[4-minute read] Quick: What is a noun? Person, place, or thing (or concept)What is a verb? Action or being. We just clarified an essential truth about writing: Nouns, by definition, sit still until they encounter verbs. Verbs are the engines of language. Of course, nouns are necessary; they form the subjects of our sentences. What […]
Be Concise: Write with verbs. Read More »
In a time of intense blathering, conciseness counts. When you make a point succinctly, people listen to you. They respect you. They might even believe what you say. In the next three Writamins, I will introduce tools from the Worktalk training that support you in tightening up your writing so that you are the person
Be Concise: Use Fewer Modifiers Read More »
[3-minute read] Do you home in on an important point or do you hone in?Do you pore over a document or pour over it?Is your company world renown or world renowned?Do you want to get something off your conscious?Do you get the lowdown or get the low-down? When words in idioms sound similar, people often
Homing In on Awkward Idioms Read More »
[3-minute read] How often has someone forwarded you a long email chain with the words “See below” stuck to the top? It’s maddening! What precisely in the seven emails below are you supposed to be seeing? When people forward an email chain with the words see below at the top, they run many risks: not
Do Not “See Below” Read More »
“I have put my Plan’s and Dreams into this project and I hope you will like it as much as I do.” I received this message from a client who wanted me to recommend a product she’s developing. I didn’t get as far as deciding whether to recommend her product; I was flummoxed by the
Apostrophes: Sweat the Small Stuff Read More »
