(3223,4,'2016-04-13 09:33:13','2016-04-13 13:33:13','<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"></span>Is asking for feedback the same as asking for a review? Nope. Not even close.\r\n\r\nThere’s a huge difference between feedback and reviews: First of all, each targets a different audience. And second, each serves a different purpose.\r\n\r\n<strong>Feedback is about you (service/product/offering)</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you ask for feedback, you want to know what works and what doesn’t, (presumably) in order to improve the offering. Do you want to know what customers/supporters really think about you? Then ask for feedback.\r\n\r\n<strong>Reviews are about your customers/supporters (potential and current)</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you ask for reviews, you are asking customers to <em>share </em>their thoughts, both good and bad, about your product or service <em>with other customers</em>.\r\n\r\nMany organizations make the mistake of asking for a review when what they want is feedback and some ask for feedback when all they want is a review.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/five-golden-stars-isolated-1142569-1280x640.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3221\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/five-golden-stars-isolated-1142569-1280x640-300x150.jpg\" alt=\"five-golden-stars-isolated-1142569-1280x640\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>You need both, but for different reasons</strong>\r\n\r\nOrganizations should try to get both feedback and reviews from their customers, but not at the same time or using the same method.\r\n\r\nFeedback benefits the organization, because it provides honest insights meant to correct any issues.\r\n\r\nReviews are important too. They help with SEO, they can entice new customers, and they add credibility. Of course, not all reviews are positive, but negative reviews can serve as a red flag to businesses.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do you want feedback or just an inflated review?</strong>\r\n\r\nI am taking a course on Udemy (an online “school”). The course is super long, and I am almost finished with it. About half-way through, Udemy asked me to rate the course. I rated it three stars out of five, mainly because the course is too long, repetitive and somewhat disorganized.\r\n\r\nAnd then I got this email from the course’s instructor (in full below, except I removed the instructor’s name):\r\n<blockquote>Hey Deborah,\r\n\r\nThank you for enrolling in my course.\r\n\r\nI noticed you left a 3 star review. Was there something specifically wrong with the course that I can help you with? If the course simply isn\'t for you, I can surely help you get a refund.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTeaching on Udemy is part of my livelihood, and as you can see from the thoroughness of the course, I put a huge amount of effort into making it as useful as possible. I know the course could get boring from time to time, but I tried my best to be as thorough as possible for the beginner.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nUdemy reacts very negatively toward 3 star reviews, and it tells them not to give my course as much visibility. It also hurts my livelihood generated from course sales.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you can modify your review, that would be very much appreciated and it will go a long way toward helping me continue to teach on Udemy.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOnce again, please let me know what was wrong with the course, and if you need me to get a refund processed for you, please let me know.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThank you very much for your consideration,</blockquote>\r\nBasically, the Udemy instructor wants me to give him a five-star review, <em>because it benefits him</em>, not because it benefits his potential customers.  By the way, in my book, a three-star review is not negative, but fair/middling.\r\n\r\nIt occurs to me that if reviewers are pressured to change their reviews, and provide glowing reviews for something that is not all that, it can create problems down the road. Say this instructor gets all five-star reviews for a non-five-star course. People sign up based on those reviews and they are disappointed. They provide lesser reviews. The instructor contacts them and offers to negotiate a refund, like he did for me. In the end, he will make less money.\r\n\r\nIf instead, he asked for feedback and disassociated it from the review or from the money I paid for the course, I would provide the feedback. And if he were interested in actually improving his course rather than just improving the reviews, he would weigh it carefully and maybe consider incorporating my feedback.\r\n\r\n<strong>So, ask for both</strong>\r\n\r\nBusinesses and organizations who want to improve, should always ask for <em>private, anonymous</em> feedback.\r\n\r\nBusinesses who want to build up credibility and SEO should ask for reviews. However, businesses need to be prepared for negative comments, and they need to have a way to deal with them.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">What are your thoughts? Do you use reviews and feedback interchangeably? Do you solicit either feedback or reviews or both? How do you do it? Let me know in the comments.</span>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Feedback is not a synonym for review (customer feedback part 2)','','inherit','open','open','','3220-revision-v1','','','2016-04-13 09:33:13','2016-04-13 13:33:13','',3220,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/04/3220-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3224,4,'2016-04-13 09:33:32','2016-04-13 13:33:32','<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"></span>Is asking for feedback the same as asking for a review? Nope. Not even close.\r\n\r\nThere’s a huge difference between feedback and reviews: First of all, each targets a different audience. And second, each serves a different purpose.\r\n\r\n<strong>Feedback is about you (service/product/offering)</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you ask for feedback, you want to know what works and what doesn’t, (presumably) in order to improve the offering. Do you want to know what customers/supporters really think about you? Then ask for feedback.\r\n\r\n<strong>Reviews are about your customers/supporters (potential and current)</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you ask for reviews, you are asking customers to <em>share </em>their thoughts, both good and bad, about your product or service <em>with other customers</em>.\r\n\r\nMany organizations make the mistake of asking for a review when what they want is feedback and some ask for feedback when all they want is a review.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/five-golden-stars-isolated-1142569-1280x640.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3221\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/five-golden-stars-isolated-1142569-1280x640-300x150.jpg\" alt=\"five-golden-stars-isolated-1142569-1280x640\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>You need both, but for different reasons</strong>\r\n\r\nOrganizations should try to get both feedback and reviews from their customers, but not at the same time or using the same method.\r\n\r\nFeedback benefits the organization, because it provides honest insights meant to correct any issues.\r\n\r\nReviews are important too. They help with SEO, they can entice new customers, and they add credibility. Of course, not all reviews are positive, but negative reviews can serve as a red flag to businesses.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do you want feedback or just an inflated review?</strong>\r\n\r\nI am taking a course on Udemy (an online “school”). The course is super long, and I am almost finished with it. About half-way through, Udemy asked me to rate the course. I rated it three stars out of five, mainly because the course is too long, repetitive and somewhat disorganized.\r\n\r\nAnd then I got this email from the course’s instructor (in full below, except I removed the instructor’s name):\r\n<blockquote>Hey Deborah,\r\n\r\nThank you for enrolling in my course.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI noticed you left a 3 star review. Was there something specifically wrong with the course that I can help you with? If the course simply isn\'t for you, I can surely help you get a refund.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTeaching on Udemy is part of my livelihood, and as you can see from the thoroughness of the course, I put a huge amount of effort into making it as useful as possible. I know the course could get boring from time to time, but I tried my best to be as thorough as possible for the beginner.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nUdemy reacts very negatively toward 3 star reviews, and it tells them not to give my course as much visibility. It also hurts my livelihood generated from course sales.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you can modify your review, that would be very much appreciated and it will go a long way toward helping me continue to teach on Udemy.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOnce again, please let me know what was wrong with the course, and if you need me to get a refund processed for you, please let me know.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThank you very much for your consideration,</blockquote>\r\nBasically, the Udemy instructor wants me to give him a five-star review, <em>because it benefits him</em>, not because it benefits his potential customers.  By the way, in my book, a three-star review is not negative, but fair/middling.\r\n\r\nIt occurs to me that if reviewers are pressured to change their reviews, and provide glowing reviews for something that is not all that, it can create problems down the road. Say this instructor gets all five-star reviews for a non-five-star course. People sign up based on those reviews and they are disappointed. They provide lesser reviews. The instructor contacts them and offers to negotiate a refund, like he did for me. In the end, he will make less money.\r\n\r\nIf instead, he asked for feedback and disassociated it from the review or from the money I paid for the course, I would provide the feedback. And if he were interested in actually improving his course rather than just improving the reviews, he would weigh it carefully and maybe consider incorporating my feedback.\r\n\r\n<strong>So, ask for both</strong>\r\n\r\nBusinesses and organizations who want to improve, should always ask for <em>private, anonymous</em> feedback.\r\n\r\nBusinesses who want to build up credibility and SEO should ask for reviews. However, businesses need to be prepared for negative comments, and they need to have a way to deal with them.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">What are your thoughts? Do you use reviews and feedback interchangeably? Do you solicit either feedback or reviews or both? How do you do it? Let me know in the comments.</span>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Feedback is not a synonym for review (customer feedback part 2)','','inherit','open','open','','3220-revision-v1','','','2016-04-13 09:33:32','2016-04-13 13:33:32','',3220,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/04/3220-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3225,4,'2016-04-13 09:34:00','2016-04-13 13:34:00','Going by the emails I receive, some companies think that I don’t do business with them solely because I can’t afford to.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/money-9-1238441-1279x850.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3215\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/money-9-1238441-1279x850-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"money-9-1238441-1279x850\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" /></a>Every few weeks, a yoga studio I used to attend until my favorite teacher left sends me a dollars-off promotion. Come back, they say, here’s an $8 discount.\r\n\r\nThen there’s the company that is always sending me discounts for handyman services.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd there’s a cosmetics company that sends emails telling me how I can get a free something or other with purchase (Only today! Only friends and family!).\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s not about money.</strong>\r\n\r\nNone of these companies has any idea why I am not a return customer. They’ve never asked me, but I\'ll tell you my reasons.\r\n\r\nI haven’t been back to the yoga studio because I don’t like the teacher that is currently teaching during the time slot that is convenient for me. Additionally, I hurt my shoulder and I can’t do yoga right now.\r\n\r\nI haven’t used the handyman company because I don’t have a current need. That’s not to say I won’t in the future, but there’s nothing (knocking on wood here) that needs fixing right now.\r\n\r\nThe cosmetics company just yesterday was offering me a free lash-extender mascara. I wear contact lenses and I never use mascaras that extend because it bothers my eyes, so even a free mascara is not an enticement.\r\n\r\n<strong>But at least they are tracking.</strong>\r\n\r\nTo their credit, these companies have noticed that I haven’t been a customer for a while and they want me back. But they err in thinking that doing business is simply about money.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing: Getting customers back is not as easy as offering a discount or a gift with purchase. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">You have to understand what motivates your customer</span>.\r\n\r\nThe decision to buy something or do business with a company is often about more than just price. There are other factors, both tangible (e.g., need, convenience, timing) and intangible (e.g., trust, satisfaction, appreciation) that affect whether you shop somewhere or buy a certain product.\r\n\r\n<strong>Sometimes, you have to ask.</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you’ve lost business or aren’t getting repeat business, you have to ask why. Don’t assume that everything can be fixed with a dollars-off promotion. Companies are collecting emails to do marketing or to send reminders. Well, they can also send a survey or even a personalized email.\r\n\r\nImagine how much more effective it would be if the yoga studio owner sent me an email saying she\'s noticed I haven\'t been there in several months and she\'d like to know if I am still living in town or doing yoga.\r\n\r\nHow do you track your clients or customers? How do you entice them to come back? Let me know what works for you in the comments.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','It’s not always about the money  (customer feedback part 1)','','inherit','open','open','','3213-revision-v1','','','2016-04-13 09:34:00','2016-04-13 13:34:00','',3213,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/04/3213-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3226,4,'2016-04-13 09:38:13','2016-04-13 13:38:13','Is asking for feedback the same as asking for a review? Nope. Not even close.\r\n\r\nThere’s a huge difference between feedback and reviews: First of all, each targets a different audience. And second, each serves a different purpose.\r\n\r\n<strong>Feedback is about you (service/product/offering)</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you ask for feedback, you want to know what works and what doesn’t, (presumably) in order to improve the offering. Do you want to know what customers/supporters really think about you? Then ask for feedback.\r\n\r\n<strong>Reviews are about your customers/supporters (potential and current)</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you ask for reviews, you are asking customers to <em>share </em>their thoughts, both good and bad, about your product or service <em>with other customers</em>.\r\n\r\nMany organizations make the mistake of asking for a review when what they want is feedback and some ask for feedback when all they want is a review.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/five-golden-stars-isolated-1142569-1280x640.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3221\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/five-golden-stars-isolated-1142569-1280x640-300x150.jpg\" alt=\"five-golden-stars-isolated-1142569-1280x640\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong>You need both, but for different reasons</strong>\r\n\r\nOrganizations should try to get both feedback and reviews from their customers, but not at the same time or using the same method.\r\n\r\nFeedback benefits the organization, because it provides honest insights meant to correct any issues.\r\n\r\nReviews are important too. They help with SEO, they can entice new customers, and they add credibility. Of course, not all reviews are positive, but negative reviews can serve as a red flag to businesses.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do you want feedback or just an inflated review?</strong>\r\n\r\nI am taking a course on Udemy (an online “school”). The course is super long, and I am almost finished with it. About half-way through, Udemy asked me to rate the course. I rated it three stars out of five, mainly because the course is too long, repetitive and somewhat disorganized.\r\n\r\nAnd then I got this email from the course’s instructor (in full below, except I removed the instructor’s name):\r\n<blockquote>Hey Deborah,\r\n\r\nThank you for enrolling in my course.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI noticed you left a 3 star review. Was there something specifically wrong with the course that I can help you with? If the course simply isn\'t for you, I can surely help you get a refund.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTeaching on Udemy is part of my livelihood, and as you can see from the thoroughness of the course, I put a huge amount of effort into making it as useful as possible. I know the course could get boring from time to time, but I tried my best to be as thorough as possible for the beginner.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nUdemy reacts very negatively toward 3 star reviews, and it tells them not to give my course as much visibility. It also hurts my livelihood generated from course sales.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you can modify your review, that would be very much appreciated and it will go a long way toward helping me continue to teach on Udemy.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOnce again, please let me know what was wrong with the course, and if you need me to get a refund processed for you, please let me know.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThank you very much for your consideration,</blockquote>\r\nBasically, the Udemy instructor wants me to give him a five-star review, <em>because it benefits him</em>, not because it benefits his potential customers.  By the way, in my book, a three-star review is not negative, but fair/middling.\r\n\r\nIt occurs to me that if reviewers are pressured to change their reviews, and provide glowing reviews for something that is not five-star worthy, it can create problems down the road. Say this instructor gets all five-star reviews for a non-five-star course. People sign up based on those reviews and they are then disappointed because the course does not live up to the reviews. In turn, they provide not-so-glowing reviews. The instructor contacts them and offers to negotiate a refund, like he did for me. In the end, he will make less money.\r\n\r\nIf instead, the instructor asked for specific feedback and disassociated it from the review or from the money I paid for the course, I would provide a critique. And if he were interested in actually improving his course rather than just improving the reviews, he would weigh it carefully and maybe consider incorporating my feedback.\r\n\r\n<strong>So, ask for both</strong>\r\n\r\nBusinesses and organizations who want to improve, should always ask for <em>private, anonymous</em> feedback.\r\n\r\nBusinesses who want to build up credibility and SEO should ask for reviews. However, businesses need to be prepared for negative comments, and they need to have a way to deal with them.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">What are your thoughts? Do you use reviews and feedback interchangeably? Do you solicit either feedback or reviews or both? How do you do it? Let me know in the comments.</span>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Feedback is not a synonym for review (customer feedback part 2)','','inherit','open','open','','3220-revision-v1','','','2016-04-13 09:38:13','2016-04-13 13:38:13','',3220,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/04/3220-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3229,4,'2016-04-28 09:37:37','2016-04-28 13:37:37','We\'ve reached the fourth edition of On Writing, and this time, I asked Jay Morris to share his insights. Jay, who runs his own PR consultancy, has an extensive writing background as a journalist and editor. He also writes one of my favorite blogs, The Wayward Journey.<strong>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3230\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"223\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Jay-Morris.jpeg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3230\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Jay-Morris-223x300.jpeg\" alt=\"Jay Morris, CEO, Jay Morris Communications, LLC\" width=\"223\" height=\"300\" /></a> Jay Morris, CEO, Jay Morris Communications, LLC[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Jay Morris</strong> began his career as a newspaper reporter and editor before moving to the Washington area to practice public relations and marketing at several DC-based trade associations. An award-winning communicator, he now manages his own firm, <a href=\"http://jmcomllc.com\" target=\"_blank\">Jay Morris Communications, LLC</a>,  where he helps clients increase their visibility in the marketplace, on Capitol Hill and with members, consumers and stakeholders. He also blogs at <a href=\"https://waywardjourney.com\">The Wayward Journey</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/JayMorCom\" target=\"_blank\">@JayMorCom</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is by far the most important “deliverable” I provide my clients. My projects often begin with a strategic communications assessment, but I almost always end up writing something for the client. It could be web content, a blog post, a press release or a speech—some type of written communication that meets a need and tells the client’s story.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting does matter, and I think it matters even more in a world where there is a way too much mediocre content. If you want to distinguish yourself—if you really want to stand out—you need to be able to communicate effectively. Whether it’s a tweet or a long-form journal article, put some effort into writing it well. Readers will take notice and reward you for it.\r\n\r\n<strong>3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nAn English professor once wrote on one of my papers, “You seem to understand the concepts, but your writing is unpracticed.” That was a bruise to my ego, but I took what he said to heart and worked hard at improving my writing. I practiced writing clearly and concisely. My advice to anyone who wants to write would be the same: practice, practice, practice! Just as musicians and athletes practice for hours each day, writers need to flex their creative muscles, too. Look for ways to stretch your skills, try new forms and experiment with your style and voice. Blogging and journaling are two excellent ways of doing that.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nStrunk &amp; White’s “The Elements of Style,” John Warriner’s “English Grammar and Composition” and Gerald Levin’s “Prose Models” are timeless references worth getting. A good way to perfect your craft is to study authors you admire. Early on, I read nonfiction by John McPhee, Tom Wolfe and Garry Wills, and I read a lot of short story collections. Taking classes or joining a writers group helps, too.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?</strong>\r\n\r\nI’ve always followed the AP Stylebook. It goes back to my journalism days when I worked on a newspaper, then later on magazines and newsletters. Regardless of the style guide, I lean towards rules that favor simplicity and eliminating the unnecessary. For example, I’m not a big fan of the Oxford comma. I’m also a stickler for consistency. Once you choose a style rule, you should apply it consistently throughout your work.\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nDangling participles and misplaced modifiers. I often see these in poorly written marketing pitches (and it does make me cringe). The offending sentence usually goes something like this: “As a communications professional who is constantly asked to do more with less, Acme Media understands how important it is for you to spend your PR dollars wisely.” Needless to say, Acme Media is not a communications professional!\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong> <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nI think the words “intentional,” “mindful” and “purposeful” have become overused. It’s a shame because I do like the idea of being purposeful in my life and work. Probably my favorite words are the “the other day.” I always seem to start my blog posts with, “The other day, I…” It’s a good way to begin a story. My advice is to choose words that help your storytelling, which, after all, is what writing is about.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">How do you stretch your writing skills? Do you journal and blog like Jay Morris? Let me know your thoughts in the comments and watch this blog next month for more thoughts on writing.</span></strong>','On writing:  For Jay Morris, writing is a journey','','publish','open','open','','on-writing-for-jay-morris-writing-is-a-journey','','','2016-04-28 09:37:37','2016-04-28 13:37:37','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3229',0,'post','',0),
