Reading time: Just over 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: suppurate. When I worked in the daily newspaper business, I spent an occasional few hours in the photo studio. I was helping […]
What does suppurate mean? Read More »
Reading time: About 3 minutes You’ve probably heard the charge that many academics write badly. You may even have said it yourself! Here’s why… A group of doctors paid me to edit a report a few years back. Their work — not a medical study, but a document aimed at
Why do so many academics write badly? 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 six writing tips from novelist John Steinbeck…. It’s been several decades since I read East of Eden
Forget your generalized audience… Read More »
Reading time: Less than 2 minutes If your company or group has something to announce — especially if it might be considered negative — you need to do some planning first. Here’s how to make a big announcement… Planning an announcement is a little bit like launching a book or
How to make a big announcement Read More »
Reading time: About 2 minutes I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about a series of similes from Canadian writer Ian Brown. I don’t know Ian Brown personally. But I feel as if I do, from reading his writing. A
The figurative language of Ian Brown… Read More »
Reading time: About 1.5 minutes 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: desultory. Whenever I read I like to record words that either tickle my fancy or that I don’t yet know on a first-name
What does desultory mean? Read More »
Reading time: About 3 minutes Here’s my advice: don’t plan to write when you go on holiday. Instead, take a break…. My husband and I had been out for dinner. I awoke at 4:30 the next morning feeling vaguely “off.” After tossing and turning for half an hour, I decided
When you take a break, take a break! Read More »
Reading time: About 1.5 minutes 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 a piece of software — designed to help you write like Hemingway — available free on the
Can the Hemingway App help you? Read More »
Reading time: About 1.5 minutes Personal pronouns can be tricky. Here’s a primer on when to use I and when to use me. As I write this post I am eagerly anticipating National Grammar Day, March 4, 2014. Yes, I realize this is a US holiday, but there’s no good reason
When to use I and when to use me… Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute I like to share interesting pieces of figurative language I encounter in my reading. I write today about a metaphor from poet and novelist Jane Urquhart. I admire the writing of Jane Urquhart, even though I don’t like it very much. I’ve read three
The figurative language of Jane Urquhart… Read More »
