (It’s less common in 2018, but don’t kid yourself; it’s still out there.)...
by Sue Horner | Mar 2, 2009 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
For your reading pleasure, more examples of clever writers getting a specific point across: “Guys like Bruce were as common as white socks sold in six packs at the Wal-Mart.” – Jennifer Weiner in Good in Bed “Abiding by the rules worked until...
by Sue Horner | Jan 12, 2009 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
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...
by Sue Horner | Nov 19, 2008 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Christmas catalogues are landing in the mailbox about as fast as the two maple trees next door dropped all their leaves last week. Today’s specimen: Lee Valley Tools. The company is based in Ottawa, but they have a dozen locations across Canada and a thriving...
by Sue Horner | Sep 18, 2008 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Having just edited a client’s news release, I found David Meerman Scott’s post on weasel words, gobbledygook, jargon and other baloney quite topical! (Check it out for some awful examples of what not to write.) The release I worked on started out in the...
by Sue Horner | Sep 3, 2008 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
Last week, I was juggling several different articles for two different employee publications. One somewhat daunting piece started off with three interviews, four people to quote and three pages of notes. I had 1,500 words to boil down into 500, a process I like to...
by Sue Horner | Jul 16, 2008 | The Red Jacket Diaries blog
When my elderly neighbour passed away more than a year ago, his daughter took time to mourn. Then she started the task of cleaning up and fixing up, intending to sell the place. It’s a small two-bedroom bungalow, so the likely buyer will be elderly. The...