(3230,4,'2016-04-27 11:07:01','2016-04-27 15:07:01','','Jay Morris','Jay Morris, CEO, Jay Morris Communications, LLC','inherit','open','open','','jay-morris','','','2016-04-27 11:07:27','2016-04-27 15:07:27','',3229,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Jay-Morris.jpeg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(3231,4,'2016-04-27 11:11:06','2016-04-27 15:11:06','<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3230\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"223\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Jay-Morris.jpeg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3230\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Jay-Morris-223x300.jpeg\" alt=\"Jay Morris, CEO, Jay Morris Communications, LLC\" width=\"223\" height=\"300\" /></a> Jay Morris, CEO, Jay Morris Communications, LLC[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Jay Morris</strong> began his career as a newspaper reporter and editor before moving to the Washington area to practice public relations and marketing at several DC-based trade associations. An award-winning communicator, he now manages his own firm, <a href=\"http://jmcomllc.com\" target=\"_blank\">Jay Morris Communications, LLC</a>,  where he helps clients increase their visibility in the marketplace, on Capitol Hill and with members, consumers and stakeholders. He also blogs at <a href=\"https://waywardjourney.com\">The Wayward Journey</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> JayMorCom\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is by far the most important “deliverable” I provide my clients. My projects often begin with a strategic communications assessment, but I almost always end up writing something for the client. It could be web content, a blog post, a press release or a speech—some type of written communication that meets a need and tells the client’s story.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting does matter, and I think it matters even more in a world where there is a way too much mediocre content. If you want to distinguish yourself—if you really want to stand out—you need to be able to communicate effectively. Whether it’s a tweet or a long-form journal article, put some effort into writing it well. Readers will take notice and reward you for it.\r\n\r\n<strong>3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nAn English professor once wrote on one of my papers, “You seem to understand the concepts, but your writing is unpracticed.” That was a bruise to my ego, but I took what he said to heart and worked hard at improving my writing. I practiced writing clearly and concisely. My advice to anyone who wants to write would be the same: practice, practice, practice! Just as musicians and athletes practice for hours each day, writers need to flex their creative muscles, too. Look for ways to stretch your skills, try new forms and experiment with your style and voice. Blogging and journaling are two excellent ways of doing that.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nStrunk &amp; White’s “The Elements of Style,” John Warriner’s “English Grammar and Composition” and Gerald Levin’s “Prose Models” are timeless references worth getting. A good way to perfect your craft is to study authors you admire. Early on, I read nonfiction by John McPhee, Tom Wolfe and Garry Wills, and I read a lot of short story collections. Taking classes or joining a writers group helps, too.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?</strong>\r\n\r\nI’ve always followed the AP Stylebook. It goes back to my journalism days when I worked on a newspaper, then later on magazines and newsletters. Regardless of the style guide, I lean towards rules that favor simplicity and eliminating the unnecessary. For example, I’m not a big fan of the Oxford comma. I’m also a stickler for consistency. Once you choose a style rule, you should apply it consistently throughout your work.\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nDangling participles and misplaced modifiers. I often see these in poorly written marketing pitches (and it does make me cringe). The offending sentence usually goes something like this: “As a communications professional who is constantly asked to do more with less, Acme Media understands how important it is for you to spend your PR dollars wisely.” Needless to say, Acme Media is not a communications professional!\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong> <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nI think the words “intentional,” “mindful” and “purposeful” have become overused. It’s a shame because I do like the idea of being purposeful in my life and work. Probably my favorite words are the “the other day.” I always seem to start my blog posts with, “The other day, I…” It’s a good way to begin a story. My advice is to choose words that help your storytelling, which, after all, is what writing is about.','On writing:  For Jay Morris, writing is a journey','','inherit','open','open','','3229-revision-v1','','','2016-04-27 11:11:06','2016-04-27 15:11:06','',3229,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/04/3229-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3232,4,'2016-04-28 09:29:15','2016-04-28 13:29:15','This month is the fourth edition of On Writing, and I asked Jay Morris to share his thoughts. Jay, who runs his own PR consultancy, has an extensive writing background as a journalist and editor. He also writes one of my favorite blogs,The Wayward Journey.<strong>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3230\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"223\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Jay-Morris.jpeg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3230\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Jay-Morris-223x300.jpeg\" alt=\"Jay Morris, CEO, Jay Morris Communications, LLC\" width=\"223\" height=\"300\" /></a> Jay Morris, CEO, Jay Morris Communications, LLC[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Jay Morris</strong> began his career as a newspaper reporter and editor before moving to the Washington area to practice public relations and marketing at several DC-based trade associations. An award-winning communicator, he now manages his own firm, <a href=\"http://jmcomllc.com\" target=\"_blank\">Jay Morris Communications, LLC</a>,  where he helps clients increase their visibility in the marketplace, on Capitol Hill and with members, consumers and stakeholders. He also blogs at <a href=\"https://waywardjourney.com\">The Wayward Journey</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/JayMorCom\" target=\"_blank\">@JayMorCom</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is by far the most important “deliverable” I provide my clients. My projects often begin with a strategic communications assessment, but I almost always end up writing something for the client. It could be web content, a blog post, a press release or a speech—some type of written communication that meets a need and tells the client’s story.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting does matter, and I think it matters even more in a world where there is a way too much mediocre content. If you want to distinguish yourself—if you really want to stand out—you need to be able to communicate effectively. Whether it’s a tweet or a long-form journal article, put some effort into writing it well. Readers will take notice and reward you for it.\r\n\r\n<strong>3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nAn English professor once wrote on one of my papers, “You seem to understand the concepts, but your writing is unpracticed.” That was a bruise to my ego, but I took what he said to heart and worked hard at improving my writing. I practiced writing clearly and concisely. My advice to anyone who wants to write would be the same: practice, practice, practice! Just as musicians and athletes practice for hours each day, writers need to flex their creative muscles, too. Look for ways to stretch your skills, try new forms and experiment with your style and voice. Blogging and journaling are two excellent ways of doing that.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nStrunk &amp; White’s “The Elements of Style,” John Warriner’s “English Grammar and Composition” and Gerald Levin’s “Prose Models” are timeless references worth getting. A good way to perfect your craft is to study authors you admire. Early on, I read nonfiction by John McPhee, Tom Wolfe and Garry Wills, and I read a lot of short story collections. Taking classes or joining a writers group helps, too.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?</strong>\r\n\r\nI’ve always followed the AP Stylebook. It goes back to my journalism days when I worked on a newspaper, then later on magazines and newsletters. Regardless of the style guide, I lean towards rules that favor simplicity and eliminating the unnecessary. For example, I’m not a big fan of the Oxford comma. I’m also a stickler for consistency. Once you choose a style rule, you should apply it consistently throughout your work.\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nDangling participles and misplaced modifiers. I often see these in poorly written marketing pitches (and it does make me cringe). The offending sentence usually goes something like this: “As a communications professional who is constantly asked to do more with less, Acme Media understands how important it is for you to spend your PR dollars wisely.” Needless to say, Acme Media is not a communications professional!\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong> <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nI think the words “intentional,” “mindful” and “purposeful” have become overused. It’s a shame because I do like the idea of being purposeful in my life and work. Probably my favorite words are the “the other day.” I always seem to start my blog posts with, “The other day, I…” It’s a good way to begin a story. My advice is to choose words that help your storytelling, which, after all, is what writing is about.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">How do you stretch your writing skills? Do you journal and blog like Jay Morris? Watch this blog next month for more thoughts on writing, and let me know your thoughts in the comments.</span>','On writing:  For Jay Morris, writing is a journey','','inherit','open','open','','3229-revision-v1','','','2016-04-28 09:29:15','2016-04-28 13:29:15','',3229,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/04/3229-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3233,4,'2016-04-28 09:33:15','2016-04-28 13:33:15','We\'ve reached the fourth edition of On Writing, and this time, I asked Jay Morris to share his thoughts. Jay, who runs his own PR consultancy, has an extensive writing background as a journalist and editor. He also writes one of my favorite blogs, The Wayward Journey.<strong>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3230\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"223\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Jay-Morris.jpeg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3230\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Jay-Morris-223x300.jpeg\" alt=\"Jay Morris, CEO, Jay Morris Communications, LLC\" width=\"223\" height=\"300\" /></a> Jay Morris, CEO, Jay Morris Communications, LLC[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Jay Morris</strong> began his career as a newspaper reporter and editor before moving to the Washington area to practice public relations and marketing at several DC-based trade associations. An award-winning communicator, he now manages his own firm, <a href=\"http://jmcomllc.com\" target=\"_blank\">Jay Morris Communications, LLC</a>,  where he helps clients increase their visibility in the marketplace, on Capitol Hill and with members, consumers and stakeholders. He also blogs at <a href=\"https://waywardjourney.com\">The Wayward Journey</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/JayMorCom\" target=\"_blank\">@JayMorCom</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is by far the most important “deliverable” I provide my clients. My projects often begin with a strategic communications assessment, but I almost always end up writing something for the client. It could be web content, a blog post, a press release or a speech—some type of written communication that meets a need and tells the client’s story.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting does matter, and I think it matters even more in a world where there is a way too much mediocre content. If you want to distinguish yourself—if you really want to stand out—you need to be able to communicate effectively. Whether it’s a tweet or a long-form journal article, put some effort into writing it well. Readers will take notice and reward you for it.\r\n\r\n<strong>3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nAn English professor once wrote on one of my papers, “You seem to understand the concepts, but your writing is unpracticed.” That was a bruise to my ego, but I took what he said to heart and worked hard at improving my writing. I practiced writing clearly and concisely. My advice to anyone who wants to write would be the same: practice, practice, practice! Just as musicians and athletes practice for hours each day, writers need to flex their creative muscles, too. Look for ways to stretch your skills, try new forms and experiment with your style and voice. Blogging and journaling are two excellent ways of doing that.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nStrunk &amp; White’s “The Elements of Style,” John Warriner’s “English Grammar and Composition” and Gerald Levin’s “Prose Models” are timeless references worth getting. A good way to perfect your craft is to study authors you admire. Early on, I read nonfiction by John McPhee, Tom Wolfe and Garry Wills, and I read a lot of short story collections. Taking classes or joining a writers group helps, too.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?</strong>\r\n\r\nI’ve always followed the AP Stylebook. It goes back to my journalism days when I worked on a newspaper, then later on magazines and newsletters. Regardless of the style guide, I lean towards rules that favor simplicity and eliminating the unnecessary. For example, I’m not a big fan of the Oxford comma. I’m also a stickler for consistency. Once you choose a style rule, you should apply it consistently throughout your work.\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nDangling participles and misplaced modifiers. I often see these in poorly written marketing pitches (and it does make me cringe). The offending sentence usually goes something like this: “As a communications professional who is constantly asked to do more with less, Acme Media understands how important it is for you to spend your PR dollars wisely.” Needless to say, Acme Media is not a communications professional!\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong> <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nI think the words “intentional,” “mindful” and “purposeful” have become overused. It’s a shame because I do like the idea of being purposeful in my life and work. Probably my favorite words are the “the other day.” I always seem to start my blog posts with, “The other day, I…” It’s a good way to begin a story. My advice is to choose words that help your storytelling, which, after all, is what writing is about.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">How do you stretch your writing skills? Do you journal and blog like Jay Morris? Let me know your thoughts in the comments and watch this blog next month for more thoughts on writing.</span></strong>','On writing:  For Jay Morris, writing is a journey','','inherit','open','open','','3229-revision-v1','','','2016-04-28 09:33:15','2016-04-28 13:33:15','',3229,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/04/3229-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3234,4,'2016-04-28 09:37:37','2016-04-28 13:37:37','We\'ve reached the fourth edition of On Writing, and this time, I asked Jay Morris to share his insights. Jay, who runs his own PR consultancy, has an extensive writing background as a journalist and editor. He also writes one of my favorite blogs, The Wayward Journey.<strong>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3230\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"223\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Jay-Morris.jpeg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3230\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Jay-Morris-223x300.jpeg\" alt=\"Jay Morris, CEO, Jay Morris Communications, LLC\" width=\"223\" height=\"300\" /></a> Jay Morris, CEO, Jay Morris Communications, LLC[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Jay Morris</strong> began his career as a newspaper reporter and editor before moving to the Washington area to practice public relations and marketing at several DC-based trade associations. An award-winning communicator, he now manages his own firm, <a href=\"http://jmcomllc.com\" target=\"_blank\">Jay Morris Communications, LLC</a>,  where he helps clients increase their visibility in the marketplace, on Capitol Hill and with members, consumers and stakeholders. He also blogs at <a href=\"https://waywardjourney.com\">The Wayward Journey</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/JayMorCom\" target=\"_blank\">@JayMorCom</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is by far the most important “deliverable” I provide my clients. My projects often begin with a strategic communications assessment, but I almost always end up writing something for the client. It could be web content, a blog post, a press release or a speech—some type of written communication that meets a need and tells the client’s story.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting does matter, and I think it matters even more in a world where there is a way too much mediocre content. If you want to distinguish yourself—if you really want to stand out—you need to be able to communicate effectively. Whether it’s a tweet or a long-form journal article, put some effort into writing it well. Readers will take notice and reward you for it.\r\n\r\n<strong>3</strong>. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nAn English professor once wrote on one of my papers, “You seem to understand the concepts, but your writing is unpracticed.” That was a bruise to my ego, but I took what he said to heart and worked hard at improving my writing. I practiced writing clearly and concisely. My advice to anyone who wants to write would be the same: practice, practice, practice! Just as musicians and athletes practice for hours each day, writers need to flex their creative muscles, too. Look for ways to stretch your skills, try new forms and experiment with your style and voice. Blogging and journaling are two excellent ways of doing that.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nStrunk &amp; White’s “The Elements of Style,” John Warriner’s “English Grammar and Composition” and Gerald Levin’s “Prose Models” are timeless references worth getting. A good way to perfect your craft is to study authors you admire. Early on, I read nonfiction by John McPhee, Tom Wolfe and Garry Wills, and I read a lot of short story collections. Taking classes or joining a writers group helps, too.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?</strong>\r\n\r\nI’ve always followed the AP Stylebook. It goes back to my journalism days when I worked on a newspaper, then later on magazines and newsletters. Regardless of the style guide, I lean towards rules that favor simplicity and eliminating the unnecessary. For example, I’m not a big fan of the Oxford comma. I’m also a stickler for consistency. Once you choose a style rule, you should apply it consistently throughout your work.\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nDangling participles and misplaced modifiers. I often see these in poorly written marketing pitches (and it does make me cringe). The offending sentence usually goes something like this: “As a communications professional who is constantly asked to do more with less, Acme Media understands how important it is for you to spend your PR dollars wisely.” Needless to say, Acme Media is not a communications professional!\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong> <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nI think the words “intentional,” “mindful” and “purposeful” have become overused. It’s a shame because I do like the idea of being purposeful in my life and work. Probably my favorite words are the “the other day.” I always seem to start my blog posts with, “The other day, I…” It’s a good way to begin a story. My advice is to choose words that help your storytelling, which, after all, is what writing is about.\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">How do you stretch your writing skills? Do you journal and blog like Jay Morris? Let me know your thoughts in the comments and watch this blog next month for more thoughts on writing.</span></strong>','On writing:  For Jay Morris, writing is a journey','','inherit','open','open','','3229-revision-v1','','','2016-04-28 09:37:37','2016-04-28 13:37:37','',3229,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/04/3229-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3249,4,'2016-05-18 13:28:10','2016-05-18 17:28:10','<strong>Social media is easy -- </strong><strong>all you need is quotes</strong>\r\n\r\nLast week, I attended a networking event where a speaker shared her insights about social media, specifically for business (you\'d think that by 2016, everyone has learned all about social media, but I digress).\r\n\r\nThe speaker, a self-proclaimed social media expert who works primarily with small, local businesses, wanted to share with us that \"doing\" social media is not hard. All  you have to do is to provide content. She gave suggestions for the types of \"content\" your business could share--articles you find \"around,\" pictures you take, and her absolute favorite, quotes. Basically, she told us, find a \"cute\" quote and then put together an image featuring said quote and a picture or a background, like this:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/sign-1570201-1279x863.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3246\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/sign-1570201-1279x863-300x202.jpg\" alt=\"sign-1570201-1279x863\" width=\"300\" height=\"202\" /></a>She told us quotes do gangbusters on Facebook. People just love them, and then they \"like\" them and even share them.\r\n\r\nOK, I don\'t have anything against quotes. Sometimes a nice inspirational quote will motivate you or a funny one will make you laugh. We all need quick breaks and reading and sharing a quote is a harmless use of 10 seconds.\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s not about liking or sharing. It\'s about goals.</strong>\r\n\r\nBut, here\'s the thing: why are you on social media? If you are on social media as a business, you are not there simply to get likes or shares. Getting likes or shares is great, but you really are using social media <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">to achieve certain business or communications goals</span>, such as:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Getting people to visit your website</li>\r\n	<li>Establishing your \"thought leadership\"</li>\r\n	<li>Creating a network</li>\r\n	<li>\"Engaging\" with your customers and potential customers</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Start with why</strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Simon Sinek, \"start with why.\"\r\n\r\n<em>(See what I did there?)</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>What are you trying to accomplish?</strong>\r\n\r\nIf all you are trying to accomplish is being social or having fun, then go ahead, share all the quotes and funny pictures you want. Get all sorts of likes and shares, and feel good about yourself.\r\n\r\nHowever, if you are trying to accomplish business goals, then be clear on what those are and figure out how to get there. Perhaps sharing an article from your CEO about the issue your service solves, and which links back to your website, gets you both website visits and thought leadership.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do you know why you are social media? Do you have specific goals for your social media?</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','You don\'t want shares or likes','','inherit','open','open','','3245-revision-v1','','','2016-05-18 13:28:10','2016-05-18 17:28:10','',3245,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/05/3245-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3237,4,'2016-05-11 09:16:11','2016-05-11 13:16:11','<strong>An exponential mistake?</strong>\r\n\r\nSeveral years ago, when I was just starting out, I was hired by a new client to write a sales pitch letter. The letter would promote a hotel reservations software that the client was selling to small (non-chain, independent) hotels.\r\n\r\nThe client hated the letter I wrote. He didn\'t even want to pay me for it! His main complaint was that I used language the hotel owners wouldn\'t understand. Specifically, I had used the term \"exponential growth,\" and the client thought most people would not understand the word \"exponential.\" I was completely taken aback. To me, \"exponential growth\" sounded good. You\'d want your business to experience it by simply buying a new software, right?\r\n\r\nWhether this client was right or not about \"exponential,\" the takeaway is that you have to use the language that your audience will get. If your audience talks at a sixth-grade level, you can\'t use university-level language and hope they understand what you are saying.\r\n\r\n<strong>Trump gets it (or maybe doesn\'t know better)</strong>\r\n\r\nAccording to the article<a href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/05/03/donald-trump-speaks-like-a-sixth-grader-all-politicians-should/?hpid=hp_no-name_opinion-card-b%3Ahomepage%2Fstory\" target=\"_blank\"> \"Donald Trump Speaks Like a Sixth Grader. All Politicians Should,\"</a> by Allison Jane Smith and published this past Sunday in the <em>Washington Post</em>, part of Trump\'s success in the presidential primaries can be attributed to his ability to communicate with the swath of Americans who have low literacy skills. As you probably have heard, Trump always uses simple words, and repeats them constantly.\r\n\r\nSmith writes:\r\n<blockquote>When speaking to or writing for a broad audience, it’s a best practice to speak at <a href=\"https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nngroup.com_articles_writing-2Dfor-2Dlower-2Dliteracy-2Dusers_&amp;d=DQMFaQ&amp;c=RAhzPLrCAq19eJdrcQiUVEwFYoMRqGDAXQ_puw5tYjg&amp;r=zZ-ULk44Cmdk_g8Nibpw-jVetFWF8cmowsSgSjx8dqw&amp;m=7AfRpjsOnVI_ZEC6jBQ9FnZV0gBeqSEG23lz607jcss&amp;s=2WqK0yBJL6ATX9FTRytK72bllmhEvwifCk6_6rogEfs&amp;e=\" data-xslt=\"_http\">an eighth-grade reading level</a>. More than 40 percent of Americans have only basic literary skills, according to a <a href=\"https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__nces.ed.gov_naal_kf-5Fdemographics.asp&amp;d=DQMFaQ&amp;c=RAhzPLrCAq19eJdrcQiUVEwFYoMRqGDAXQ_puw5tYjg&amp;r=zZ-ULk44Cmdk_g8Nibpw-jVetFWF8cmowsSgSjx8dqw&amp;m=7AfRpjsOnVI_ZEC6jBQ9FnZV0gBeqSEG23lz607jcss&amp;s=ICSe7uE6Xl_lsnGKWuWOfb-0nKnYsEaKbkYa6g3i5pk&amp;e=\" data-xslt=\"_http\">2003 assessment</a>. And even highly educated people prefer to read <a href=\"https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nngroup.com_articles_legibility-2Dreadability-2Dcomprehension_&amp;d=DQMFaQ&amp;c=RAhzPLrCAq19eJdrcQiUVEwFYoMRqGDAXQ_puw5tYjg&amp;r=zZ-ULk44Cmdk_g8Nibpw-jVetFWF8cmowsSgSjx8dqw&amp;m=7AfRpjsOnVI_ZEC6jBQ9FnZV0gBeqSEG23lz607jcss&amp;s=JY4Qiz63BhGQh0QJYH0zRSu3pPXUj2MFkxBnzkSmPxs&amp;e=\" data-xslt=\"_http\">below</a> their formal education level.</blockquote>\r\n<strong>Adjust your language</strong>\r\n\r\nIn other words, speakers (and writers) who want to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">communicate more widely</span> would do better to simplify. Using big words when most people don\'t get them will only hurt your cause, perhaps exponentially.\r\n\r\nOf course, if you are trying to communicate more narrowly, or to a very sophisticated audience, you will have to adjust your language accordingly.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Your job as a communicator is to make sure your audience gets you.</span>\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Have you ever read marketing material that you didn\'t understand? Do you think it was a language choice issue? Let me know in the comments.</span></strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Does your audience get you?','','publish','open','open','','does-your-audience-get-you','','','2016-05-11 09:19:12','2016-05-11 13:19:12','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3237',0,'post','',0),
