The Publication Coach

• Is writing a dreaded chore that you avoid?
• Do you suffer from writer’s block?
• Would you like to write faster and more easily?
• Would you like to be in control of your writing instead of having it control you?

If you’re fed up with a daily diet of writing stress, I can help. As the Publication Coach, I bring techniques from daily journalism and time management, and adapt them to meet your writing needs. If you’d like to double your writing speed, look no further than my book, which presents a system for writing that will help you write with ease and clarity. Yes, you, too can write faster, better!

Start with the free stuff!

In Internet-land lots of people claim to be experts on everything. So, to demonstrate my expertise to you, and to prove that I’m a writing coach with a difference, I offer a free writing newsletter called Power Writing. Check out a sample and then consider these three reasons why you should subscribe:

• It’s weekly and it’s short. Super short. As in 3 minutes or less to read.
• You’ll receive a free copy of my 17-page e-booklet on mindmapping.
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This newsletter is equally valuable to those who want copywriting assistance, corporate writing help and Internet writing support. Heck, even some fiction writers tell me they find it useful! Please be sure to check out my blog (see most recent entry below or click on the link above for the archives) and I’ll have you writing faster in no time!

–Daphne Gray-Grant

Word count: 235 words

Reading time: About 1 minute

A great way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. That’s why, every week, I present a sentence that I’d happily imitate. Today’s comes from Ian Parker.

I hadn’t heard of the American writer, director and independent filmmaker Noah Baumbach, until I read the April 29/13 New Yorker. It turns out, however, that I had seen one of his movies.

Squid and the Whale, which was semi-autobiographical, tells the story of story of two boys in 1980s Brooklyn dealing with their parents’ divorce. The film is named after the squid and whale diorama in the American Museum of Natural History, which is shown in the film.

The New Yorker piece, by Ian Parker, which charts Baumbach’s relationship with the actress and writer Greta Gerwig, is almost as charming as Baumbach’s film. I particularly liked the way Parker managed to deal with Baumbach’s (attractive) appearance. Here is what he said:

He has a long, square-chinned face whose handsomeness he is said to recognize but not overprize. 

I’m showing you a photo of Baumbach, above, so you can decide if this description nails it. I particularly like Parker’s turn of phrase, “is said to recognize but not overprize.” Basically, he’s saying the guy isn’t conceited, but I relish the way he does that. Neat. Succinct. Stylish.

Much like Baumbach, I suspect.

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