Dictionary.com’s 2018 Word of the Year—misinformation—is more than a word; it’s a call to action.
Dictionary.com defines “misinformation” as “false information that is spread.” And today’s rampant dissemination of “misinformation” poses special challenges for navigating communications in every field. [Read more…]
Using figures of speech in our business writing makes it fun for us and entertaining for our readers. Truly my favorite figure of speech is the chiasmus (ky-AZ-mus). That’s when words in a sentence mirror each other.
Politicians have made them famous (e.g., Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country. – John F. Kennedy). Experts have made them accessible and even popular (e.g., Dr. Mardy Grothe’s book: Never Let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You: Chiasmus and a World of Quotations That Say What They Mean and Mean What They Say). [Read more…]
Teaching a weekly fitness class—like writing weekly business messages—can get repetitious. A good instructor motivates action while guiding people in their exercises. My instructor likes to interject colorful similes to keep us going. I suspect it’s also her way of staying sharp and engaged, too. [Read more…]
Whether you’re writing an email, an article, a report, or a proposal, never leave your readers wondering what you actually want.
Specifically, they shouldn’t have to wonder about these critical components of communicating:
It’s easy (and lazy) to say, “Give clear instructions and point readers to their next action.” But here’s a more concrete method. [Read more…]
Much of the spoken language slides into our writing, but at times the words we say aren’t the exact fit for what we mean. Check your intention every time!
Consider these sentences from an article about education:
With the spoken word, we have the privilege of adding voice intonation, hand gestures, and emotion with our vocal cords. That doesn’t happen as easily in writing. You might leave readers guessing about your intended meaning and risk setting a tone that can be misconstrued.
Does your writing come across as arrogant? Are you using pompous phrases? To avoid confusion, consider dropping the following idioms and phrases from your writing altogether. Not only will you convey your thoughts more directly, but your writing will gain clarity. [Read more…]