(3238,4,'2016-05-10 15:55:26','2016-05-10 19:55:26','A few years ago, when I was just starting, I was hired by a new client to write a sales pitch letter. The letter would promote a hotel reservations software that the client was selling to small (non-chain, probably independent) hotels.\r\n\r\nThe client hated the letter I wrote. He didn\'t even want to pay me for it! His main complaint was that I used language the hotel owners wouldn\'t understand. Specifically, I had used the term \"exponential growth,\" and the client thought most people would get the word \"exponential.\" I was completely taken aback. To me, \"exponential growth\" sounded good. You\'d want your business to experience it by simply buying a new software, right?','Does your audience get you?','','inherit','open','open','','3237-revision-v1','','','2016-05-10 15:55:26','2016-05-10 19:55:26','',3237,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/05/3237-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3239,4,'2016-05-10 17:06:54','2016-05-10 21:06:54','A few years ago, when I was just starting, I was hired by a new client to write a sales pitch letter. The letter would promote a hotel reservations software that the client was selling to small (non-chain, independent) hotels.\r\n\r\nThe client hated the letter I wrote. He didn\'t even want to pay me for it! His main complaint was that I used language the hotel owners wouldn\'t understand. Specifically, I had used the term \"exponential growth,\" and the client thought most people would get the word \"exponential.\" I was completely taken aback. To me, \"exponential growth\" sounded good. You\'d want your business to experience it by simply buying a new software, right?\r\n\r\nWhether this client was right or not about \"exponential,\" the takeaway is that you have to use the language that your audience will get. If your audience talks at a sixth-grade level, you can\'t use university-level language and hope they understand what you are saying.\r\n\r\nAccording to the article<a href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/05/03/donald-trump-speaks-like-a-sixth-grader-all-politicians-should/?hpid=hp_no-name_opinion-card-b%3Ahomepage%2Fstory\" target=\"_blank\"> \"Donald Trump Speaks Like a Sixth Grader. All Politicians Should,\"</a> by Allison Jane Smith and published this past Sunday in the <em>Washington Post</em>, part of Trump\'s success in the presidential primaries can be attributed to his ability to communicate with the swath of Americans who have low literacy skills. Trump always uses simple words, and repeats them constantly.\r\n\r\nSmith writes:\r\n<blockquote>When speaking to or writing for a broad audience, it’s a best practice to speak at <a href=\"https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nngroup.com_articles_writing-2Dfor-2Dlower-2Dliteracy-2Dusers_&amp;d=DQMFaQ&amp;c=RAhzPLrCAq19eJdrcQiUVEwFYoMRqGDAXQ_puw5tYjg&amp;r=zZ-ULk44Cmdk_g8Nibpw-jVetFWF8cmowsSgSjx8dqw&amp;m=7AfRpjsOnVI_ZEC6jBQ9FnZV0gBeqSEG23lz607jcss&amp;s=2WqK0yBJL6ATX9FTRytK72bllmhEvwifCk6_6rogEfs&amp;e=\" data-xslt=\"_http\">an eighth-grade reading level</a>. More than 40 percent of Americans have only basic literary skills, according to a <a href=\"https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__nces.ed.gov_naal_kf-5Fdemographics.asp&amp;d=DQMFaQ&amp;c=RAhzPLrCAq19eJdrcQiUVEwFYoMRqGDAXQ_puw5tYjg&amp;r=zZ-ULk44Cmdk_g8Nibpw-jVetFWF8cmowsSgSjx8dqw&amp;m=7AfRpjsOnVI_ZEC6jBQ9FnZV0gBeqSEG23lz607jcss&amp;s=ICSe7uE6Xl_lsnGKWuWOfb-0nKnYsEaKbkYa6g3i5pk&amp;e=\" data-xslt=\"_http\">2003 assessment</a>. And even highly educated people prefer to read <a href=\"https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nngroup.com_articles_legibility-2Dreadability-2Dcomprehension_&amp;d=DQMFaQ&amp;c=RAhzPLrCAq19eJdrcQiUVEwFYoMRqGDAXQ_puw5tYjg&amp;r=zZ-ULk44Cmdk_g8Nibpw-jVetFWF8cmowsSgSjx8dqw&amp;m=7AfRpjsOnVI_ZEC6jBQ9FnZV0gBeqSEG23lz607jcss&amp;s=JY4Qiz63BhGQh0QJYH0zRSu3pPXUj2MFkxBnzkSmPxs&amp;e=\" data-xslt=\"_http\">below</a> their formal education level.</blockquote>\r\nIn other words, speakers (and writers) who want to communicate more widely would do better to simplify. Using big words when most people don\'t get them will only hurt your cause, perhaps exponentially.\r\n\r\nOf course, if you are trying to communicate more narrowly, or to a very sophisticated audience, you will have to adjust your language accordingly.\r\n\r\nHave you ever read marketing material that you didn\'t understand? Do you think it was a language choice issue? Let me know in the comments.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Does your audience get you?','','inherit','open','open','','3237-revision-v1','','','2016-05-10 17:06:54','2016-05-10 21:06:54','',3237,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/05/3237-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3240,4,'2016-05-11 09:16:11','2016-05-11 13:16:11','Several years ago, when I was just starting out, I was hired by a new client to write a sales pitch letter. The letter would promote a hotel reservations software that the client was selling to small (non-chain, independent) hotels.\r\n\r\nThe client hated the letter I wrote. He didn\'t even want to pay me for it! His main complaint was that I used language the hotel owners wouldn\'t understand. Specifically, I had used the term \"exponential growth,\" and the client thought most people would not understand the word \"exponential.\" I was completely taken aback. To me, \"exponential growth\" sounded good. You\'d want your business to experience it by simply buying a new software, right?\r\n\r\nWhether this client was right or not about \"exponential,\" the takeaway is that you have to use the language that your audience will get. If your audience talks at a sixth-grade level, you can\'t use university-level language and hope they understand what you are saying.\r\n\r\nAccording to the article<a href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/05/03/donald-trump-speaks-like-a-sixth-grader-all-politicians-should/?hpid=hp_no-name_opinion-card-b%3Ahomepage%2Fstory\" target=\"_blank\"> \"Donald Trump Speaks Like a Sixth Grader. All Politicians Should,\"</a> by Allison Jane Smith and published this past Sunday in the <em>Washington Post</em>, part of Trump\'s success in the presidential primaries can be attributed to his ability to communicate with the swath of Americans who have low literacy skills. As you probably have heard, Trump always uses simple words, and repeats them constantly.\r\n\r\nSmith writes:\r\n<blockquote>When speaking to or writing for a broad audience, it’s a best practice to speak at <a href=\"https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nngroup.com_articles_writing-2Dfor-2Dlower-2Dliteracy-2Dusers_&amp;d=DQMFaQ&amp;c=RAhzPLrCAq19eJdrcQiUVEwFYoMRqGDAXQ_puw5tYjg&amp;r=zZ-ULk44Cmdk_g8Nibpw-jVetFWF8cmowsSgSjx8dqw&amp;m=7AfRpjsOnVI_ZEC6jBQ9FnZV0gBeqSEG23lz607jcss&amp;s=2WqK0yBJL6ATX9FTRytK72bllmhEvwifCk6_6rogEfs&amp;e=\" data-xslt=\"_http\">an eighth-grade reading level</a>. More than 40 percent of Americans have only basic literary skills, according to a <a href=\"https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__nces.ed.gov_naal_kf-5Fdemographics.asp&amp;d=DQMFaQ&amp;c=RAhzPLrCAq19eJdrcQiUVEwFYoMRqGDAXQ_puw5tYjg&amp;r=zZ-ULk44Cmdk_g8Nibpw-jVetFWF8cmowsSgSjx8dqw&amp;m=7AfRpjsOnVI_ZEC6jBQ9FnZV0gBeqSEG23lz607jcss&amp;s=ICSe7uE6Xl_lsnGKWuWOfb-0nKnYsEaKbkYa6g3i5pk&amp;e=\" data-xslt=\"_http\">2003 assessment</a>. And even highly educated people prefer to read <a href=\"https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nngroup.com_articles_legibility-2Dreadability-2Dcomprehension_&amp;d=DQMFaQ&amp;c=RAhzPLrCAq19eJdrcQiUVEwFYoMRqGDAXQ_puw5tYjg&amp;r=zZ-ULk44Cmdk_g8Nibpw-jVetFWF8cmowsSgSjx8dqw&amp;m=7AfRpjsOnVI_ZEC6jBQ9FnZV0gBeqSEG23lz607jcss&amp;s=JY4Qiz63BhGQh0QJYH0zRSu3pPXUj2MFkxBnzkSmPxs&amp;e=\" data-xslt=\"_http\">below</a> their formal education level.</blockquote>\r\nIn other words, speakers (and writers) who want to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">communicate more widely</span> would do better to simplify. Using big words when most people don\'t get them will only hurt your cause, perhaps exponentially.\r\n\r\nOf course, if you are trying to communicate more narrowly, or to a very sophisticated audience, you will have to adjust your language accordingly.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Your job as a communicator is to make sure your audience gets you.</span>\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Have you ever read marketing material that you didn\'t understand? Do you think it was a language choice issue? Let me know in the comments.</span></strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Does your audience get you?','','inherit','open','open','','3237-revision-v1','','','2016-05-11 09:16:11','2016-05-11 13:16:11','',3237,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/05/3237-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3241,4,'2016-05-11 09:18:28','2016-05-11 13:18:28','An exponential mistake?\n\nSeveral years ago, when I was just starting out, I was hired by a new client to write a sales pitch letter. The letter would promote a hotel reservations software that the client was selling to small (non-chain, independent) hotels.\n\nThe client hated the letter I wrote. He didn\'t even want to pay me for it! His main complaint was that I used language the hotel owners wouldn\'t understand. Specifically, I had used the term \"exponential growth,\" and the client thought most people would not understand the word \"exponential.\" I was completely taken aback. To me, \"exponential growth\" sounded good. You\'d want your business to experience it by simply buying a new software, right?\n\nWhether this client was right or not about \"exponential,\" the takeaway is that you have to use the language that your audience will get. If your audience talks at a sixth-grade level, you can\'t use university-level language and hope they understand what you are saying.\n\n<strong>Trump gets it (or maybe doesn\'t know better)</strong>\n\nAccording to the article<a href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/05/03/donald-trump-speaks-like-a-sixth-grader-all-politicians-should/?hpid=hp_no-name_opinion-card-b%3Ahomepage%2Fstory\" target=\"_blank\"> \"Donald Trump Speaks Like a Sixth Grader. All Politicians Should,\"</a> by Allison Jane Smith and published this past Sunday in the <em>Washington Post</em>, part of Trump\'s success in the presidential primaries can be attributed to his ability to communicate with the swath of Americans who have low literacy skills. As you probably have heard, Trump always uses simple words, and repeats them constantly.\n\nSmith writes:\n<blockquote>When speaking to or writing for a broad audience, it’s a best practice to speak at <a href=\"https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nngroup.com_articles_writing-2Dfor-2Dlower-2Dliteracy-2Dusers_&amp;d=DQMFaQ&amp;c=RAhzPLrCAq19eJdrcQiUVEwFYoMRqGDAXQ_puw5tYjg&amp;r=zZ-ULk44Cmdk_g8Nibpw-jVetFWF8cmowsSgSjx8dqw&amp;m=7AfRpjsOnVI_ZEC6jBQ9FnZV0gBeqSEG23lz607jcss&amp;s=2WqK0yBJL6ATX9FTRytK72bllmhEvwifCk6_6rogEfs&amp;e=\" data-xslt=\"_http\">an eighth-grade reading level</a>. More than 40 percent of Americans have only basic literary skills, according to a <a href=\"https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__nces.ed.gov_naal_kf-5Fdemographics.asp&amp;d=DQMFaQ&amp;c=RAhzPLrCAq19eJdrcQiUVEwFYoMRqGDAXQ_puw5tYjg&amp;r=zZ-ULk44Cmdk_g8Nibpw-jVetFWF8cmowsSgSjx8dqw&amp;m=7AfRpjsOnVI_ZEC6jBQ9FnZV0gBeqSEG23lz607jcss&amp;s=ICSe7uE6Xl_lsnGKWuWOfb-0nKnYsEaKbkYa6g3i5pk&amp;e=\" data-xslt=\"_http\">2003 assessment</a>. And even highly educated people prefer to read <a href=\"https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nngroup.com_articles_legibility-2Dreadability-2Dcomprehension_&amp;d=DQMFaQ&amp;c=RAhzPLrCAq19eJdrcQiUVEwFYoMRqGDAXQ_puw5tYjg&amp;r=zZ-ULk44Cmdk_g8Nibpw-jVetFWF8cmowsSgSjx8dqw&amp;m=7AfRpjsOnVI_ZEC6jBQ9FnZV0gBeqSEG23lz607jcss&amp;s=JY4Qiz63BhGQh0QJYH0zRSu3pPXUj2MFkxBnzkSmPxs&amp;e=\" data-xslt=\"_http\">below</a> their formal education level.</blockquote>\nIn other words, speakers (and writers) who want to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">communicate more widely</span> would do better to simplify. Using big words when most people don\'t get them will only hurt your cause, perhaps exponentially.\n\nOf course, if you are trying to communicate more narrowly, or to a very sophisticated audience, you will have to adjust your language accordingly.\n\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Your job as a communicator is to make sure your audience gets you.</span>\n\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Have you ever read marketing material that you didn\'t understand? Do you think it was a language choice issue? Let me know in the comments.</span></strong>\n\n&nbsp;','Does your audience get you?','','inherit','open','open','','3237-autosave-v1','','','2016-05-11 09:18:28','2016-05-11 13:18:28','',3237,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/05/3237-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3242,4,'2016-05-11 09:19:12','2016-05-11 13:19:12','<strong>An exponential mistake?</strong>\r\n\r\nSeveral years ago, when I was just starting out, I was hired by a new client to write a sales pitch letter. The letter would promote a hotel reservations software that the client was selling to small (non-chain, independent) hotels.\r\n\r\nThe client hated the letter I wrote. He didn\'t even want to pay me for it! His main complaint was that I used language the hotel owners wouldn\'t understand. Specifically, I had used the term \"exponential growth,\" and the client thought most people would not understand the word \"exponential.\" I was completely taken aback. To me, \"exponential growth\" sounded good. You\'d want your business to experience it by simply buying a new software, right?\r\n\r\nWhether this client was right or not about \"exponential,\" the takeaway is that you have to use the language that your audience will get. If your audience talks at a sixth-grade level, you can\'t use university-level language and hope they understand what you are saying.\r\n\r\n<strong>Trump gets it (or maybe doesn\'t know better)</strong>\r\n\r\nAccording to the article<a href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/05/03/donald-trump-speaks-like-a-sixth-grader-all-politicians-should/?hpid=hp_no-name_opinion-card-b%3Ahomepage%2Fstory\" target=\"_blank\"> \"Donald Trump Speaks Like a Sixth Grader. All Politicians Should,\"</a> by Allison Jane Smith and published this past Sunday in the <em>Washington Post</em>, part of Trump\'s success in the presidential primaries can be attributed to his ability to communicate with the swath of Americans who have low literacy skills. As you probably have heard, Trump always uses simple words, and repeats them constantly.\r\n\r\nSmith writes:\r\n<blockquote>When speaking to or writing for a broad audience, it’s a best practice to speak at <a href=\"https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nngroup.com_articles_writing-2Dfor-2Dlower-2Dliteracy-2Dusers_&amp;d=DQMFaQ&amp;c=RAhzPLrCAq19eJdrcQiUVEwFYoMRqGDAXQ_puw5tYjg&amp;r=zZ-ULk44Cmdk_g8Nibpw-jVetFWF8cmowsSgSjx8dqw&amp;m=7AfRpjsOnVI_ZEC6jBQ9FnZV0gBeqSEG23lz607jcss&amp;s=2WqK0yBJL6ATX9FTRytK72bllmhEvwifCk6_6rogEfs&amp;e=\" data-xslt=\"_http\">an eighth-grade reading level</a>. More than 40 percent of Americans have only basic literary skills, according to a <a href=\"https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__nces.ed.gov_naal_kf-5Fdemographics.asp&amp;d=DQMFaQ&amp;c=RAhzPLrCAq19eJdrcQiUVEwFYoMRqGDAXQ_puw5tYjg&amp;r=zZ-ULk44Cmdk_g8Nibpw-jVetFWF8cmowsSgSjx8dqw&amp;m=7AfRpjsOnVI_ZEC6jBQ9FnZV0gBeqSEG23lz607jcss&amp;s=ICSe7uE6Xl_lsnGKWuWOfb-0nKnYsEaKbkYa6g3i5pk&amp;e=\" data-xslt=\"_http\">2003 assessment</a>. And even highly educated people prefer to read <a href=\"https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nngroup.com_articles_legibility-2Dreadability-2Dcomprehension_&amp;d=DQMFaQ&amp;c=RAhzPLrCAq19eJdrcQiUVEwFYoMRqGDAXQ_puw5tYjg&amp;r=zZ-ULk44Cmdk_g8Nibpw-jVetFWF8cmowsSgSjx8dqw&amp;m=7AfRpjsOnVI_ZEC6jBQ9FnZV0gBeqSEG23lz607jcss&amp;s=JY4Qiz63BhGQh0QJYH0zRSu3pPXUj2MFkxBnzkSmPxs&amp;e=\" data-xslt=\"_http\">below</a> their formal education level.</blockquote>\r\n<strong>Adjust your language</strong>\r\n\r\nIn other words, speakers (and writers) who want to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">communicate more widely</span> would do better to simplify. Using big words when most people don\'t get them will only hurt your cause, perhaps exponentially.\r\n\r\nOf course, if you are trying to communicate more narrowly, or to a very sophisticated audience, you will have to adjust your language accordingly.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Your job as a communicator is to make sure your audience gets you.</span>\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Have you ever read marketing material that you didn\'t understand? Do you think it was a language choice issue? Let me know in the comments.</span></strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Does your audience get you?','','inherit','open','open','','3237-revision-v1','','','2016-05-11 09:19:12','2016-05-11 13:19:12','',3237,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/05/3237-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3296,4,'2016-07-26 11:04:12','2016-07-26 15:04:12','','Leslie_OFLAHAVAN','Leslie O\'Flahavan, E-Write','inherit','open','open','','leslie_oflahavan','','','2016-07-26 11:04:52','2016-07-26 15:04:52','',3295,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Leslie_OFLAHAVAN.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(3245,4,'2016-05-18 10:00:05','2016-05-18 14:00:05','<strong>Social media is easy -- </strong><strong>all you need is quotes</strong>\r\n\r\nLast week, I attended a networking event where a speaker shared her insights about social media, specifically for business (you\'d think that by 2016, everyone has learned all about social media, but I digress).\r\n\r\nThe speaker, a self-proclaimed social media expert who works primarily with small, local businesses, wanted to share with us that \"doing\" social media is not hard. All  you have to do is to provide content. She gave suggestions for the types of \"content\" your business could share--articles you find \"around,\" pictures you take, and her absolute favorite, quotes. Basically, she told us, find a \"cute\" quote and then put together an image featuring said quote and a picture or a background, like this:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/sign-1570201-1279x863.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3246\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/sign-1570201-1279x863-300x202.jpg\" alt=\"sign-1570201-1279x863\" width=\"300\" height=\"202\" /></a>She told us quotes do gangbusters on Facebook. People just love them, and then they \"like\" them and even share them.\r\n\r\nOK, I don\'t have anything against quotes. Sometimes a nice inspirational quote will motivate you or a funny one will make you laugh. We all need quick breaks and reading and sharing a quote is a harmless use of 10 seconds.\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s not about liking or sharing. It\'s about goals.</strong>\r\n\r\nBut, here\'s the thing: why are you on social media? If you are on social media as a business, you are not there simply to get likes or shares. Getting likes or shares is great, but you really are using social media <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">to achieve certain business or communications goals</span>, such as:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Getting people to visit your website</li>\r\n	<li>Establishing your \"thought leadership\"</li>\r\n	<li>Creating a network</li>\r\n	<li>\"Engaging\" with your customers and potential customers</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Start with why</strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Simon Sinek, \"start with why.\"\r\n\r\n<em>(See what I did there?)</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>What are you trying to accomplish?</strong>\r\n\r\nIf all you are trying to accomplish is being social or having fun, then go ahead, share all the quotes and funny pictures you want. Get all sorts of likes and shares, and feel good about yourself.\r\n\r\nHowever, if you are trying to accomplish business goals, then be clear on what those are and figure out how to get there. Perhaps sharing an article from your CEO about the issue your service solves, and which links back to your website, gets you both website visits and thought leadership.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do you know why you are social media? Do you have specific goals for your social media?</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','You don\'t want shares or likes','','publish','open','open','','you-dont-want-shares-or-likes','','','2016-05-18 13:28:10','2016-05-18 17:28:10','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3245',0,'post','',0),
(3246,4,'2016-05-18 09:48:20','2016-05-18 13:48:20','','sign-1570201-1279x863','','inherit','open','open','','sign-1570201-1279x863','','','2016-05-18 09:48:20','2016-05-18 13:48:20','',3245,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/sign-1570201-1279x863.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(3247,4,'2016-05-18 09:53:26','2016-05-18 13:53:26','<strong>Social media is easy -- </strong><strong>all you need is quotes</strong>\r\n\r\nLast week, I attended a networking event where a speaker shared her insights about social media, specifically for business (you would think that by 2016, everyone has learned all about social media, but I digress).\r\n\r\nThe speaker, a self-proclaimed social media expert who works primarily with small, local businesses, wanted to share with us that \"doing\" social media is not hard. All  you have to do is to provide content. She gave suggestions for the types of \"content\" your business could share--articles you find \"around,\" pictures you take, and her absolute favorite, quotes. Basically, she told us, find a \"cute\" quote and then put together an image featuring said quote and a picture or a background (which you can buy on Canva for a couple dollars), kind of like this:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/sign-1570201-1279x863.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3246\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/sign-1570201-1279x863-300x202.jpg\" alt=\"sign-1570201-1279x863\" width=\"300\" height=\"202\" /></a>She told us quotes do gangbusters on Facebook. People just love them, and then they \"like\" them and even share them.\r\n\r\nOK, I don\'t have anything against quotes. Sometimes a nice inspirational quote will motivate you or a funny one will make you laugh. We all need quick breaks and reading and sharing a quote is a harmless use of 10 seconds.\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s not about liking or sharing. It\'s about goals.</strong>\r\n\r\nBut, here\'s the thing: why are you on social media? If you are on social media as a business, you are not there to get likes or shares. Getting likes or shares is great, but you really are using social media <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">to achieve certain business or communications goals</span>, such as:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Getting people to visit your website</li>\r\n	<li>Establishing your \"thought leadership\"</li>\r\n	<li>Creating a network</li>\r\n	<li>\"Engaging\" with your customers and potential customers</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Start with why</strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote (see what I did there?) Simon Sinek, \"start with why.\"\r\n\r\n<strong>What are you trying to accomplish?</strong>\r\n\r\nIf all you are trying to accomplish is being social, then go ahead, share all the quotes and funny pictures you want. Get all sorts of likes and shares, and feel good about yourself.\r\n\r\nHowever, if you are trying to accomplish business goals, then be clear on what those are and figure out how to get there. Perhaps sharing an article that links back to your website gets you both website visits and thought leadership.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do you know why you are social media? Do you have specific goals for your social media?</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','You don\'t want shares or likes','','inherit','open','open','','3245-revision-v1','','','2016-05-18 09:53:26','2016-05-18 13:53:26','',3245,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/05/3245-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3248,4,'2016-05-18 09:57:50','2016-05-18 13:57:50','<strong>Social media is easy -- </strong><strong>all you need is quotes</strong>\r\n\r\nLast week, I attended a networking event where a speaker shared her insights about social media, specifically for business (you would think that by 2016, everyone has learned all about social media, but I digress).\r\n\r\nThe speaker, a self-proclaimed social media expert who works primarily with small, local businesses, wanted to share with us that \"doing\" social media is not hard. All  you have to do is to provide content. She gave suggestions for the types of \"content\" your business could share--articles you find \"around,\" pictures you take, and her absolute favorite, quotes. Basically, she told us, find a \"cute\" quote and then put together an image featuring said quote and a picture or a background, like this:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/sign-1570201-1279x863.jpg\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3246\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/sign-1570201-1279x863-300x202.jpg\" alt=\"sign-1570201-1279x863\" width=\"300\" height=\"202\" /></a>She told us quotes do gangbusters on Facebook. People just love them, and then they \"like\" them and even share them.\r\n\r\nOK, I don\'t have anything against quotes. Sometimes a nice inspirational quote will motivate you or a funny one will make you laugh. We all need quick breaks and reading and sharing a quote is a harmless use of 10 seconds.\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s not about liking or sharing. It\'s about goals.</strong>\r\n\r\nBut, here\'s the thing: why are you on social media? If you are on social media as a business, you are not there to get likes or shares. Getting likes or shares is great, but you really are using social media <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">to achieve certain business or communications goals</span>, such as:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Getting people to visit your website</li>\r\n	<li>Establishing your \"thought leadership\"</li>\r\n	<li>Creating a network</li>\r\n	<li>\"Engaging\" with your customers and potential customers</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Start with why</strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Simon Sinek, \"start with why.