Reading time: About 3 minutes I never thought I’d see the words crisis communications and Jian Ghomeshi in the same sentence. Now, they seem inseparable… If you don’t live in Canada, you might be unaware that Jian Ghomeshi was a media god in this country. He was host of the popular CBC radio program Q. He […]
Case study: crisis communications gone wrong Read More »
Reading time: Less than 2 minutes I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about a glorious handful of metaphors from New York Times writer David Carr… I came of age during Watergate. The Senate Watergate committee began its nationally televised hearings in 1973 when I was
The figurative language of David Carr… Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute Increase your vocabulary and you’ll make your writing much more precise. That’s why I provide a word of the week. Today’s word: titivating. I discovered the writing of Sarah Waters about 10 years ago when I read her marvellous 2002 novel Fingersmith. A Victorian crime novel with fine writing and
What does titivate mean? Read More »
Reading time: About 3 minutes Having a “vocabulary” of writing problems might sound like a strange idea but there are some terrific benefits from knowing how to ID your bad writing… I was speaking with a coaching client last week about “bad writing.” Here’s what we decided: Most writing is neither bad nor good. Instead,
How to ID your bad writing Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute This is my weekly installment of “writing about writing,” in which I scan the world to find websites, books and articles to help other writers. Today I discuss an article about Virginia Woolf… It makes me feel both guilty and inept to admit that I have never read a
Reading time: About 1 minute When things are going badly, many organizations want to act rapidly. But don’t make decisions too quickly…. Parents with “challenging” offspring learn one manoeuvre early on: they don’t dish out consequences too quickly. That’s because they know that if they have to retract or change their minds, they’ll lose face with their children.
In a crisis? Don’t make decisions too quickly Read More »
Reading time: About 1 minute Increase your vocabulary and you’ll make your writing much more precise. That’s why I provide a word of the week. Today’s word: excrescence. I haven’t seen the movie Frank. But I can tell you it’s a comedy about a young man who joins a band of pop musicians led by a guy named
What is an excrescence? Read More »
Reading time: Less than 3 minutes If you’ve ever struggled with turning mindmapping into writing, here’s some advice for you… I like to describe mindmapping as a little bit of fairy dust for writers. But recently, a writer named Omer wrote to me saying, “So, I mindmapped. Now what?” If you haven’t read my no-charge booklet
So, I mindmapped. Now what? Read More »
Reading time: About 1 minute This is my weekly installment of “writing about writing,” in which I scan the world to find websites, books and articles to help other writers. Today I discuss an interview with novelist Jane Smiley. I’ve never been a fan of the writer Jane Smiley. I don’t think she’s a bad writer. She’s
You cannot be judging yourself as you write Read More »
Reading time: Less than 2 minutes Looking for the secrets of how to write a better speech? Here are two key ones… I coach a debating team at my local high school. I LOVE this volunteer job because it allows me to connect with teenagers and it lets me teach them a skill that was so formative
Two tips for a better speech Read More »
