Use movement and description in your writing: A tip from Francis Flaherty
Good nonfiction needs both movement and description, says Francis Flaherty, author of The Elements of Story. One technique he suggests for incorporating both is writing what he calls “right-branching sentences.” These are sentences that, as he writes, “offer up a big dose of action in the beginning so that the writer can branch out into […]
9 ways blogging is like sourdough baking
Like many other Americans, I started baking sourdough bread during the pandemic. I love the process and the taste. As I’ve baked, I’ve also realized that cooking with a sourdough starter has similarities to blogging. 1. It’s scary to start I wouldn’t have started baking sourdough if I’d had to create a sourdough starter on […]
MISTAKE MONDAY for May 31: Can YOU spot what’s wrong?
Can you spot what’s wrong in the image below? The company got this wrong in one place, but not the other. Please post your answer as a comment. I post these challenges to raise awareness of the importance of proofreading.
Top posts from 2021’s first quarter
Check out my top posts from the first quarter! They’re a mix of practical tips on communication (#1, #4), writing (#2), proofreading (#3), and marketing (#5) My posts that attracted the most views during 2021’s first quarter: Discuss your mistakes like Warren Buffett 12 steps to rewrite long articles–This is a practical, step-by-step guide to […]
Lousy headline, provocative first sentence
I nearly didn’t read an interesting article about stocks in The New York Times. Why? The problem of a lousy headline I nearly skipped the article because of the bland headline: “An Ear to the Ground on Stocks.” The article could have been about anything. Perhaps college students who pick stocks for a class. An investment […]