\"\r\n\r\n<em>(See what I did there?)</em>\r\n\r\n<strong>What are you trying to accomplish?</strong>\r\n\r\nIf all you are trying to accomplish is being social or having fun, then go ahead, share all the quotes and funny pictures you want. Get all sorts of likes and shares, and feel good about yourself.\r\n\r\nHowever, if you are trying to accomplish business goals, then be clear on what those are and figure out how to get there. Perhaps sharing an article from your CEO about the issue your service solves, and which links back to your website, gets you both website visits and thought leadership.\r\n\r\n<strong>Do you know why you are social media? Do you have specific goals for your social media?</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','You don\'t want shares or likes','','inherit','open','open','','3245-revision-v1','','','2016-05-18 09:57:50','2016-05-18 13:57:50','',3245,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/05/3245-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3252,4,'2016-05-25 17:05:47','2016-05-25 21:05:47','','Brad Phillips ','Brad Phillips','inherit','open','open','','brad-phillips-headshot-mini','','','2016-05-25 17:06:12','2016-05-25 21:06:12','',3251,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Brad-Phillips-Headshot-Mini.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(3253,4,'2016-05-25 17:08:46','2016-05-25 21:08:46','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3252\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Brad-Phillips-Headshot-Mini.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3252 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Brad-Phillips-Headshot-Mini-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Brad Phillips\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" /></a> Brad Phillips[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Name:</strong>   Brad Phillips\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization</strong>:   Phillips Media Relations, LLC\r\n\r\n<strong>Website:</strong> <a href=\"http://www.MrMediaTraining.com\">www.MrMediaTraining.com</a> and <a href=\"http://www.PhillipsMediaRelations.com\">www.PhillipsMediaRelations.com</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> @MrMediaTraining\r\n\r\nBrad Phillips is the president of Phillips Media Relations, a media and presentation training firm with offices in NYC and DC. Before founding his firm in 2004, he was a journalist with ABC News and CNN. Phillips is the author of <em>The Media Training Bible</em>, an Amazon #1 Public Relations best seller, the new book <em>101 Ways to Open a Speech</em>, and the Mr. Media Training blog, the world\'s most-visited media training website.\r\n<h1></h1>\r\n1. <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is critical for our firm and touches all parts of our work. Our books help introduce potential clients to our work for a modest cost, and our blog—which posts fresh content at least weekly—does the same for free. Our writing also influences our training sessions; sharply written media interview practice questions often elicit surprising responses, which allow us to discuss better approaches with the client. In terms of its overall importance as a skill, I can’t think of many others that are more important. Framing your ideas well—particularly in a business dependent upon the written word—is non-negotiable.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nWhen I first joined Twitter in 2009, I feared that it would hasten grammar’s demise, or at least its relative importance. To my surprise, I found that the challenge of reducing thoughts to a compelling 140 characters tightened my writing in other places, too. Like so many things, writing can both thrive and suffer in a digital world.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nThe best advice may also be the most obvious: the greatest writing lives in the editing. For example, my preference is to frame a blog post in my mind before writing, hammer it out quickly, and then spend the majority of my time cleaning it up, moving pieces around, and tightening the writing.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t have any specific writing resources, but try to pay attention to other bloggers. For some reason, blog posts are the perfect length for me. I’ve always struggled with longer-form writing, which is why I organized <em>The Media Training Bible </em>as 101 two-page lessons rather than, say, eight main chapters containing 25 pages each.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nI’ve never felt a compelling need to marry myself to a single style guide; even the editor for my books relied on Chicago style but modified it to meet our needs. This is one of those areas in which it’s helpful to know the rules in order to know how and when to break them. More important than stringent rules to me is making sure my choices are grammatically defensible.\r\n\r\n6. <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy biggest pet peeve is when writers include unnecessary words. A few extraneous phrases in an effort to achieve a friendlier tone is one thing. But when it’s pervasive throughout someone’s writing, I click away from their post.\r\n\r\n7. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word is “yes,” not when offered in an unthinking or overly compliant way, but when someone agrees to take on a challenge with determination and enthusiasm. My least favorite is “like” when used as verbal filler.','On writing: Brad Phillips trains ','','inherit','open','open','','3251-revision-v1','','','2016-05-25 17:08:46','2016-05-25 21:08:46','',3251,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/05/3251-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3254,4,'2016-05-26 08:43:48','2016-05-26 12:43:48','One of the blogs on my must-read list is <a href=\"http://www.mrmediatraining.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Mr. Media Training</a>, written by Brad Phillips.  I\'ve been reading Brad\'s insights on media and communications for years. Brad truly is a born blogger, and a great communicator, so naturally, I wanted to him to share this thoughts on writing.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3252\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Brad-Phillips-Headshot-Mini.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3252 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Brad-Phillips-Headshot-Mini-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Brad Phillips\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" /></a> Brad Phillips, president, Phillips Media Relations[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>B</strong><strong>rad Phillips</strong> is the president of <a href=\"http://www.phillipsmediarelations.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Phillips Media Relations</a>, a media and presentation training firm with offices in New York City and Washington, DC. Before founding his firm in 2004, he was a journalist with ABC News and CNN. Phillips is the author of <em>The Media Training Bible</em>, an Amazon #1 Public Relations best seller, the new book <em>101 Ways to Open a Speech</em>, and the Mr. Media Training blog, the world\'s most-visited media training website.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/mrmediatraining\" target=\"_blank\">@MrMediaTraining</a>\r\n\r\n1. <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is critical for our firm and touches all parts of our work. Our books help introduce potential clients to our work for a modest cost, and our blog—which posts fresh content at least weekly—does the same for free. Our writing also influences our training sessions; sharply written media interview practice questions often elicit surprising responses, which allow us to discuss better approaches with the client. In terms of its overall importance as a skill, I can’t think of many others that are more important. Framing your ideas well—particularly in a business dependent upon the written word—is non-negotiable.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nWhen I first joined Twitter in 2009, I feared that it would hasten grammar’s demise, or at least its relative importance. To my surprise, I found that the challenge of reducing thoughts to a compelling 140 characters tightened my writing in other places, too. Like so many things, writing can both thrive and suffer in a digital world.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nThe best advice may also be the most obvious: the greatest writing lives in the editing. For example, my preference is to frame a blog post in my mind before writing, hammer it out quickly, and then spend the majority of my time cleaning it up, moving pieces around, and tightening the writing.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t have any specific writing resources, but try to pay attention to other bloggers. For some reason, blog posts are the perfect length for me. I’ve always struggled with longer-form writing, which is why I organized <em>The Media Training Bible </em>as 101 two-page lessons rather than, say, eight main chapters containing 25 pages each.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nI’ve never felt a compelling need to marry myself to a single style guide; even the editor for my books relied on Chicago style but modified it to meet our needs. This is one of those areas in which it’s helpful to know the rules in order to know how and when to break them. More important than stringent rules to me is making sure my choices are grammatically defensible.\r\n\r\n6. <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy biggest pet peeve is when writers include unnecessary words. A few extraneous phrases in an effort to achieve a friendlier tone is one thing. But when it’s pervasive throughout someone’s writing, I click away from their post.\r\n\r\n7. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word is “yes,” not when offered in an unthinking or overly compliant way, but when someone agrees to take on a challenge with determination and enthusiasm. My least favorite is “like” when used as verbal filler.','On writing: Brad Phillips trains ','','inherit','open','open','','3251-revision-v1','','','2016-05-26 08:43:48','2016-05-26 12:43:48','',3251,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/05/3251-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3255,4,'2016-05-26 08:45:10','2016-05-26 12:45:10','One of the blogs on my must-read list is <a href=\"http://www.mrmediatraining.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Mr. Media Training</a>, written by Brad Phillips.  I\'ve been reading Brad\'s insights on media and communications for years. Brad truly is a born blogger, and a great communicator, so naturally, I wanted to him to share this thoughts on writing.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3252\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Brad-Phillips-Headshot-Mini.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3252 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Brad-Phillips-Headshot-Mini-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Brad Phillips\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" /></a> Brad Phillips, president, Phillips Media Relations[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>B</strong><strong>rad Phillips</strong> is the president of <a href=\"http://www.phillipsmediarelations.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Phillips Media Relations</a>, a media and presentation training firm with offices in New York City and Washington, DC. Before founding his firm in 2004, he was a journalist with ABC News and CNN. Phillips is the author of <em>The Media Training Bible</em>, an Amazon #1 Public Relations best seller, the new book <em>101 Ways to Open a Speech</em>, and the <a href=\"http://www.mrmediatraining.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Mr. Media Training</a> blog, the world\'s most-visited media training website.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/mrmediatraining\" target=\"_blank\">@MrMediaTraining</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n1. <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is critical for our firm and touches all parts of our work. Our books help introduce potential clients to our work for a modest cost, and our blog—which posts fresh content at least weekly—does the same for free. Our writing also influences our training sessions; sharply written media interview practice questions often elicit surprising responses, which allow us to discuss better approaches with the client. In terms of its overall importance as a skill, I can’t think of many others that are more important. Framing your ideas well—particularly in a business dependent upon the written word—is non-negotiable.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nWhen I first joined Twitter in 2009, I feared that it would hasten grammar’s demise, or at least its relative importance. To my surprise, I found that the challenge of reducing thoughts to a compelling 140 characters tightened my writing in other places, too. Like so many things, writing can both thrive and suffer in a digital world.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nThe best advice may also be the most obvious: the greatest writing lives in the editing. For example, my preference is to frame a blog post in my mind before writing, hammer it out quickly, and then spend the majority of my time cleaning it up, moving pieces around, and tightening the writing.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t have any specific writing resources, but try to pay attention to other bloggers. For some reason, blog posts are the perfect length for me. I’ve always struggled with longer-form writing, which is why I organized <em>The Media Training Bible </em>as 101 two-page lessons rather than, say, eight main chapters containing 25 pages each.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nI’ve never felt a compelling need to marry myself to a single style guide; even the editor for my books relied on Chicago style but modified it to meet our needs. This is one of those areas in which it’s helpful to know the rules in order to know how and when to break them. More important than stringent rules to me is making sure my choices are grammatically defensible.\r\n\r\n6. <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy biggest pet peeve is when writers include unnecessary words. A few extraneous phrases in an effort to achieve a friendlier tone is one thing. But when it’s pervasive throughout someone’s writing, I click away from their post.\r\n\r\n7. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word is “yes,” not when offered in an unthinking or overly compliant way, but when someone agrees to take on a challenge with determination and enthusiasm. My least favorite is “like” when used as verbal filler.','On writing: Brad Phillips knows training is key','','inherit','open','open','','3251-revision-v1','','','2016-05-26 08:45:10','2016-05-26 12:45:10','',3251,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/05/3251-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3256,4,'2016-05-26 08:50:12','2016-05-26 12:50:12','One of the blogs on my must-read list is <a href=\"http://www.mrmediatraining.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Mr. Media Training</a>, written by Brad Phillips.  I\'ve been reading Brad\'s insights on media and communications for years. Brad truly is a born blogger, and a great communicator, so naturally, I wanted to him to share this thoughts on writing.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3252\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Brad-Phillips-Headshot-Mini.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3252 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Brad-Phillips-Headshot-Mini-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Brad Phillips\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" /></a> Brad Phillips, president, Phillips Media Relations[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>B</strong><strong>rad Phillips</strong> is the president of <a href=\"http://www.phillipsmediarelations.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Phillips Media Relations</a>, a media and presentation training firm with offices in New York City and Washington, DC. Before founding his firm in 2004, he was a journalist with ABC News and CNN. Phillips is the author of <em>The Media Training Bible</em>, an Amazon #1 Public Relations best seller, the new book <em>101 Ways to Open a Speech</em>, and the <a href=\"http://www.mrmediatraining.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Mr. Media Training</a> blog, the world\'s most-visited media training website.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/mrmediatraining\" target=\"_blank\">@MrMediaTraining</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1</strong>. <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is critical for our firm and touches all parts of our work. Our books help introduce potential clients to our work for a modest cost, and our blog—which posts fresh content at least weekly—does the same for free. Our writing also influences our training sessions; sharply written media interview practice questions often elicit surprising responses, which allow us to discuss better approaches with the client. In terms of its overall importance as a skill, I can’t think of many others that are more important. Framing your ideas well—particularly in a business dependent upon the written word—is non-negotiable.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nWhen I first joined Twitter in 2009, I feared that it would hasten grammar’s demise, or at least its relative importance. To my surprise, I found that the challenge of reducing thoughts to a compelling 140 characters tightened my writing in other places, too. Like so many things, writing can both thrive and suffer in a digital world.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nThe best advice may also be the most obvious: the greatest writing lives in the editing. For example, my preference is to frame a blog post in my mind before writing, hammer it out quickly, and then spend the majority of my time cleaning it up, moving pieces around, and tightening the writing.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t have any specific writing resources, but try to pay attention to other bloggers. For some reason, blog posts are the perfect length for me. I’ve always struggled with longer-form writing, which is why I organized <em>The Media Training Bible </em>as 101 two-page lessons rather than, say, eight main chapters containing 25 pages each.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nI’ve never felt a compelling need to marry myself to a single style guide; even the editor for my books relied on Chicago style but modified it to meet our needs. This is one of those areas in which it’s helpful to know the rules in order to know how and when to break them. More important than stringent rules to me is making sure my choices are grammatically defensible.\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy biggest pet peeve is when writers include unnecessary words. A few extraneous phrases in an effort to achieve a friendlier tone is one thing. But when it’s pervasive throughout someone’s writing, I click away from their post.\r\n\r\n<strong>7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word is “yes,” not when offered in an unthinking or overly compliant way, but when someone agrees to take on a challenge with determination and enthusiasm. My least favorite is “like” when used as verbal filler.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Do  you agree with Brad editing is the most important part in producing top-notch writing? I know I do! Share your thoughts on writing in the comments, and be sure to check this space next month when another communications pro will share his or her thoughts on writing.</span>\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Have a meaningful and relaxing Memorial Day weekend! Unofficial summer is finally here.</span></strong>','On writing: Brad Phillips knows training is key','','inherit','open','open','','3251-revision-v1','','','2016-05-26 08:50:12','2016-05-26 12:50:12','',3251,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/05/3251-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3257,4,'2016-05-26 08:52:09','2016-05-26 12:52:09','One of the blogs on my must-read list is <a href=\"http://www.mrmediatraining.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Mr. Media Training</a>, written by Brad Phillips.  I\'ve been reading Brad\'s insights on media and communications for years. Brad truly is a born blogger, and a great communicator, so naturally, I wanted to him to share this thoughts on writing.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3252\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"200\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Brad-Phillips-Headshot-Mini.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3252 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Brad-Phillips-Headshot-Mini-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Brad Phillips\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" /></a> Brad Phillips, president, Phillips Media Relations[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>B</strong><strong>rad Phillips</strong> is the president of <a href=\"http://www.phillipsmediarelations.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Phillips Media Relations</a>, a media and presentation training firm with offices in New York City and Washington, DC. Before founding his firm in 2004, he was a journalist with ABC News and CNN. Phillips is the author of <em>The Media Training Bible</em>, an Amazon #1 Public Relations best seller, the new book <em>101 Ways to Open a Speech</em>, and the <a href=\"http://www.mrmediatraining.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Mr. Media Training</a> blog, the world\'s most-visited media training website.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/mrmediatraining\" target=\"_blank\">@MrMediaTraining</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1</strong>. <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is critical for our firm and touches all parts of our work. Our books help introduce potential clients to our work for a modest cost, and our blog—which posts fresh content at least weekly—does the same for free. Our writing also influences our training sessions; sharply written media interview practice questions often elicit surprising responses, which allow us to discuss better approaches with the client. In terms of its overall importance as a skill, I can’t think of many others that are more important. Framing your ideas well—particularly in a business dependent upon the written word—is non-negotiable.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nWhen I first joined Twitter in 2009, I feared that it would hasten grammar’s demise, or at least its relative importance. To my surprise, I found that the challenge of reducing thoughts to a compelling 140 characters tightened my writing in other places, too. Like so many things, writing can both thrive and suffer in a digital world.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nThe best advice may also be the most obvious: the greatest writing lives in the editing. For example, my preference is to frame a blog post in my mind before writing, hammer it out quickly, and then spend the majority of my time cleaning it up, moving pieces around, and tightening the writing.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t have any specific writing resources, but try to pay attention to other bloggers. For some reason, blog posts are the perfect length for me. I’ve always struggled with longer-form writing, which is why I organized <em>The Media Training Bible </em>as 101 two-page lessons rather than, say, eight main chapters containing 25 pages each.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nI’ve never felt a compelling need to marry myself to a single style guide; even the editor for my books relied on Chicago style but modified it to meet our needs. This is one of those areas in which it’s helpful to know the rules in order to know how and when to break them. More important than stringent rules to me is making sure my choices are grammatically defensible.\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy biggest pet peeve is when writers include unnecessary words. A few extraneous phrases in an effort to achieve a friendlier tone is one thing. But when it’s pervasive throughout someone’s writing, I click away from their post.\r\n\r\n<strong>7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word is “yes,” not when offered in an unthinking or overly compliant way, but when someone agrees to take on a challenge with determination and enthusiasm. My least favorite is “like” when used as verbal filler.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Do  you agree with Brad editing is the most important part in producing top-notch writing? I know I do! Share your thoughts on writing in the comments, and be sure to check this space next month when another communications pro will share his or her thoughts on writing.</span>\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Have a meaningful and relaxing Memorial Day weekend: Unofficial summer is finally here!</span></strong>','On writing: Brad Phillips knows training is key','','inherit','open','open','','3251-revision-v1','','','2016-05-26 08:52:09','2016-05-26 12:52:09','',3251,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/05/3251-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3259,4,'2016-06-03 09:35:58','2016-06-03 13:35:58','A few weeks ago, I <a title=\"Feedback is not a synonym for review (customer feedback part 2)\" href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/2016/04/feedback-is-not-a-synonym-for-review-customer-feedback-part-2/\" target=\"_blank\">told you about how a Udemy instructor</a> requested that I change my review from three stars to five stars because it would help him remain high in the ratings. He had no interest in whether his course merited five stars or why I had rated it three stars. He just wanted me to like him enough to further his purposes.\r\n\r\nAnd then today in the <em>Washington Post</em>, I read this article: \"<a href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/06/02/this-landlord-said-like-me-on-facebook-or-get-evicted/\" target=\"_blank\">This landlord said \'like\' me on Facebook or get evicted.\"</a> Basically, in both a show of poor communication skills and even poorer business law knowledge, a landlord in Salt Lake City, Utah posted notices on tenants\' doors, telling them to \"like\" the building/complex on Facebook or be in violation of their rental agreement. Naturally, the tenants did not like this at all and many took to Facebook to complain and some threatened legal action, saying that it was an invasion of privacy, etc. The landlord was forced to retreat, and even had to take down the Facebook page because of the various negative comments and ratings that arose due to this move .\r\n\r\n<strong>You can\'t force people to like you.</strong>\r\n\r\nBut hidden in the article, lies the purported reason why the landlord made this move: since there had been pictures taken at a community party, the landlord wanted to have legal authority to post them and tag them. I am not sure if this is an excuse, or it\'s real, but the way the landlord communicated this was poor or non-existent.\r\n\r\n<strong>So again, it is an issue of poor communication.</strong>\r\n\r\nIn today\'s social, online world, it is increasingly difficult for businesses to hide bad behavior.  Businesses can\'t force positive reviews or likes, although many times businesses ask customers to like them in order to give discounts or other preferential information. In this way, the number of likes on a page has become completely meaningless. Similarly, if a business has only glowing reviews, they are suspect, and may not be seen as valid.\r\n\r\n<strong>Give \'em a reason to want to like you</strong>\r\n\r\nI am not saying that businesses should avoid reviews or Facebook. Businesses need to communicate better, and more importantly, give customers a reason (through actual good service or products) <em>to want</em> to like them and review them positively.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Why do you like Facebook pages? Do you like them to get event information or special discounts? To support a business owner? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.</span>','Forcing \"likes\" is poor business communication (part 1)','','publish','open','open','','forcing-likes-is-poor-business-communication-part-1','','\nhttp://deborahbrody.com/2016/04/feedback-is-not-a-synonym-for-review-customer-feedback-part-2/','2016-06-03 09:35:58','2016-06-03 13:35:58','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3259',0,'post','',0),
