Word count: 283 words Reading time: Just over 1 minute Building your vocabulary is always a good idea. It benefits your reading and it also helps you be more specific and precise in your writing. Here is my word of the week. I was in a coffee shop recently, where I read an interesting newspaper […]
What does nugatory mean? Read More »
Word count: 688 words Reading time: Less than 3 minutes We focus so much on getting things done. But here are some writing tips that will help you learn how to take a break… I was strolling home, down West Broadway, one day last week, stopping at a printing house to get a quote and
5 ways to take a pause that refreshes Read More »
Word count: 253 words 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 writers. I can’t remember when I first heard about TED talks. But it was a long time ago and I watch them regularly.
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Word count: 207 words Reading time: Less than 1 minute A great way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. Here is a sentence by Diane Ackerman that I read recently that I’d happily imitate. If you want to write a memorable sentence, be sure to use imagery. In
Smells detonate softly in our memory… Read More »
Word count: 206 words Reading time: Less than 1 minute This is my regular installment of “writing about writing,” in which I scan the world to find websites, books and articles to help writers. Today, I examine a new book by Chris Guillebeau…. You have to love a guy whose number 1 goal is to
Could you use a $100 startup? Read More »
Word count: 253 words Reading time: About 1 minute If you increase your vocabulary you’ll not only help your reading, you’ll also make your writing more precise. Here is my word of the week. I have little interest in and certainly no aptitude for fashion. But I found a great deal of pleasure in the book
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Word count: 733 words Reading time: About 3 minutes Looking for some book suggestions? I’m on track for reaching my year-end goal of reading 52 books and here is my semi-annual accounting. My habit is to post for you the names of ALL the books I’ve read, twice a year – once at the end
Recommended books: Summer 2012 Read More »
Word count: 227 words Reading time: Less than 1 minute Here is a blog on crisis communications that will interest certain corporate communicators. I do a little bit of crisis communications — that is, advising people who are facing media problems. I stumbled into this sort of work mainly because of my background in newspapering
Meet Mr. Media Training! Read More »
Word count: 269 words Reading time: About 1 minute A great way to improve your writing skills is to emulate the work of others. Here is a sentence by Edmund Wilson I read recently that I’d happily imitate. I LOVE witticisms. Anything that’s clever gives me an abiding sense of satisfaction that somehow seems
Reading mysteries is a “vice” Read More »
Word count: 305 words Reading time: Just over 1 minute Building your vocabulary is always a good idea. It benefits your reading and it also helps you be more specific and precise in your writing. Here is my word of the week, doyen. The vocabulary used in the magazine The New Yorker does not typically
