For 90% of us, writing is the bedrock of our business. Having a good vocabulary, being able to structure a sentence properly and persuasively, and adding that special je ne sais quoi to a piece we’re working on is invaluable. It’s not about using big words—it’s about using the right word. Some of the most evocative pieces of literature use very few “big words.” Orwell’s 1984 and Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass instantly come to mind. Continue reading
Tag Archives: writing
Your Copy Sucks: That vs. Which vs. Wait, what?
Just admit it. ADMIT IT. You don’t know when to use “that” and when to use “which” in a sentence.
Don’t cry! Nobody does. Seriously, no one can remember the rules for that/which because they are so. Freakin’. Difficult to remember when you’re in the middle of writing. But some of you actually care about your writing, and for you, I will break it down. The rest of you can go, I don’t know, eat cheez doodles and watch the local news.
Here’s what the Chicago Manual of Style (praise be His name) has to say about that/which: Continue reading
Your Copy Sucks: Ironically True
Let’s cut to the chase: you don’t understand irony. You think you do, because you’re A) a hipster or B) a cynic. Don’t beat yourself up; it’s a common mistake. So let’s break down what’s ironic, what’s unfortunate, and what’s just plain hilarious.
Irony sounds really complicated when you try to research it on Wikipedia. There are lots of different kinds: verbal irony (when you say something that’s the opposite of what you really mean) and dramatic irony (when one person is not aware of something that everyone else is). Continue reading
Your Copy Sucks: CT’s CL ad
One of our own, CTMichaels, is in the market for a new place. Like a lot of people, he’s going to be looking on Craigslist (CL) for the apartment and/or roommate of his dreams. Because Craigslist is the place where copy goes to die, I pleaded (nay, begged) CT to let me have a crack at his advertisement. Below is what he had in mind. Continue reading
Your Copy Sucks: NaNoWriMo
It’s November, which means NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).
NaNoWriMo can also be called “the month where all your wordy friends disappear from the planet.”
If you’ve never heard of it, here’s the scoop: for the month of November, participants sign up for the NaNo challenge. Their goal is to write a 50,000 word novel by the end of the month. Some quick math reveals that this means writing a little under 2,000 words a day on average, and that doesn’t sound very difficult. Continue reading
They’re’s a problem with are grammar
Alright folks, I know using Twitter and email is all about speed and brevity, but their are sum things that our simply inexcusable for communications professionals.
Before getting into it, a few notes. Continue reading
Your Copy Sucks: You Don’t Even Know What “Edit” Means
Please consider this a gentle nudge in the direction of proper usage. I am not angry with you, dear thing. Almost everyone makes the same mistake time and time again. But for your elucidation:
Editing is not the same thing as copyediting.
When you talk about making sure all the commas are in the right place? That’s copyediting. When you think about taking a red pen to a piece of writing? You’re probably thinking of copyediting. It’s something wholly different than editing-editing, and you should probably know the difference.
Writers Playing with Blocks
The other day… UGH! Writer’s block!
We have all been there, the client or boss needs a document by the end of the day and you can’t even complete a full sentence. Pressures are swelling and you feel stuck. The blinking curser or ink spot from your pen resting on the paper are staring back at you with remorse. What to write about? Where to begin?
Christina’s Coffee Talk: Arik Hanson
This week I had the pleasure of chatting with Arik Hanson. Bringing brand loyalty to a new level, Arik is willing to drive 10 miles out of his way just for some Caribou Coffee. I guess it tastes so good once it hits your lips. Arik’s free time is spent with, wife (Angela) and kids (Matthew and Amy), play ing golf and riff on the guitar (emphasis on riff). His musicial taste ranges from Green Day to Johnny Cash to Tesla. Top 3 current movies include, The Hangover (best comedy in last 5 years); Madagascar 2 (thanks to my son, Wag the Dog (one of my all-time faves and also a great movie from a PR perspective); The Dark Knight (just a tremendous movie). Professionally Arik, is principal of ACH Communications,and also long-time PRSA member, serving on the Minnesota PRSA board for the past three years and is a frequent speaker at local colleges and universities. His blog is a must-read within in the PR/Social Media industry. Especially for a newbie to social media, like myself, his blog sheds light on the industry and introduces readers to other influential people. And so I give you Arik Hanson…