Reading time: Less than 1 minute In my ongoing quest to find better signage, I’ve finally uncovered a winner in the most unlikely of places… Like most people, I adore the taste of bacon. I say “most people” because many vegetarians I know speak wistfully of it. In fact, I even knew a vegan whose guilty […]
Turning plants into bacon… Read More »
Reading time: About 1 minute If you were asked to come up with a creative way of communicating about a deadly virus would the idea of an ebola song ever have occurred to you? The hottest pop song in Liberia right now goes by the title “Ebola is Real.” Not surprising, perhaps, given the devastating impact of that
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Reading time: About 2 minutes Do you know how to manage your communications suppliers? Here’s some advice that will get them working FOR you rather than against you…. As someone who works in communications, I end up managing a host of suppliers. Maybe you do, too. Writers, copy editors, proofreaders, graphic artists, web designers and printers
How to stop aggravating your suppliers…. Read More »
Reading time: Less than 2 minutes If you want to ask me something or share your opinion of what I’m writing about, here’s a step-by-step guide for how to comment on my blog… Readers sometimes tell me they’re unable to comment on my blog. I’ve spoken to my webmaster about this and he assures me
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Reading time: About 1 minute Kris Bulcroft doesn’t look as harsh as her sculpture suggests. But she doesn’t behave with the authority of a really smart leader either… Here’s a basic rule about leadership: If you have thin skin, stay out of the business. Kris Bulcroft, president and vice-chancellor of Capilano University in North Vancouver, doesn’t
A portrait crossed with a ventriloquist’s dummy Read More »
Reading time: Less than 2 minutes Does your company ever need to hire writer? Here are some tips on how to help writers succeed… I recently accepted a contract with a small communications firm. They wanted me to write some stories that perfectly fit the style I best like to produce: 500 words, one to
How to help writers succeed Read More »
Reading time: Less than 1 minute Have you ever had to work with someone who can’t manage to meet his or her deadlines? I think you’re going to find my post today very useful…. I don’t miss deadlines. I grew up in the newspaper business (my parents owned a weekly newspaper) and deadlines must be
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Reading time: About 1 minute The next time you face a big communications challenge, see if you can use the benefits of humor… The Abbotsford Police Department is conducting a campaign for better road safety. Their secret weapon? Being funny. For example, there’s the ticketed driver who told an officer, “My dad could buy you!” The cop replied, “Get him to
Driving home the benefits of humor… Read More »
Reading time: About 1 minute Do you ever ask yourself, ‘how flexible should I be with my writing?’ If you do, here’s my answer… I’ve just finished writing a story that had to be signed off by a host of people from the provincial government. Of course such stories can never be signed off by just
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Reading time: About 2 minutes If you’ve never heard of the genetic disorder neurofibromatosis, you’re not alone. It’s a relatively rare disorder but that doesn’t make it unimportant… I took part in the Scotiabank half marathon last weekend. Let me stress: I am not a marathoner or even a half-marathoner. I was participating in the