(3260,4,'2016-06-03 09:32:42','2016-06-03 13:32:42','A few weeks ago, I <a title=\"Feedback is not a synonym for review (customer feedback part 2)\" href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/2016/04/feedback-is-not-a-synonym-for-review-customer-feedback-part-2/\" target=\"_blank\">told you about how a Udemy instructor</a> requested that I change my review from three stars to five stars because it would help him remain high in the ratings. He had no interest in whether his course merited five stars or why I had rated it three stars. He just wanted me to like him enough to further his purposes.\r\n\r\nAnd then today in the <em>Washington Post</em>, I read this article: \"<a href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/06/02/this-landlord-said-like-me-on-facebook-or-get-evicted/\" target=\"_blank\">This landlord said \'like\' me on Facebook or get evicted.\"</a> Basically, in both a show of poor communication skills and even poorer business law knowledge, a landlord in Salt Lake City, Utah posted notices on each tenants\' doors, telling them to \"like\" them on Facebook or be in violation of their rental agreement. Naturally, the tenants did not like this at all and many took to Facebook to complain and some took legal action, saying that it was an invasion of privacy, etc. The landlord was forced to retreat, and even took down the Facebook page because of the various negative comments and ratings.\r\n\r\n<strong>You can\'t force people to like you.</strong>\r\n\r\nBut hidden in the article, lies the reason why the landlord made this move: since there had been pictures taken at a community party, the landlord wanted to have legal authority to post them and tag them. I am not sure if this is an excuse, or it\'s real, but the way the landlord communicated this was poor or non-existent.\r\n\r\n<strong>So again, it is an issue of poor communication.</strong>\r\n\r\nIn today\'s social, online world, it is increasingly difficult for businesses to hide bad behavior.  Businesses can\'t force positive reviews or likes, although many times businesses ask customers to like them in order to give discounts or other preferential information. In this way, the number of likes on a page has become completely meaningless. Similarly, if a business has only glowing reviews, they are suspect, and may not be seen as valid.\r\n\r\n<strong>Give \'em a reason to want to like you</strong>\r\n\r\nI am not saying that businesses should avoid reviews or Facebook. Businesses need to communicate better, and more importantly, give customers a reason (through actual good service or products) <em>to want</em> to like them and review them positively.\r\n\r\nWhy do you like Facebook pages? Do you like them to get event information or special discounts? To support a business owner? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.','Forcing \"likes\" is poor business communication (part 1)','','inherit','open','open','','3259-revision-v1','','','2016-06-03 09:32:42','2016-06-03 13:32:42','',3259,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/06/3259-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3261,4,'2016-06-03 09:35:58','2016-06-03 13:35:58','A few weeks ago, I <a title=\"Feedback is not a synonym for review (customer feedback part 2)\" href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/2016/04/feedback-is-not-a-synonym-for-review-customer-feedback-part-2/\" target=\"_blank\">told you about how a Udemy instructor</a> requested that I change my review from three stars to five stars because it would help him remain high in the ratings. He had no interest in whether his course merited five stars or why I had rated it three stars. He just wanted me to like him enough to further his purposes.\r\n\r\nAnd then today in the <em>Washington Post</em>, I read this article: \"<a href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2016/06/02/this-landlord-said-like-me-on-facebook-or-get-evicted/\" target=\"_blank\">This landlord said \'like\' me on Facebook or get evicted.\"</a> Basically, in both a show of poor communication skills and even poorer business law knowledge, a landlord in Salt Lake City, Utah posted notices on tenants\' doors, telling them to \"like\" the building/complex on Facebook or be in violation of their rental agreement. Naturally, the tenants did not like this at all and many took to Facebook to complain and some threatened legal action, saying that it was an invasion of privacy, etc. The landlord was forced to retreat, and even had to take down the Facebook page because of the various negative comments and ratings that arose due to this move .\r\n\r\n<strong>You can\'t force people to like you.</strong>\r\n\r\nBut hidden in the article, lies the purported reason why the landlord made this move: since there had been pictures taken at a community party, the landlord wanted to have legal authority to post them and tag them. I am not sure if this is an excuse, or it\'s real, but the way the landlord communicated this was poor or non-existent.\r\n\r\n<strong>So again, it is an issue of poor communication.</strong>\r\n\r\nIn today\'s social, online world, it is increasingly difficult for businesses to hide bad behavior.  Businesses can\'t force positive reviews or likes, although many times businesses ask customers to like them in order to give discounts or other preferential information. In this way, the number of likes on a page has become completely meaningless. Similarly, if a business has only glowing reviews, they are suspect, and may not be seen as valid.\r\n\r\n<strong>Give \'em a reason to want to like you</strong>\r\n\r\nI am not saying that businesses should avoid reviews or Facebook. Businesses need to communicate better, and more importantly, give customers a reason (through actual good service or products) <em>to want</em> to like them and review them positively.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Why do you like Facebook pages? Do you like them to get event information or special discounts? To support a business owner? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.</span>','Forcing \"likes\" is poor business communication (part 1)','','inherit','open','open','','3259-revision-v1','','','2016-06-03 09:35:58','2016-06-03 13:35:58','',3259,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/06/3259-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3263,4,'2016-06-08 09:49:54','2016-06-08 13:49:54','In case you\'ve missed a newsletter, just check this archive:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/d841f7\" target=\"_blank\">June 2016</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"March 2016 newsletter\" href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/a50a67\" target=\"_blank\">March 2016</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/d7ed27\" target=\"_blank\">January 2016</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/987fe6\" target=\"_blank\">November 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"September 2015 newsletter\" href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/2f17a6\" target=\"_blank\">September 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/f0dc46\" target=\"_blank\">June 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/83c206\" target=\"_blank\">March 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"January 2015 newsletter\" href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/594ec5\" target=\"_blank\">January 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/p/9a6295?fe=1&amp;pact=26384901049\" target=\"_blank\">November 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/f95d35\" target=\"_blank\">September 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/c3e405\" target=\"_blank\">July 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://mad.ly/3625c4\" target=\"_blank\">April 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"February newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/dc2584\" target=\"_blank\">February 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"December 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/bb9454\" target=\"_blank\">December 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"October 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/f27424\" target=\"_blank\">October 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"July 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/eb30f3\" target=\"_blank\">July 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"May 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/9003c3\" target=\"_blank\">May 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"March 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/d82a93\" target=\"_blank\">March 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"January 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/a12873\" target=\"_blank\">January 2013</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Newsletters','','inherit','open','open','','2509-revision-v1','','','2016-06-08 09:49:54','2016-06-08 13:49:54','',2509,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/06/2509-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3288,4,'2016-07-12 09:18:47','0000-00-00 00:00:00','I don\'t much about the restaurant business other than as a diner. And as a diner, I think it\'s imperative for restaurants to have websites, especially if they are new.','Should you launch your restaurant without a website?','','draft','open','open','','','','','2016-07-12 09:18:47','2016-07-12 13:18:47','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3288',0,'post','',0),
(3265,4,'2016-06-14 10:53:40','2016-06-14 14:53:40','This post is about how Delta Airlines compounded a bad experience by asking the wrong questions. Here\'s the story:\r\n\r\n<strong>International flight on Delta</strong>\r\n\r\nA few weeks back I was returning to the United States on Delta from a trip abroad. My first port of entry was Delta\'s major hub, Atlanta. If you\'ve traveled internationally you know that you must claim your suitcase and then pass with it through customs, to then be able to check it back through to your final destination. However, on this occasion, my suitcase never arrived in the customs baggage claim. And even though I asked several Delta agents and baggage claim workers, not one person was able to tell me where my bag was, if it had been loaded off the plane or even if it had arrived in Atlanta at all.\r\n\r\n<strong>Tweeting doesn\'t help at all</strong>\r\n\r\nI was forced to check with Delta\'s customer \"service\" counter outside the customs area, where I was quite unhelpfully told my bag would \"automatically\" be transferred to my Washington bound flight, since it was tagged to DCA. I tweeted Delta to see if they could help me find out the whereabouts of my bag. Their response was to ask me if I had spoken to a manager. That was not the right question. The question should have been \"how can we help?\" If I had spoken to a manager (which, I would have had one been available and I did not have to catch my next flight), why would I be tweeting @Delta?\r\n\r\n<strong>Do you really want to know what I think?</strong>\r\n\r\nWell, my bag did not arrive at Washington with me on my flight. It was delivered to my home the next afternoon. At which point, Delta sent me the following email, with the subject line \"Deborah, We Value Your Opinion:\"\r\n<table width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<strong>Dear Deborah,</strong>\r\n\r\nWe are very sorry for the baggage mishandling you experienced on May 05, 2016.\r\n\r\nAs a valued SkyMiles member, your feedback about your experience is important to us and will help us continue to improve. We ask that you please provide feedback on your experience by answering the question below.</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>How likely are you to recommend Delta Air Lines to others? </strong>\r\n<table width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Definitely Will</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Probably Will</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">May or May Not</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Probably Will Not</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Definitely Will Not</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td colspan=\"5\">\r\n<table width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?ezfxd4s2nch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=5\"><strong>5 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?ezfxd4s2nch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=4\"><strong>4 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?ezfxd4s2nch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=3\"><strong>3 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?ezfxd4s2nch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=2\"><strong>2 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?ezfxd4s2nch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=1\"><strong>1 </strong></a></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nYour feedback is important to us and again, we offer our deepest apologies for this inconvenience.</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Sincerely,\r\nGil West\r\nChief Operating Officer</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nThere are literally countless other questions they could have asked such as: was my bag delivered in good shape, as promised, was the delivery service professional, did DCA baggage services handle my claim correctly, did the service met my expectations or anything at all about the actual incident. Delta would have had to ask questions like that if it actually cared about its operations and customer experiences. Instead, Delta only wants to know if, based on this experience, I would recommend it to others.\r\n\r\n<strong>That was not the right question. It showed me that Delta is only interested in its reputation and not even vaguely about their operational efficacy or customer experience.</strong>\r\n\r\nI wrote Delta a three-page letter (not an email) about this travel experience (there were other issues too). I enumerated the various things that Delta should look into and correct (customer service, their Twitter presence, among others). I got a two-paragraph email back, basically repeating what I had mentioned and offering me some Delta SkyMiles for my troubles.\r\n\r\n<strong>No, really, what do you think of us?</strong>\r\n\r\nAnd then I got another email from Delta with the subject line \"Deborah, We Value Your Opinion.\" This is what this email said:\r\n<table width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<strong>Dear Deborah,</strong>\r\n\r\nWe recently sent you an email regarding your Delta Customer Care request. It was our pleasure assisting you.\r\n\r\nOur goal is to deliver the very best service possible, so your feedback is important in helping us recognize and improve our quality. Please begin this short survey regarding how I did by answering the first question below:</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>How likely are you to recommend Delta Air Lines to others? </strong>\r\n<table width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Definitely Will</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Probably Will</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">May or May Not</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Probably Will Not</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Definitely Will Not</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td colspan=\"5\">\r\n<table width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?e997485ykch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=5\"><strong>5 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?e997485ykch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=4\"><strong>4 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?e997485ykch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=3\"><strong>3 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?e997485ykch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=2\"><strong>2 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?e997485ykch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=1\"><strong>1 </strong></a></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nAgain, Delta is mostly interested in whether I would recommend Delta. Which, again, is not the right question. The question should be whether I was satisfied with the response to my letter (I was not) or whether the response had addressed any of my concerns (not to my knowledge).\r\n\r\n<strong>Do you really want to know?</strong>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Companies that are serious about improving ask for real feedback.</span> To ask me whether I would recommend Delta is not a good or useful question. It is poor communications and even poorer customer service.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">What do you think? Would you have answered this question? What benefit does it provide the company and does it provide any benefit to the customer?</span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Asking the wrong question is poor communication (part 2)','','publish','open','open','','asking-the-wrong-question-is-poor-communication-part-2','','','2016-06-14 10:53:40','2016-06-14 14:53:40','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3265',0,'post','',0),
(3266,4,'2016-06-14 10:45:38','2016-06-14 14:45:38','This post is about how Delta Airlines compounded a bad experience by asking the wrong questions. Here\'s the story:\r\n\r\nA few weeks back I was returning to the United States on Delta from a trip abroad. My first port of entry was Delta\'s major hub, Atlanta. If you\'ve traveled internationally you know that you must claim your suitcase and then pass with it through customs, to then be able to check it back through to your final destination. However, on this occasion, my suitcase never arrived in the customs baggage claim. And even though I asked several Delta agents and baggage claim workers, not one person was able to tell me where my bag was, if it had been loaded off the plane or even if it had arrived in Atlanta at all.\r\n\r\nI was forced to check with Delta\'s customer \"service\" counter outside the customs area, where I was quite unhelpfully told my bag would \"automatically\" be transferred to my Washington bound flight, since it was tagged to DCA. I tweeted Delta to see if they could help me find out the whereabouts of my bag. Their response was to ask me if I had spoken to a manager. That was not the right question. The question should have been \"how can we help?\" If I had spoken to a manager (which, I would have had one been available and I did not have to catch my next flight), why would I be tweeting @Delta?\r\n\r\nWell, my bag did not arrive at Washington with me on my flight. It was delivered to my home the next afternoon. At which point, Delta sent me the following email, with the subject line \"Deborah, We Value Your Opinion:\"\r\n<table width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<strong>Dear Deborah,</strong>\r\n\r\nWe are very sorry for the baggage mishandling you experienced on May 05, 2016.\r\n\r\nAs a valued SkyMiles member, your feedback about your experience is important to us and will help us continue to improve. We ask that you please provide feedback on your experience by answering the question below.</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>How likely are you to recommend Delta Air Lines to others? </strong>\r\n<table width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Definitely Will</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Probably Will</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">May or May Not</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Probably Will Not</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Definitely Will Not</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td colspan=\"5\">\r\n<table width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?ezfxd4s2nch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=5\"><strong>5 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?ezfxd4s2nch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=4\"><strong>4 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?ezfxd4s2nch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=3\"><strong>3 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?ezfxd4s2nch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=2\"><strong>2 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?ezfxd4s2nch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=1\"><strong>1 </strong></a></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nYour feedback is important to us and again, we offer our deepest apologies for this inconvenience.</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Sincerely,\r\nGil West\r\nChief Operating Officer</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nThere are literally countless other questions they could have asked such as: was my bag delivered in good shape, as promised, was the delivery service professional, did DCA baggage services handle my claim correctly, did the service met my expectations or anything at all about the actual incident. Delta would have had to ask questions like that if it actually cared about its operations and customer experiences. Instead, Delta only wants to know if, based on this experience, I would recommend it to others.\r\n\r\n<strong>That was not the right question. It showed me that Delta is only interested in its reputation and not even vaguely about their operational efficacy or customer experience.</strong>\r\n\r\nI wrote Delta a three-page letter (not an email) about this travel experience (there were other issues too). I enumerated the various things that Delta should look into and correct (customer service, their Twitter presence, among others). I got a two-paragraph email back, basically repeating what I had mentioned and offering me some Delta SkyMiles for my troubles.\r\n\r\nAnd then I got another email from Delta with the subject line \"Deborah, We Value Your Opinion.\" This is what this email said:\r\n<table width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<strong>Dear Deborah,</strong>\r\n\r\nWe recently sent you an email regarding your Delta Customer Care request. It was our pleasure assisting you.\r\n\r\nOur goal is to deliver the very best service possible, so your feedback is important in helping us recognize and improve our quality. Please begin this short survey regarding how I did by answering the first question below:</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>How likely are you to recommend Delta Air Lines to others? </strong>\r\n<table width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Definitely Will</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Probably Will</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">May or May Not</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Probably Will Not</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Definitely Will Not</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td colspan=\"5\">\r\n<table width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?e997485ykch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=5\"><strong>5 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?e997485ykch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=4\"><strong>4 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?e997485ykch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=3\"><strong>3 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?e997485ykch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=2\"><strong>2 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?e997485ykch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=1\"><strong>1 </strong></a></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nAgain, Delta is mostly interested in whether I would recommend Delta. Which, again, is not the right question. The question should be whether I was satisfied with the response to my letter (I was not) or whether the response had addressed any of my concerns (not to my knowledge).\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Companies that are serious about improving ask for real feedback.</span> To ask me whether I would recommend Delta is not a good or useful question. It is poor communications and even poorer customer service.\r\n\r\nWhat do you think? Would you have answered this question? What benefit does it provide the company and does it provide any benefit to the customer?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Asking the wrong question is poor communication (part 2)','','inherit','open','open','','3265-revision-v1','','','2016-06-14 10:45:38','2016-06-14 14:45:38','',3265,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/06/3265-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3267,4,'2016-06-14 10:51:21','2016-06-14 14:51:21','This post is about how Delta Airlines compounded a bad experience by asking the wrong questions. Here\'s the story:\r\n\r\n<strong>International flight on Delta</strong>\r\n\r\nA few weeks back I was returning to the United States on Delta from a trip abroad. My first port of entry was Delta\'s major hub, Atlanta. If you\'ve traveled internationally you know that you must claim your suitcase and then pass with it through customs, to then be able to check it back through to your final destination. However, on this occasion, my suitcase never arrived in the customs baggage claim. And even though I asked several Delta agents and baggage claim workers, not one person was able to tell me where my bag was, if it had been loaded off the plane or even if it had arrived in Atlanta at all.