One of my goals in life is to help anyone who writes realize that verbs are their best friend. Not nouns, adjectives, adverbs or prepositions. Not alliteration, similes or metaphors. Verbs! They are your best friend for three reasons: They give sentences power. They make you sound confident. They keep sentences simple. And yet we … Continue reading Meet your new best friend
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Lawyer bios: What matters to clients
Our new head of proposals has a T-shirt pinned to the bulletin board in her office. It says "Keep it pithy!" in bold black letters. And it's pink. You can't miss it. When I started talking to this associate director about writing I could tell she lives and works by the edict on her T-shirt. … Continue reading Lawyer bios: What matters to clients
Writing is rewriting
Last week I was writing a business proposal for work, and it took me five revisions to get it right. When I say “right,” I don’t mean it was perfect. I mean I was finally satisfied that it presented what I wanted to say, backed up with hard numbers and strong examples, in a logical … Continue reading Writing is rewriting
The best way to use bullet points
We all have pet peeves, those things that make our blood pressures rise while others just shrug. One of my pet peeves has to do with bullet points. Bullet points? Yes, bullet points. I know the world is filled with more pressing issues like global warming, race relations, and the impact of Brexit, but when … Continue reading The best way to use bullet points
Two writing tips I learned the hard way (but you don’t have to)
There’s nothing quite like getting yelled at in front of other people that makes me want never, ever to make that mistake again. Public humiliation has a way of searing constructive criticism into my head, particularly when that feedback begins with “Cunningham!” and is shouted across a crowded room. “Cunningham! Stop putting two spaces between … Continue reading Two writing tips I learned the hard way (but you don’t have to)
The art of email: Five steps to success
Last month my husband and I went to Greece for two weeks while my mom stayed in Chicago with our kids. Considering our children are 2 and 4 years old, it was one of the nicest things she has ever done for me aside from giving me life. While we were gone, the kids remained … Continue reading The art of email: Five steps to success
Get to the point already
Whenever I advocate that lawyers and marketing and business development staff write more like journalists, I evoke a blog post written by Mark Herrmann, Deputy General Counsel at Aon, a London-based global insurance company. In his post, Herrmann explains why he deletes the majority of the legal alerts he receives from big law firms: A … Continue reading Get to the point already
Are you “using” quotation marks correctly?
In the world of punctuation, quotation marks are often misunderstood. They are misused and abused in everything from signs, placards, and product packaging to marketing brochures and company newsletters. In fact, there are entire websites dedicated to mocking incorrect usage of quotation marks. To find out whether your writing could end up on one of … Continue reading Are you “using” quotation marks correctly?
The importance of proofreading
Telling someone to proofread is like reminding them to eat their vegetables. Or fasten their seat belts. Or floss. It’s one of those things we all know is good for us, but sometimes we resist doing it because it takes effort, can be tedious, and requires extra time. It’s like when you’re sitting in your … Continue reading The importance of proofreading
Let me give you an example
Lately I’ve been listening to an audiobook called, The Gifts of Imperfect Parenting. As the parent of a 2-year-old who’s been perfecting the art of tantrums and a 4-year-old who never wants to go to bed, I can use all the help I can get. The book is read by the author, Brené Brown, a … Continue reading Let me give you an example
The Writing Habit 