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Publication articles are great for establishing credibility. If you were mentioned in the article, you’re noteworthy. If you wrote it, you’re an expert. And you can get a lot more exposure if you recycle that article. When someone else writes about you, you’ll have to ask for authorization to use the article, which may includeRead more

One major English grammar challenge is figuring out when to use either who or whom. A good number of professional communicators (myself included) have done fairly decent impressions of owls as they glare at their computer screens trying to decide which of these two pronouns sounds right in a particular sentence. Trouble is, what sounds rightRead more

Case studies provide all the appeal of a good story while sharing solutions for overcoming challenges or achieving objectives. The promise of practical tips draws readers’ interest, and if they can identify with the people described within the case study, they become emotionally involved and you’ll hold their attention. In order for your case studyRead more

You probably remember the terms comma splice (also called a comma fault) and fused sentence (aka a run-on sentence) from some point in English class. For those of you who need a refresher, these terms refer to sentences in which two independent clauses have been improperly linked. An independent clause is  a group of words thatRead more

Storytelling techniques have a lot of advocates (including me). However, some storytelling advocates suggest that  the traditional  writing structure of the inverted pyramid  is a thing of the past. In the inverted pyramid format, the most important facts are presented up front and the least essential information is placed at the end of the piece.Read more

While editing a client’s proposal, I noticed that the program’s agenda was described as “complimenting” the public school curriculum. Recently, a friend received a flier from a public relations department offering “complementary” beverages at a special event. I’ve seen these two words misused so often that I occasionally check the dictionary just to keep thingsRead more

With our hectic schedules, tactics for trimming time off or even getting started on a writing project can be invaluable. Everyone has their own preferred techniques, but here are a few I’ve learned: 1. Let Your First Drafts Be Stinkers Don’t listen to your internal editor when you first begin writing. Just focus on gettingRead more

Press releases are considered the mainstay of public relations, but that doesn’t mean that other written materials can’t get you media exposure. If you don’t have a subject newsworthy enough  for a release, try sending one of these. 1. Pitch Letters Use these letters to suggest story ideas to journalists. Many are looking for goodRead more

Getting articles published is an excellent way to establish yourself as an expert and gain the recognition of peers, customers, and superiors. Organizations love to say they have a published writer/expert on their payroll, and your articles can be used in information packages, media kits and other promotional materials for the company. If you becomeRead more