\r\n\r\n<strong>Tweeting doesn\'t help at all</strong>\r\n\r\nI was forced to check with Delta\'s customer \"service\" counter outside the customs area, where I was quite unhelpfully told my bag would \"automatically\" be transferred to my Washington bound flight, since it was tagged to DCA. I tweeted Delta to see if they could help me find out the whereabouts of my bag. Their response was to ask me if I had spoken to a manager. That was not the right question. The question should have been \"how can we help?\" If I had spoken to a manager (which, I would have had one been available and I did not have to catch my next flight), why would I be tweeting @Delta?\r\n\r\n<strong>Do you really want to know what I think?</strong>\r\n\r\nWell, my bag did not arrive at Washington with me on my flight. It was delivered to my home the next afternoon. At which point, Delta sent me the following email, with the subject line \"Deborah, We Value Your Opinion:\"\r\n<table width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<strong>Dear Deborah,</strong>\r\n\r\nWe are very sorry for the baggage mishandling you experienced on May 05, 2016.\r\n\r\nAs a valued SkyMiles member, your feedback about your experience is important to us and will help us continue to improve. We ask that you please provide feedback on your experience by answering the question below.</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>How likely are you to recommend Delta Air Lines to others? </strong>\r\n<table width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Definitely Will</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Probably Will</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">May or May Not</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Probably Will Not</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Definitely Will Not</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td colspan=\"5\">\r\n<table width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?ezfxd4s2nch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=5\"><strong>5 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?ezfxd4s2nch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=4\"><strong>4 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?ezfxd4s2nch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=3\"><strong>3 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?ezfxd4s2nch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=2\"><strong>2 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?ezfxd4s2nch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=1\"><strong>1 </strong></a></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nYour feedback is important to us and again, we offer our deepest apologies for this inconvenience.</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Sincerely,\r\nGil West\r\nChief Operating Officer</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nThere are literally countless other questions they could have asked such as: was my bag delivered in good shape, as promised, was the delivery service professional, did DCA baggage services handle my claim correctly, did the service met my expectations or anything at all about the actual incident. Delta would have had to ask questions like that if it actually cared about its operations and customer experiences. Instead, Delta only wants to know if, based on this experience, I would recommend it to others.\r\n\r\n<strong>That was not the right question. It showed me that Delta is only interested in its reputation and not even vaguely about their operational efficacy or customer experience.</strong>\r\n\r\nI wrote Delta a three-page letter (not an email) about this travel experience (there were other issues too). I enumerated the various things that Delta should look into and correct (customer service, their Twitter presence, among others). I got a two-paragraph email back, basically repeating what I had mentioned and offering me some Delta SkyMiles for my troubles.\r\n\r\n<strong>No, really, what do you think of us?</strong>\r\n\r\nAnd then I got another email from Delta with the subject line \"Deborah, We Value Your Opinion.\" This is what this email said:\r\n<table width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<strong>Dear Deborah,</strong>\r\n\r\nWe recently sent you an email regarding your Delta Customer Care request. It was our pleasure assisting you.\r\n\r\nOur goal is to deliver the very best service possible, so your feedback is important in helping us recognize and improve our quality. Please begin this short survey regarding how I did by answering the first question below:</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>How likely are you to recommend Delta Air Lines to others? </strong>\r\n<table width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Definitely Will</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Probably Will</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">May or May Not</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Probably Will Not</td>\r\n<td width=\"20%\">Definitely Will Not</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td colspan=\"5\">\r\n<table width=\"100%\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?e997485ykch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=5\"><strong>5 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?e997485ykch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=4\"><strong>4 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?e997485ykch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=3\"><strong>3 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?e997485ykch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=2\"><strong>2 </strong></a></td>\r\n<td><a href=\"http://survey.medallia.com/?e997485ykch73zt8twb9&amp;_score=1\"><strong>1 </strong></a></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nAgain, Delta is mostly interested in whether I would recommend Delta. Which, again, is not the right question. The question should be whether I was satisfied with the response to my letter (I was not) or whether the response had addressed any of my concerns (not to my knowledge).\r\n\r\n<strong>Do you really want to know?</strong>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Companies that are serious about improving ask for real feedback.</span> To ask me whether I would recommend Delta is not a good or useful question. It is poor communications and even poorer customer service.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">What do you think? Would you have answered this question? What benefit does it provide the company and does it provide any benefit to the customer?</span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Asking the wrong question is poor communication (part 2)','','inherit','open','open','','3265-revision-v1','','','2016-06-14 10:51:21','2016-06-14 14:51:21','',3265,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/06/3265-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3277,4,'2016-06-28 08:47:43','2016-06-28 12:47:43','This month\'s On Writing interview (which is being published early because of the upcoming long Fourth of July weekend) is with PR maven Karen Addis.  I connected with Karen several years ago through a Restaurant Week \"PR ladies\' lunch bunch.\" We share a love of food, and a belief that writing skills are slowly vanishing. Following are her thoughts on writing and its importance.<strong>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3278\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/KarenHeadshot.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3278 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/KarenHeadshot-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"Karen Addis, APR\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a> Karen Addis, APR[/caption]\r\n\r\nKaren Addis, APR, is the senior vice president at <a href=\"http://www.vaneperen.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Van Eperen</a>, a full-service boutique public relations agency in North Bethesda. Karen leads new business development and manages the agency\'s national and international health, science and technology accounts.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong><a href=\"https://twitter.com/karenaddis\" target=\"_blank\"> @karenaddis</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nTo be an effective communicator, you need to have excellent writing skills. I write every single day for a variety of audiences and formats, ranging from new business proposals and contributed articles to blogs and tweets.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nAbsolutely! You need to be able to communicate clearly and succinctly, especially in the digital/text/emoji world where every word and symbol matters.\r\n\r\n<strong>3.</strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nNever stop writing and be well read. You also need to have a thorough understanding of the rules of grammar and punctuation and then know when it’s okay to break them.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nStrunk and White’s <em>Elements of Style</em> never goes out of fashion nor does the dictionary or thesaurus.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nHaving graduated with a degree in journalism and having spent my entire career working with the media, the <em>AP Stylebook</em>, of course!\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nThe random use of the comma. No one seems to know how to use commas anymore!\r\n\r\n7. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nFavorite word: It’s a toss-up between vacation and chocolate...or Chardonnay! Least favorite word: utilize. I absolutely <em>loathe</em> this word! Use is shorter and means the same thing.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Having recently copy edited a document in which I had to add dozens of commas, I agree wholeheartedly with Karen that people don\'t seem to know how to use the comma. Do you agree or disagree? Share your thoughts in the comments, and be on the lookout next month for the upcoming On Writing interview.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: PR pro Karen Addis is succinct','','publish','open','open','','on-writing-pr-pro-karen-addis-is-succinct','','','2016-06-28 08:47:43','2016-06-28 12:47:43','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3277',0,'post','',0),
(3271,4,'2016-06-22 09:52:03','2016-06-22 13:52:03','<strong>Grammar matters</strong>\r\n\r\nThis is a lawn sign that has appeared around my neighborhood:\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3272\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20160612_115648.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3272\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20160612_115648-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Lawn sign \" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Lawn sign[/caption]\r\n\r\nI believe what they meant to say was \"No Townhouses on Historic Chestnut Lodge.\" Or maybe they meant to say \"Not More Townhouses on Historic Chestnut Lodge,\" which would still be awkward.  I am not sure. Perhaps the people behind this campaign were not sure either. But what I do know is that this sign is wrong.\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s spelled A-L-A-N</strong>\r\n\r\nU.K\'s Vision Express had a major typo, transposing the L and A, in a letter to a customer. It was quite insulting.  You have to read this<a href=\"http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3651973/Customer-shocked-rude-spelling-mistake-letter-Vision-Express.html\" target=\"_blank\"> Daily Mail article </a>to see what I mean, but suffice it to say, a proofreader would have saved the day. (Thanks to <a href=\"http://www.ewriteonline.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Leslie O\'Flahavan</a> for sharing the article on her company\'s Facebook feed.)\r\n\r\n<strong>Copy edit your work, or at least, do some proofreading</strong>\r\n\r\nHaving poor grammar, or a typo (or two or three) in your marketing materials is poor communication. Your message will be muddled and any mistakes will distract from what you are trying to say.\r\n\r\nTypos and grammatical mistakes are fixable, and if you don\'t catch them in time, they can be costly. There is a solution and that is to copy edit <em>and</em> proofread your written materials.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Watch this space next week for the next On Writing interview, with a pro who certainly knows that grammar and spelling matter.</span>','Poor grammar is poor communication part 3','','publish','open','open','','poor-grammar-is-poor-communication-part-3','','','2016-06-22 09:52:03','2016-06-22 13:52:03','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3271',0,'post','',0),
(3272,4,'2016-06-22 08:45:02','2016-06-22 12:45:02','','20160612_115648','Lawn sign ','inherit','open','open','','20160612_115648','','','2016-06-22 08:45:51','2016-06-22 12:45:51','',3271,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20160612_115648.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(3273,4,'2016-06-22 08:46:03','2016-06-22 12:46:03','[caption id=\"attachment_3272\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"3264\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20160612_115648.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3272\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20160612_115648.jpg\" alt=\"Lawn sign \" width=\"3264\" height=\"2448\" /></a> Lawn sign[/caption]','Poor grammar is poor communication part 3','','inherit','open','open','','3271-revision-v1','','','2016-06-22 08:46:03','2016-06-22 12:46:03','',3271,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/06/3271-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3274,4,'2016-06-22 09:17:25','2016-06-22 13:17:25','<strong>Grammar matters</strong>\r\n\r\nThis is a lawn sign that has appeared around my neighborhood:\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3272\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20160612_115648.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3272\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20160612_115648-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Lawn sign \" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Lawn sign[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI believe what they meant to say was \"No Townhouses on Historic Chestnut Lodge.\" Or maybe they meant to say \"Not More Townhouses on Historic Chestnut Lodge,\" which would still be awkward.  I am not sure. Perhaps the people behind this campaign were not sure either. But what I do know is that this sign is wrong.\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s spelled A-L-A-N</strong>\r\n\r\nU.K\'s Vision Express had a one major typo, which was quite insulting to one customer in particular.  You have to read this<a href=\"http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3651973/Customer-shocked-rude-spelling-mistake-letter-Vision-Express.html\" target=\"_blank\"> Daily Mail story </a>to see what I mean, but suffice it to say, a proofreader would have saved the day. (Thanks to Leslie O\'Flavahan for sharing this on her company\'s Facebook page.)\r\n\r\n<strong>Copy edit your work, or at least, do some proofreading</strong>\r\n\r\nPoor grammar, or a typo (or two or three), is poor communication. Your message will be muddled or the mistakes will distract from what you are trying to say.\r\n\r\nTypos and grammatical mistakes are fixable, but if you don\'t catch them in time, they can be costly. There is a solution and that is to copy edit <em>and</em> proofread your written materials. If you don\'t hire a professional to do it, you should have someone else review your work.','Poor grammar is poor communication part 3','','inherit','open','open','','3271-revision-v1','','','2016-06-22 09:17:25','2016-06-22 13:17:25','',3271,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/06/3271-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3275,4,'2016-06-22 09:50:41','2016-06-22 13:50:41','<strong>Grammar matters</strong>\r\n\r\nThis is a lawn sign that has appeared around my neighborhood:\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3272\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20160612_115648.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3272\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/20160612_115648-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Lawn sign \" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Lawn sign[/caption]\r\n\r\nI believe what they meant to say was \"No Townhouses on Historic Chestnut Lodge.\" Or maybe they meant to say \"Not More Townhouses on Historic Chestnut Lodge,\" which would still be awkward.  I am not sure. Perhaps the people behind this campaign were not sure either. But what I do know is that this sign is wrong.\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s spelled A-L-A-N</strong>\r\n\r\nU.K\'s Vision Express had a major typo, transposing the L and A, in a letter to a customer. It was quite insulting.  You have to read this<a href=\"http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3651973/Customer-shocked-rude-spelling-mistake-letter-Vision-Express.html\" target=\"_blank\"> Daily Mail article </a>to see what I mean, but suffice it to say, a proofreader would have saved the day. (Thanks to <a href=\"http://www.ewriteonline.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Leslie O\'Flahavan</a> for sharing the article on her company\'s Facebook feed.)\r\n\r\n<strong>Copy edit your work, or at least, do some proofreading</strong>\r\n\r\nHaving poor grammar, or a typo (or two or three) in your marketing materials is poor communication. Your message will be muddled and any mistakes will distract from what you are trying to say.\r\n\r\nTypos and grammatical mistakes are fixable, and if you don\'t catch them in time, they can be costly. There is a solution and that is to copy edit <em>and</em> proofread your written materials.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Watch this space next week for the next On Writing interview, with a pro who certainly knows that grammar and spelling matter.</span>','Poor grammar is poor communication part 3','','inherit','open','open','','3271-revision-v1','','','2016-06-22 09:50:41','2016-06-22 13:50:41','',3271,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/06/3271-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3278,4,'2016-06-27 13:53:33','2016-06-27 17:53:33','','KarenHeadshot','Karen Addis, APR','inherit','open','open','','karenheadshot','','','2016-06-27 13:53:47','2016-06-27 17:53:47','',3277,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/KarenHeadshot.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(3279,4,'2016-06-27 13:54:45','2016-06-27 17:54:45','&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor this month\'s On Writing interview, I turned to Karen Addis. I have known Karen for several years (mostly because of our love of Restaurant Week and dining), and we\'ve often chatted about how writing skills seem to be on the decline.<strong>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3278\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/KarenHeadshot.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3278 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/KarenHeadshot-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"Karen Addis, APR\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a> Karen Addis, APR[/caption]\r\n\r\nKaren Addis, APR, is the senior vice president at <a href=\"http://www.vaneperen.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Van Eperen</a>, a full-service boutique public relations agency in North Bethesda. Karen leads new business development and manages the agency\'s national and international health, science and technology accounts.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> @karenaddis\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li><strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>To be an effective communicator, you need to have excellent writing skills. I write every single day for a variety of audiences and formats, ranging from new business proposals and contributed articles to blogs and tweets.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n<ol start=\"2\">\r\n	<li><strong>Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>Absolutely! You need to be able to communicate clearly and succinctly, especially in the digital/text/emoji world where every word and symbol matters.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ol start=\"3\">\r\n	<li><strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>Never stop writing and be well read. You also need to have a thorough understanding of the rules of grammar and punctuation and then know when it’s okay to break them.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n<ol start=\"4\">\r\n	<li><strong>What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>Strunk and White’s Elements of Style never goes out of fashion nor does the dictionary or thesaurus.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n<ol start=\"5\">\r\n	<li><strong>Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>Having graduated with a degree in journalism and having spent my entire career working with the media, the AP Style Guide, of course!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ol start=\"6\">\r\n	<li><strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>The random use of the comma. No one seems to know how to use commas anymore!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ol start=\"7\">\r\n	<li><strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>Favorite word: It’s a tossup between vacation and chocolate...or Chardonnay! Least favorite word: utilize. I absolutely <em>loathe</em> this word! Use is shorter and means the same thing.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: PR pro Karen Addis is succinct','','inherit','open','open','','3277-revision-v1','','','2016-06-27 13:54:45','2016-06-27 17:54:45','',3277,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/06/3277-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES
(3280,4,'2016-06-28 08:39:04','2016-06-28 12:39:04','This month\'s On Writing interview (which is being publised early because of the upcoming long Fourth of July weekend) is with PR maven Karen Addis.  I connected with Karen several years ago, through a PR Restaurant Week \"lunch bunch.\" We share a love of food, and a belief that writing skills are slowly vanishing. Following are her thoughts on writing and its importance.<strong>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3278\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/KarenHeadshot.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3278 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/KarenHeadshot-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"Karen Addis, APR\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a> Karen Addis, APR[/caption]\r\n\r\nKaren Addis, APR, is the senior vice president at <a href=\"http://www.vaneperen.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Van Eperen</a>, a full-service boutique public relations agency in North Bethesda. Karen leads new business development and manages the agency\'s national and international health, science and technology accounts.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> @karenaddis\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nTo be an effective communicator, you need to have excellent writing skills. I write every single day for a variety of audiences and formats, ranging from new business proposals and contributed articles to blogs and tweets.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nAbsolutely! You need to be able to communicate clearly and succinctly, especially in the digital/text/emoji world where every word and symbol matters.\r\n\r\n<strong>3.</strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nNever stop writing and be well read. You also need to have a thorough understanding of the rules of grammar and punctuation and then know when it’s okay to break them.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nStrunk and White’s <em>Elements of Style</em> never goes out of fashion nor does the dictionary or thesaurus.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nHaving graduated with a degree in journalism and having spent my entire career working with the media, the AP Stylebook, of course!\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nThe random use of the comma. No one seems to know how to use commas anymore!\r\n\r\n7. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nFavorite word: It’s a tossup between vacation and chocolate...or Chardonnay! Least favorite word: utilize. I absolutely <em>loathe</em> this word! Use is shorter and means the same thing.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Having recently copy edited a document in which I had to add dozens of commas, I agree wholeheartedly with Karen that people don\'t seem to know how to use the comma. Share your thoughts in the comments, and be on the lookout next month for the next On Writing interview.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: PR pro Karen Addis is succinct','','inherit','open','open','','3277-revision-v1','','','2016-06-28 08:39:04','2016-06-28 12:39:04','',3277,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/06/3277-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3281,4,'2016-06-28 08:42:00','2016-06-28 12:42:00','This month\'s On Writing interview (which is being published early because of the upcoming long Fourth of July weekend) is with PR maven Karen Addis.  I connected with Karen several years ago through a Restaurant Week \"PR ladies\' lunch bunch.\" We share a love of food, and a belief that writing skills are slowly vanishing. Following are her thoughts on writing and its importance.<strong>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3278\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/KarenHeadshot.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3278 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/KarenHeadshot-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"Karen Addis, APR\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a> Karen Addis, APR[/caption]\r\n\r\nKaren Addis, APR, is the senior vice president at <a href=\"http://www.vaneperen.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Van Eperen</a>, a full-service boutique public relations agency in North Bethesda. Karen leads new business development and manages the agency\'s national and international health, science and technology accounts.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"http://https://twitter.com/karenaddis\" target=\"_blank\">@karenaddis</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nTo be an effective communicator, you need to have excellent writing skills. I write every single day for a variety of audiences and formats, ranging from new business proposals and contributed articles to blogs and tweets.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nAbsolutely! You need to be able to communicate clearly and succinctly, especially in the digital/text/emoji world where every word and symbol matters.\r\n\r\n<strong>3.</strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nNever stop writing and be well read. You also need to have a thorough understanding of the rules of grammar and punctuation and then know when it’s okay to break them.