In praise of good writing.

August 9, 2010

Usually, I direct your attention to a snippet of weak writing. It’s useful to see mistakes in context. However, today I thought you’d enjoy a brief look at a piece of strong writing. Hopefully this introductory paragraph will give you some ideas… “Sustainability is a loaded term. I’m confused, bemused and amused by vernacular at [...]

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Fun Writing Reminders

May 10, 2010

“Don’t use no double negatives.” Yeah, that’s right.  What better way to remember  good writing advice, than to see the mistake in action? A few more for you… Proofread carefully to see if you any words out. Never, ever use repetitive redundancies. Don’t overuse exclamation marks!!! Check to see if you any words out. About [...]

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‘Me-centered’ writing: A big no-no.

April 5, 2010

How long can you listen to someone talk about himself before you get bored? Sure, you’ll be polite and continue listening, but at some point you’ll start to think “Gosh, this person is taking up a lot of air time!” (Excepting, of course, the occasion when that’s the point; an autobiography, reading from a memoir, [...]

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Tips for writing a tip sheet.

March 19, 2010

Grabbing attention is tricky, especially for a 10-item tip sheet written for an upcoming green sale. One reader in Portland asked for some advice on writing quick, concise tips. Take a quick look at what she had, then we’ll discuss some ideas to tighten it up. “Reduce Super Market Packaging—It’s Super Easy! Buy bulk to [...]

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How to Write a Professional Bio – 4 – Mortgage Broker

March 2, 2010

Free report: “5 Easy Steps to a Professional Bio that Sells.” Get your copy now. How do you distinguish yourself when you’re selling an intangible product? By stressing your personality and asserting you’ll take care of prospective customers and their needs. How best to convey that personality and assertion? This before/after comparison will give you [...]

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Demolish Writer’s Block.

February 23, 2010

Writer’s block: the mental demon of doubt and anxiety. It paralyzes our writing process and clouds our mind. In a moment, I’ll share a very simple technique to overcome writer’s block. But first, let me ask you: what ratio of time and effort do you give for planning, writing and editing? I ask, because I [...]

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How to Write a Professional Bio – 3 – General Contractor

February 9, 2010

Free report: “5 Easy Steps to a Professional Bio that Sells.” Get your copy now. Specifics. We all love specifics. The internet has spoiled us with easy access to detailed information. We expect promises, forecasts and offers to be as specific as possible. Vagueness and ambiguity set off alarm bells and send up red flags. [...]

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Easily improve your writing with this tip.

February 3, 2010

Your time is valuable. When you’re reading, you want the author to be concise and precise. Your readers will appreciate it if you extend them the same courtesy in your writing. Let’s take a look at how this writing sample could be more concise, precise and ‘courteous’: “The number one recommendation being made throughout the [...]

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How to Write a Professional Bio – 2 – Realtor

January 26, 2010

Free report: “5 Easy Steps to a Professional Bio that Sells.” Get your copy now. Learning how to write a professional bio doesn’t have to be difficult. The writing tips in this post will give you more ideas to build on part one’s advice. Each profession has its own challenges in writing a bio that [...]

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A simple writing mistake and solution.

January 19, 2010

This colorful sentence illustrates a very common and correctable problem in writing. Imagine asking a surgeon about the process they follow during an operation, and hearing them reply, “I don’t know, I just start cutting and hope it all works out.” Let’s strip away everything but the ‘people’ words: ‘a surgeon’, ‘they’, ‘them’, and ‘I’. [...]

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