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nStrunk and White’s <em>Elements of Style</em> never goes out of fashion nor does the dictionary or thesaurus.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nHaving graduated with a degree in journalism and having spent my entire career working with the media, the <em>AP Stylebook</em>, of course!\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nThe random use of the comma. No one seems to know how to use commas anymore!\r\n\r\n7. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nFavorite word: It’s a tossup between vacation and chocolate...or Chardonnay! Least favorite word: utilize. I absolutely <em>loathe</em> this word! Use is shorter and means the same thing.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Having recently copy edited a document in which I had to add dozens of commas, I agree wholeheartedly with Karen that people don\'t seem to know how to use the comma. Share your thoughts in the comments, and be on the lookout next month for the next On Writing interview.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: PR pro Karen Addis is succinct','','inherit','open','open','','3277-revision-v1','','','2016-06-28 08:42:00','2016-06-28 12:42:00','',3277,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/06/3277-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3282,4,'2016-06-28 08:43:12','2016-06-28 12:43:12','This month\'s On Writing interview (which is being published early because of the upcoming long Fourth of July weekend) is with PR maven Karen Addis.  I connected with Karen several years ago through a Restaurant Week \"PR ladies\' lunch bunch.\" We share a love of food, and a belief that writing skills are slowly vanishing. Following are her thoughts on writing and its importance.<strong>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3278\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/KarenHeadshot.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3278 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/KarenHeadshot-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"Karen Addis, APR\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a> Karen Addis, APR[/caption]\r\n\r\nKaren Addis, APR, is the senior vice president at <a href=\"http://www.vaneperen.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Van Eperen</a>, a full-service boutique public relations agency in North Bethesda. Karen leads new business development and manages the agency\'s national and international health, science and technology accounts.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong><a href=\"https://twitter.com/karenaddis\" target=\"_blank\"> @karenaddis</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nTo be an effective communicator, you need to have excellent writing skills. I write every single day for a variety of audiences and formats, ranging from new business proposals and contributed articles to blogs and tweets.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nAbsolutely! You need to be able to communicate clearly and succinctly, especially in the digital/text/emoji world where every word and symbol matters.\r\n\r\n<strong>3.</strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nNever stop writing and be well read. You also need to have a thorough understanding of the rules of grammar and punctuation and then know when it’s okay to break them.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nStrunk and White’s <em>Elements of Style</em> never goes out of fashion nor does the dictionary or thesaurus.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nHaving graduated with a degree in journalism and having spent my entire career working with the media, the <em>AP Stylebook</em>, of course!\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nThe random use of the comma. No one seems to know how to use commas anymore!\r\n\r\n7. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nFavorite word: It’s a tossup between vacation and chocolate...or Chardonnay! Least favorite word: utilize. I absolutely <em>loathe</em> this word! Use is shorter and means the same thing.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Having recently copy edited a document in which I had to add dozens of commas, I agree wholeheartedly with Karen that people don\'t seem to know how to use the comma. Share your thoughts in the comments, and be on the lookout next month for the next On Writing interview.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: PR pro Karen Addis is succinct','','inherit','open','open','','3277-revision-v1','','','2016-06-28 08:43:12','2016-06-28 12:43:12','',3277,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/06/3277-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3283,4,'2016-06-28 08:45:23','2016-06-28 12:45:23','This month\'s On Writing interview (which is being published early because of the upcoming long Fourth of July weekend) is with PR maven Karen Addis.  I connected with Karen several years ago through a Restaurant Week \"PR ladies\' lunch bunch.\" We share a love of food, and a belief that writing skills are slowly vanishing. Following are her thoughts on writing and its importance.<strong>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3278\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/KarenHeadshot.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3278 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/KarenHeadshot-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"Karen Addis, APR\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a> Karen Addis, APR[/caption]\r\n\r\nKaren Addis, APR, is the senior vice president at <a href=\"http://www.vaneperen.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Van Eperen</a>, a full-service boutique public relations agency in North Bethesda. Karen leads new business development and manages the agency\'s national and international health, science and technology accounts.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong><a href=\"https://twitter.com/karenaddis\" target=\"_blank\"> @karenaddis</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nTo be an effective communicator, you need to have excellent writing skills. I write every single day for a variety of audiences and formats, ranging from new business proposals and contributed articles to blogs and tweets.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nAbsolutely! You need to be able to communicate clearly and succinctly, especially in the digital/text/emoji world where every word and symbol matters.\r\n\r\n<strong>3.</strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nNever stop writing and be well read. You also need to have a thorough understanding of the rules of grammar and punctuation and then know when it’s okay to break them.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nStrunk and White’s <em>Elements of Style</em> never goes out of fashion nor does the dictionary or thesaurus.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nHaving graduated with a degree in journalism and having spent my entire career working with the media, the <em>AP Stylebook</em>, of course!\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nThe random use of the comma. No one seems to know how to use commas anymore!\r\n\r\n7. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nFavorite word: It’s a toss-up between vacation and chocolate...or Chardonnay! Least favorite word: utilize. I absolutely <em>loathe</em> this word! Use is shorter and means the same thing.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Having recently copy edited a document in which I had to add dozens of commas, I agree wholeheartedly with Karen that people don\'t seem to know how to use the comma. Agree or disagree? Share your thoughts in the comments, and be on the lookout next month for the upcoming On Writing interview.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: PR pro Karen Addis is succinct','','inherit','open','open','','3277-revision-v1','','','2016-06-28 08:45:23','2016-06-28 12:45:23','',3277,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/06/3277-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3284,4,'2016-06-28 08:47:43','2016-06-28 12:47:43','This month\'s On Writing interview (which is being published early because of the upcoming long Fourth of July weekend) is with PR maven Karen Addis.  I connected with Karen several years ago through a Restaurant Week \"PR ladies\' lunch bunch.\" We share a love of food, and a belief that writing skills are slowly vanishing. Following are her thoughts on writing and its importance.<strong>\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3278\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/KarenHeadshot.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3278 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/KarenHeadshot-300x168.jpg\" alt=\"Karen Addis, APR\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a> Karen Addis, APR[/caption]\r\n\r\nKaren Addis, APR, is the senior vice president at <a href=\"http://www.vaneperen.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Van Eperen</a>, a full-service boutique public relations agency in North Bethesda. Karen leads new business development and manages the agency\'s national and international health, science and technology accounts.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong><a href=\"https://twitter.com/karenaddis\" target=\"_blank\"> @karenaddis</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nTo be an effective communicator, you need to have excellent writing skills. I write every single day for a variety of audiences and formats, ranging from new business proposals and contributed articles to blogs and tweets.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nAbsolutely! You need to be able to communicate clearly and succinctly, especially in the digital/text/emoji world where every word and symbol matters.\r\n\r\n<strong>3.</strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills?</strong>\r\n\r\nNever stop writing and be well read. You also need to have a thorough understanding of the rules of grammar and punctuation and then know when it’s okay to break them.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nStrunk and White’s <em>Elements of Style</em> never goes out of fashion nor does the dictionary or thesaurus.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nHaving graduated with a degree in journalism and having spent my entire career working with the media, the <em>AP Stylebook</em>, of course!\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nThe random use of the comma. No one seems to know how to use commas anymore!\r\n\r\n7. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nFavorite word: It’s a toss-up between vacation and chocolate...or Chardonnay! Least favorite word: utilize. I absolutely <em>loathe</em> this word! Use is shorter and means the same thing.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Having recently copy edited a document in which I had to add dozens of commas, I agree wholeheartedly with Karen that people don\'t seem to know how to use the comma. Do you agree or disagree? Share your thoughts in the comments, and be on the lookout next month for the upcoming On Writing interview.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: PR pro Karen Addis is succinct','','inherit','open','open','','3277-revision-v1','','','2016-06-28 08:47:43','2016-06-28 12:47:43','',3277,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/06/3277-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3289,4,'2016-07-12 09:18:47','2016-07-12 13:18:47','I don\'t much about the restaurant business other than as a diner. And as a diner, I think it\'s imperative for restaurants to have websites, especially if they are new.','Should you launch your restaurant without a website?','','inherit','open','open','','3288-revision-v1','','','2016-07-12 09:18:47','2016-07-12 13:18:47','',3288,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/07/3288-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3290,4,'2016-07-13 11:27:48','2016-07-13 15:27:48','When you see the same mistake done over and over again, you have to wonder how people manage to keep jobs or their business afloat.\r\n\r\n<strong>Marketing fail #1: Not sending emails from an organizational address</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you get an email, as I did this morning, from a certain Ellyn Fisher, whom I have never met, would you open it? I bet, like I did, that if you did, you would hesitate to open it if not delete it completely. However, I get so many emails from individuals in organizations, that I decided to open it up and it turned out to be from the Ad Council. So the email was legitimate, but this organization does not seem to understand how email appears in your inbox and why sending it from a staffer\'s email address is a bad idea.\r\n\r\nThe best practice would be to send the email from the name of the organization. This is easily done in your email sending options, especially when you are using a email provider such a Constant Contact or MailChimp.\r\n\r\nThe second-best practice is to use an individual\'s name followed by the organization\'s name. For example, I get emails from Janine Wampler, ACES Communications. Those always come from the same individual, and they identify the organization so I know that it\'s OK to open.\r\n\r\nIf you don\'t understand that we are living in an age where each of us gets hundreds of emails a day, we have limited attention spans, and we have a fear of being cyber attacked, you should not be doing any email communication.\r\n\r\n<strong>Marketing #fail #2: Not having a complete website (or not having one at all)</strong>\r\n\r\nLast Friday, I was meeting some friends for dinner. There\'s a new place that I had heard about and I did some searches to see if I could find a menu. The only thing available was a one page website with absolutely no useful information and a Facebook page, with even less useful information. We did end up meeting at this restaurant. We got there and were asked if we had reservations. Since we did not (by the way, it was 6:30 p.m. and the place was not full), the hostess told us our only option was to eat outside on the patio. Normally that would have been fine, but it was abnormally hot and humid and the patio did not even have ceiling fans. We took a look at the menu, which remember, was not available anywhere online, and we were very underwhelmed. The offerings did not make us want to brave the heat and we decided to go elsewhere. A couple showed up right after us and they too were offered the patio, and they also left.\r\n\r\nA restaurant website should include all the information that diners need. This includes: hours, reservation policy, menu, special considerations (for example, in this case, the website could indicate diners without a reservation would be seated in the outdoor patio).\r\n\r\nThese days, there is no excuse for not having a working, attractive website. There are so many providers of build-it-yourself websites, from Wix to Squarespace. And there are providers that specialize in industries, such as restaurants.\r\n\r\nWhat are marketing fails that you see over and over? Share them in the comments.','Two common marketing #fails (and pet peeves)','','publish','open','open','','two-common-marketing-fails-and-pet-peeves','','','2016-07-13 11:27:48','2016-07-13 15:27:48','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3290',0,'post','',0),
(3291,4,'2016-07-13 11:26:39','2016-07-13 15:26:39','When you see the same mistake done over and over again, you have to wonder how people manage to keep jobs or their business afloat.\r\n\r\n<strong>Marketing fail #1: Not sending emails from an organizational address</strong>\r\n\r\nIf you get an email, as I did this morning, from a certain Ellyn Fisher, whom I have never met, would you open it? I bet, like I did, that if you did, you would hesitate to open it if not delete it completely. However, I get so many emails from individuals in organizations, that I decided to open it up and it turned out to be from the Ad Council. So the email was legitimate, but this organization does not seem to understand how email appears in your inbox and why sending it from a staffer\'s email address is a bad idea.\r\n\r\nThe best practice would be to send the email from the name of the organization. This is easily done in your email sending options, especially when you are using a email provider such a Constant Contact or MailChimp.\r\n\r\nThe second-best practice is to use an individual\'s name followed by the organization\'s name. For example, I get emails from Janine Wampler, ACES Communications. Those always come from the same individual, and they identify the organization so I know that it\'s OK to open.\r\n\r\nIf you don\'t understand that we are living in an age where each of us gets hundreds of emails a day, we have limited attention spans, and we have a fear of being cyber attacked, you should not be doing any email communication.\r\n\r\n<strong>Marketing #fail #2: Not having a complete website (or not having one at all)</strong>\r\n\r\nLast Friday, I was meeting some friends for dinner. There\'s a new place that I had heard about and I did some searches to see if I could find a menu. The only thing available was a one page website with absolutely no useful information and a Facebook page, with even less useful information. We did end up meeting at this restaurant. We got there and were asked if we had reservations. Since we did not (by the way, it was 6:30 p.m. and the place was not full), the hostess told us our only option was to eat outside on the patio. Normally that would have been fine, but it was abnormally hot and humid and the patio did not even have ceiling fans. We took a look at the menu, which remember, was not available anywhere online, and we were very underwhelmed. The offerings did not make us want to brave the heat and we decided to go elsewhere. A couple showed up right after us and they too were offered the patio, and they also left.\r\n\r\nA restaurant website should include all the information that diners need. This includes: hours, reservation policy, menu, special considerations (for example, in this case, the website could indicate diners without a reservation would be seated in the outdoor patio).\r\n\r\nThese days, there is no excuse for not having a working, attractive website. There are so many providers of build-it-yourself websites, from Wix to Squarespace. And there are providers that specialize in industries, such as restaurants.\r\n\r\nWhat are marketing fails that you see over and over? Share them in the comments.','Two common marketing #fails (and pet peeves)','','inherit','open','open','','3290-revision-v1','','','2016-07-13 11:26:39','2016-07-13 15:26:39','',3290,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/07/3290-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3293,4,'2016-07-21 11:31:22','2016-07-21 15:31:22','There\'s a quotation floating out there that has been often attributed to Maya Angelou, but which may have other sources. It\'s this:\r\n<blockquote>They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.</blockquote>\r\nIf you are working in communications, especially marketing communications, you should take that quote to heart. Perhaps, even print it and post it where you always can see it.\r\n\r\nAs a communicator, your job is to elicit <em>positive feelings</em> from your audience. Perhaps you want them to buy something, donate money, advocate or like your company. If they feel positively toward you or your organization, they are more likely to take the action you want them to. On the other hand, if they feel negatively toward you, they are less likely to want anything to do with you.\r\n\r\nOrganizations that \"get\" it are the ones that have the more engaged, loyal supporters.  Organizations that don\'t are the ones that ignore customers or that communicate with them in ways that are not customer-friendly.\r\n\r\nSo remember to take your customer/supporter/donor\'s feelings into consideration. Think about how you want your audience to feel the next time your write an email or website copy or anything else. If you focus on that, I can promise you will  have better results.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','It is about feelings','','publish','open','open','','it-is-about-feelings','','','2016-07-21 11:31:22','2016-07-21 15:31:22','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3293',0,'post','',0),
(3294,4,'2016-07-21 11:31:22','2016-07-21 15:31:22','There\'s a quotation floating out there that has been often attributed to Maya Angelou, but which may have other sources. It\'s this:\r\n<blockquote>They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.</blockquote>\r\nIf you are working in communications, especially marketing communications, you should take that quote to heart. Perhaps, even print it and post it where you always can see it.\r\n\r\nAs a communicator, your job is to elicit <em>positive feelings</em> from your audience. Perhaps you want them to buy something, donate money, advocate or like your company. If they feel positively toward you or your organization, they are more likely to take the action you want them to. On the other hand, if they feel negatively toward you, they are less likely to want anything to do with you.\r\n\r\nOrganizations that \"get\" it are the ones that have the more engaged, loyal supporters.  Organizations that don\'t are the ones that ignore customers or that communicate with them in ways that are not customer-friendly.\r\n\r\nSo remember to take your customer/supporter/donor\'s feelings into consideration. Think about how you want your audience to feel the next time your write an email or website copy or anything else. If you focus on that, I can promise you will  have better results.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','It is about feelings','','inherit','open','open','','3293-revision-v1','','','2016-07-21 11:31:22','2016-07-21 15:31:22','',3293,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/07/3293-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3295,4,'2016-07-28 08:27:55','2016-07-28 12:27:55','I definitely wanted to interview Leslie O\'Flahavan for this series, and I am so glad she agreed to be featured this month. She\'s been teaching writing for  years and offers an academic perspective that\'s a bit different from marketing/communications folks.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3296\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"199\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Leslie_OFLAHAVAN.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3296\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Leslie_OFLAHAVAN-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"Leslie O\'Flahavan, E-Write\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a> Leslie O\'Flahavan, E-Write[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLeslie O’Flahavan is a get-to-the point writer and an experienced, versatile writing instructor. As <a href=\"http://www.ewriteonline.com/\" target=\"_blank\">E-WRITE </a>owner since 1996, Leslie has been writing content and teaching customized writing courses for Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Leslie can help the most stubborn, inexperienced, or word-phobic employees at your organization improve their writing skills, so they can do their jobs better.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter</strong>: <a href=\"https://twitter.com/LeslieO?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor\" target=\"_blank\">@LeslieO</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting IS my work. Because I am a writer myself and a life-long writing teacher, writing plays the largest role possible in my work. Of course, I may be a bit biased, but I think writing is an essential skill. At work, writing is perhaps THE essential communication skill.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nYes, writing well matters even more in our digital/emoji world. Some people have the idea that “no one really writes or reads anymore.” I don’t agree with this at all. If you text, you are writing. If you Instagram a picture of your brunch, and you add some words to the picture, you are writing. It’s elitist to think that only academic tracts or annual reports are “real” writing. Writing happens every time someone keyboards or scrawls some words. Because we’re writing so much now, doing it well matters a lot.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nHow you improve your writing skills depends on what you need to write, the skills you’re struggling with as a writer, and which stage in your career you find yourself. In most cases, the best advice I could give is to find a good example or model of what you’re trying to write before you begin. So, if you have to write a proposal, find an example of a proposal that won the funding. Read it analytically to see how the writer constructed it. If you have to write the “About Us” page for your website, find three or four models of excellent About Us pages and one that’s not very good. Before you begin writing, contrast the bad one to the good ones. Analytical reading will help prepare you to repeat the successful writing strategies you’ve observed.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI like <a href=\"https://www.wiktionary.org/\" target=\"_blank\">wiktionary.org</a>, <em>Letting Go of the Words</em> by Ginny Redish, and Grammar Girl’s <a href=\"http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/\" target=\"_blank\">QuickandDirtyTips.com</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nIn my work, I often am asked to follow my client’s style guide, which will sometimes be an in-house guide or a published guide such as Chicago Manual of Style, with some company-specific adaptations. I’m always glad to follow a style guide.\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nAs a writing teacher, I try not to be peevish or to cringe very much. After all, I’m supposed to be helping people whose writing is cringe-worthy or whose grammar blunders tweak my peeve nerve. I’m not put off by a genuine writing error. These things happen. In fact, I recently misspelled my own name in an email. What puts me off is when people act like fixing the error isn’t important. Or when they treat the plain language movement as a fad. That makes me cranky.\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong> <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite?</strong>\r\n\r\nIn 2016, my favorite word is <em>rapport</em>. And <em>pimples</em> has been my least favorite word for decades, since I had them, back in the late 70s.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>I love Leslie\'s advice on modeling your writing on something that you think is good. Everyone should work on recognizing when something works well and  analyzing what makes it so. Check back here on August 25, when I will interview another marketing/communications pro on the importance of writing. And if you need help with your writing, I am happy to lend a pen!</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Leslie O\'Flahavan gets the point','','publish','open','open','','on-writing-leslie-oflahavan-gets-the-point','','','2016-07-28 08:27:55','2016-07-28 12:27:55','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3295',0,'post','',0),
(3297,4,'2016-07-26 11:05:14','2016-07-26 15:05:14','One person who I definitely wanted to interview for this series is Leslie O\'Flahavan (easier to just call her Leslie O, like her Twitter handle). She\'s been teaching writing for  years and she has the educational perspective.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3296\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"199\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Leslie_OFLAHAVAN.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3296\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Leslie_OFLAHAVAN-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"Leslie O\'Flahavan, E-Write\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a> Leslie O\'Flahavan, E-Write[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLeslie O’Flahavan is a get-to-the point writer and an experienced, versatile writing instructor. As E-WRITE owner since 1996, Leslie has been writing content and teaching customized writing courses for Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Leslie can help the most stubborn, inexperienced, or word-phobic employees at your organization improve their writing skills, so they can do their jobs better.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>Seven questions about writing</h1>\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting IS my work. Because I am a writer myself and a life-long writing teacher, writing plays the largest role possible in my work. Of course, I may be a bit biased, but I think writing is an essential skill. At work, writing is perhaps THE essential communication skill.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nYes, writing well matters even more in our digital/emoji world. Some people have the idea that “no one really writes or reads anymore.” I don’t agree with this at all. If you text, you are writing. If you Instagram a picture of your brunch, and you add some words to the picture, you are writing. It’s elitist to think that only academic tracts or annual reports are “real” writing. Writing happens every time someone keyboards or scrawls some words. Because we’re writing so much now, doing it well matters a lot.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nHow you improve your writing skills depends on what you need to write, the skills you’re struggling with as a writer, and which stage in your career you find yourself. In most cases, the best advice I could give is to find a good example or model of what you’re trying to write before you begin. So, if you have to write a proposal, find an example of a proposal that won the funding. Read it analytically to see how the writer constructed it. If you have to write the “About Us” page for your website, find three or four models of excellent About Us pages and one that’s not very good. Before you begin writing, contrast the bad one to the good ones. Analytical reading will help prepare you to repeat the successful writing strategies you’ve observed.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI like wiktionary.org, <em>Letting Go of the Words</em> by Ginny Redish, and Grammar Girl’s QuickandDirtyTips.com\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nIn my work, I often am asked to follow my client’s style guide, which will sometimes be an in-house guide or a published guide such as Chicago Manual of Style, with some company-specific adaptations. I’m always glad to follow a style guide.\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nAs a writing teacher, I try not to be peevish or to cringe very much. After all, I’m supposed to be helping people whose writing is cringe-worthy or whose grammar blunders tweak my peeve nerve. I’m not put off by a genuine writing error. These things happen. In fact, I recently misspelled my own name in an email. What puts me off is when people act like fixing the error isn’t important. Or when they treat the plain language movement as a fad. That makes me cranky.\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong> <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite?</strong>\r\n\r\nIn 2016, my favorite word is <em>rapport</em>. And <em>pimples</em> has been my least favorite word for decades, since I had them, back in the late 70s.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Leslie O\'Flahavan gets the point','','inherit','open','open','','3295-revision-v1','','','2016-07-26 11:05:14','2016-07-26 15:05:14','',3295,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/07/3295-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3392,4,'2016-11-10 09:57:14','2016-11-10 14:57:14','It seems obvious that you should always write your marketing and communications materials with your readers in mind. After all, if you are trying to communicate with them, you have to understand what they need to know.\r\n\r\nAnd yet, how many times have you received a letter that doesn\'t say anything? Or an email that lacks crucial information? How many times have you had to call up a company because you didn\'t understand something it sent you? I bet you\'ve had many a moment like this, which left you frustrated.\r\n\r\nI had such a moment last week. I had signed up for an editing workshop from the American Copy Editors Society (ACES) being given on November 5 in Washington, DC.','Always start with the reader in mind','','inherit','open','open','','3391-revision-v1','','','2016-11-10 09:57:14','2016-11-10 14:57:14','',3391,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/11/3391-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3299,4,'2016-07-27 16:28:58','2016-07-27 20:28:58','I definitely wanted to interview Leslie O\'Flahavan for this series and I am so glad she agreed to be featured this month. She\'s been teaching writing for  years and offers an academic perspective.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3296\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"199\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Leslie_OFLAHAVAN.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3296\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Leslie_OFLAHAVAN-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"Leslie O\'Flahavan, E-Write\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a> Leslie O\'Flahavan, E-Write[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLeslie O’Flahavan is a get-to-the point writer and an experienced, versatile writing instructor. As <a href=\"http://www.ewriteonline.com/\" target=\"_blank\">E-WRITE </a>owner since 1996, Leslie has been writing content and teaching customized writing courses for Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Leslie can help the most stubborn, inexperienced, or word-phobic employees at your organization improve their writing skills, so they can do their jobs better.\r\n\r\nTwitter: @LeslieO\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>Seven questions about writing</h1>\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting IS my work. Because I am a writer myself and a life-long writing teacher, writing plays the largest role possible in my work. Of course, I may be a bit biased, but I think writing is an essential skill. At work, writing is perhaps THE essential communication skill.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nYes, writing well matters even more in our digital/emoji world. Some people have the idea that “no one really writes or reads anymore.” I don’t agree with this at all. If you text, you are writing. If you Instagram a picture of your brunch, and you add some words to the picture, you are writing. It’s elitist to think that only academic tracts or annual reports are “real” writing. Writing happens every time someone keyboards or scrawls some words. Because we’re writing so much now, doing it well matters a lot.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nHow you improve your writing skills depends on what you need to write, the skills you’re struggling with as a writer, and which stage in your career you find yourself. In most cases, the best advice I could give is to find a good example or model of what you’re trying to write before you begin. So, if you have to write a proposal, find an example of a proposal that won the funding. Read it analytically to see how the writer constructed it. If you have to write the “About Us” page for your website, find three or four models of excellent About Us pages and one that’s not very good. Before you begin writing, contrast the bad one to the good ones. Analytical reading will help prepare you to repeat the successful writing strategies you’ve observed.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI like wiktionary.org, <em>Letting Go of the Words</em> by Ginny Redish, and Grammar Girl’s QuickandDirtyTips.com\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nIn my work, I often am asked to follow my client’s style guide, which will sometimes be an in-house guide or a published guide such as Chicago Manual of Style, with some company-specific adaptations. I’m always glad to follow a style guide.\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nAs a writing teacher, I try not to be peevish or to cringe very much. After all, I’m supposed to be helping people whose writing is cringe-worthy or whose grammar blunders tweak my peeve nerve. I’m not put off by a genuine writing error. These things happen. In fact, I recently misspelled my own name in an email. What puts me off is when people act like fixing the error isn’t important. Or when they treat the plain language movement as a fad. That makes me cranky.\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong> <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite?</strong>\r\n\r\nIn 2016, my favorite word is <em>rapport</em>. And <em>pimples</em> has been my least favorite word for decades, since I had them, back in the late 70s.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Leslie O\'Flahavan gets the point','','inherit','open','open','','3295-revision-v1','','','2016-07-27 16:28:58','2016-07-27 20:28:58','',3295,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/07/3295-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3300,4,'2016-07-27 16:36:23','2016-07-27 20:36:23','I definitely wanted to interview Leslie O\'Flahavan for this series and I am so glad she agreed to be featured this month. She\'s been teaching writing for  years and offers an academic perspective.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3296\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"199\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Leslie_OFLAHAVAN.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3296\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Leslie_OFLAHAVAN-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"Leslie O\'Flahavan, E-Write\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a> Leslie O\'Flahavan, E-Write[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLeslie O’Flahavan is a get-to-the point writer and an experienced, versatile writing instructor. As <a href=\"http://www.ewriteonline.com/\" target=\"_blank\">E-WRITE </a>owner since 1996, Leslie has been writing content and teaching customized writing courses for Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Leslie can help the most stubborn, inexperienced, or word-phobic employees at your organization improve their writing skills, so they can do their jobs better.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter</strong>: <a href=\"https://twitter.com/LeslieO?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor\" target=\"_blank\">@LeslieO</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting IS my work. Because I am a writer myself and a life-long writing teacher, writing plays the largest role possible in my work. Of course, I may be a bit biased, but I think writing is an essential skill. At work, writing is perhaps THE essential communication skill.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nYes, writing well matters even more in our digital/emoji world. Some people have the idea that “no one really writes or reads anymore.” I don’t agree with this at all. If you text, you are writing. If you Instagram a picture of your brunch, and you add some words to the picture, you are writing. It’s elitist to think that only academic tracts or annual reports are “real” writing. Writing happens every time someone keyboards or scrawls some words. Because we’re writing so much now, doing it well matters a lot.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nHow you improve your writing skills depends on what you need to write, the skills you’re struggling with as a writer, and which stage in your career you find yourself. In most cases, the best advice I could give is to find a good example or model of what you’re trying to write before you begin. So, if you have to write a proposal, find an example of a proposal that won the funding. Read it analytically to see how the writer constructed it. If you have to write the “About Us” page for your website, find three or four models of excellent About Us pages and one that’s not very good. Before you begin writing, contrast the bad one to the good ones. Analytical reading will help prepare you to repeat the successful writing strategies you’ve observed.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI like <a href=\"https://www.wiktionary.org/\" target=\"_blank\">wiktionary.org</a>, <em>Letting Go of the Words</em> by Ginny Redish, and Grammar Girl’s <a href=\"http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/\" target=\"_blank\">QuickandDirtyTips.com</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nIn my work, I often am asked to follow my client’s style guide, which will sometimes be an in-house guide or a published guide such as Chicago Manual of Style, with some company-specific adaptations. I’m always glad to follow a style guide.\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nAs a writing teacher, I try not to be peevish or to cringe very much. After all, I’m supposed to be helping people whose writing is cringe-worthy or whose grammar blunders tweak my peeve nerve. I’m not put off by a genuine writing error. These things happen. In fact, I recently misspelled my own name in an email. What puts me off is when people act like fixing the error isn’t important. Or when they treat the plain language movement as a fad. That makes me cranky.\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong> <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite?</strong>\r\n\r\nIn 2016, my favorite word is <em>rapport</em>. And <em>pimples</em> has been my least favorite word for decades, since I had them, back in the late 70s.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>I love Leslie\'s advice on modelling your writing on something that\'s good. Everyone should work on recognizing when something is good and then analyzing what makes it so. Check back here on August 25, when I will interview another marketing/communications pro. And if you need help with your writing, be sure to get in touch!</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Leslie O\'Flahavan gets the point','','inherit','open','open','','3295-revision-v1','','','2016-07-27 16:36:23','2016-07-27 20:36:23','',3295,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/07/3295-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3301,4,'2016-07-28 08:25:19','2016-07-28 12:25:19','I definitely wanted to interview Leslie O\'Flahavan for this series, and I am so glad she agreed to be featured this month. She\'s been teaching writing for  years and offers an academic perspective that\'s a bit different from the marketing/communications folks.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3296\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"199\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Leslie_OFLAHAVAN.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3296\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Leslie_OFLAHAVAN-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"Leslie O\'Flahavan, E-Write\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a> Leslie O\'Flahavan, E-Write[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLeslie O’Flahavan is a get-to-the point writer and an experienced, versatile writing instructor. As <a href=\"http://www.ewriteonline.com/\" target=\"_blank\">E-WRITE </a>owner since 1996, Leslie has been writing content and teaching customized writing courses for Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Leslie can help the most stubborn, inexperienced, or word-phobic employees at your organization improve their writing skills, so they can do their jobs better.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter</strong>: <a href=\"https://twitter.com/LeslieO?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor\" target=\"_blank\">@LeslieO</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting IS my work. Because I am a writer myself and a life-long writing teacher, writing plays the largest role possible in my work. Of course, I may be a bit biased, but I think writing is an essential skill. At work, writing is perhaps THE essential communication skill.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nYes, writing well matters even more in our digital/emoji world. Some people have the idea that “no one really writes or reads anymore.” I don’t agree with this at all. If you text, you are writing. If you Instagram a picture of your brunch, and you add some words to the picture, you are writing. It’s elitist to think that only academic tracts or annual reports are “real” writing. Writing happens every time someone keyboards or scrawls some words. Because we’re writing so much now, doing it well matters a lot.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nHow you improve your writing skills depends on what you need to write, the skills you’re struggling with as a writer, and which stage in your career you find yourself. In most cases, the best advice I could give is to find a good example or model of what you’re trying to write before you begin. So, if you have to write a proposal, find an example of a proposal that won the funding. Read it analytically to see how the writer constructed it. If you have to write the “About Us” page for your website, find three or four models of excellent About Us pages and one that’s not very good. Before you begin writing, contrast the bad one to the good ones. Analytical reading will help prepare you to repeat the successful writing strategies you’ve observed.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI like <a href=\"https://www.wiktionary.org/\" target=\"_blank\">wiktionary.org</a>, <em>Letting Go of the Words</em> by Ginny Redish, and Grammar Girl’s <a href=\"http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/\" target=\"_blank\">QuickandDirtyTips.com</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nIn my work, I often am asked to follow my client’s style guide, which will sometimes be an in-house guide or a published guide such as Chicago Manual of Style, with some company-specific adaptations. I’m always glad to follow a style guide.\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nAs a writing teacher, I try not to be peevish or to cringe very much. After all, I’m supposed to be helping people whose writing is cringe-worthy or whose grammar blunders tweak my peeve nerve. I’m not put off by a genuine writing error. These things happen. In fact, I recently misspelled my own name in an email. What puts me off is when people act like fixing the error isn’t important. Or when they treat the plain language movement as a fad. That makes me cranky.\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong> <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite?</strong>\r\n\r\nIn 2016, my favorite word is <em>rapport</em>. And <em>pimples</em> has been my least favorite word for decades, since I had them, back in the late 70s.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>I love Leslie\'s advice on modeling your writing on something that you think is good. Everyone should work on recognizing when something works well and  analyzing what makes it so. Check back here on August 25, when I will interview another marketing/communications pro on the importance of writing. And if you need help with your writing, I am happy to lend a pen!</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Leslie O\'Flahavan gets the point','','inherit','open','open','','3295-revision-v1','','','2016-07-28 08:25:19','2016-07-28 12:25:19','',3295,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/07/3295-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3302,4,'2016-07-28 08:27:55','2016-07-28 12:27:55','I definitely wanted to interview Leslie O\'Flahavan for this series, and I am so glad she agreed to be featured this month. She\'s been teaching writing for  years and offers an academic perspective that\'s a bit different from marketing/communications folks.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3296\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"199\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Leslie_OFLAHAVAN.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3296\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Leslie_OFLAHAVAN-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"Leslie O\'Flahavan, E-Write\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a> Leslie O\'Flahavan, E-Write[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLeslie O’Flahavan is a get-to-the point writer and an experienced, versatile writing instructor. As <a href=\"http://www.ewriteonline.com/\" target=\"_blank\">E-WRITE </a>owner since 1996, Leslie has been writing content and teaching customized writing courses for Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Leslie can help the most stubborn, inexperienced, or word-phobic employees at your organization improve their writing skills, so they can do their jobs better.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter</strong>: <a href=\"https://twitter.com/LeslieO?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor\" target=\"_blank\">@LeslieO</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting IS my work. Because I am a writer myself and a life-long writing teacher, writing plays the largest role possible in my work. Of course, I may be a bit biased, but I think writing is an essential skill. At work, writing is perhaps THE essential communication skill.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nYes, writing well matters even more in our digital/emoji world. Some people have the idea that “no one really writes or reads anymore.” I don’t agree with this at all. If you text, you are writing. If you Instagram a picture of your brunch, and you add some words to the picture, you are writing. It’s elitist to think that only academic tracts or annual reports are “real” writing. Writing happens every time someone keyboards or scrawls some words. Because we’re writing so much now, doing it well matters a lot.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nHow you improve your writing skills depends on what you need to write, the skills you’re struggling with as a writer, and which stage in your career you find yourself. In most cases, the best advice I could give is to find a good example or model of what you’re trying to write before you begin. So, if you have to write a proposal, find an example of a proposal that won the funding. Read it analytically to see how the writer constructed it. If you have to write the “About Us” page for your website, find three or four models of excellent About Us pages and one that’s not very good. Before you begin writing, contrast the bad one to the good ones. Analytical reading will help prepare you to repeat the successful writing strategies you’ve observed.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI like <a href=\"https://www.wiktionary.org/\" target=\"_blank\">wiktionary.org</a>, <em>Letting Go of the Words</em> by Ginny Redish, and Grammar Girl’s <a href=\"http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/\" target=\"_blank\">QuickandDirtyTips.com</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one? </strong>\r\n\r\nIn my work, I often am asked to follow my client’s style guide, which will sometimes be an in-house guide or a published guide such as Chicago Manual of Style, with some company-specific adaptations. I’m always glad to follow a style guide.\r\n\r\n<strong>6.</strong> <strong>What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nAs a writing teacher, I try not to be peevish or to cringe very much. After all, I’m supposed to be helping people whose writing is cringe-worthy or whose grammar blunders tweak my peeve nerve. I’m not put off by a genuine writing error. These things happen. In fact, I recently misspelled my own name in an email. What puts me off is when people act like fixing the error isn’t important. Or when they treat the plain language movement as a fad. That makes me cranky.\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong> <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite?</strong>\r\n\r\nIn 2016, my favorite word is <em>rapport</em>. And <em>pimples</em> has been my least favorite word for decades, since I had them, back in the late 70s.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>I love Leslie\'s advice on modeling your writing on something that you think is good. Everyone should work on recognizing when something works well and  analyzing what makes it so. Check back here on August 25, when I will interview another marketing/communications pro on the importance of writing. And if you need help with your writing, I am happy to lend a pen!</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Leslie O\'Flahavan gets the point','','inherit','open','open','','3295-revision-v1','','','2016-07-28 08:27:55','2016-07-28 12:27:55','',3295,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/07/3295-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3303,4,'2016-08-03 10:01:09','0000-00-00 00:00:00','I just ended a course of antibiotics. As you probably know, there are several types of antibiotics, each prescribed for different conditions, each with their specific set of instructions and side effects.\r\n\r\nWhen my doctor called to tell me that I need to take antibiotics, I was stunned. I thought I had a virus, but no, it was something much more serious. I could barely process all the questions I had. The doctor told me to start taking the antibiotic immediately, instructing me to take it with food, twice a day, and to make sure to take it for the full course.\r\n\r\nI hustled over to the pharmacy.\r\n\r\nWhen I picked up my prescription, the bottle said: \"Take twice a day with food.\" My pharmacy (like most) provides an insert detailing more specifics about the medication. I read through it, and found it contradicted the doctor\'s instructions. The information said that taking the antibiotic with food reduces its effectiveness, and suggests you take it one hour before a meal or two hours after, and to take it with \"plenty of water.\" It didn\'t specify a time plan for taking the medicine. I\r\n\r\nNeedless to say, I still had lots of questions. The pharmacy\'s information was different than what the doc had said, so naturally, I researched on the internet. I found more information, some contradictory, some the same.\r\n\r\nSo here are some of my questions:\r\n\r\nWhat does it mean \"to take with food?\" Does it mean with a meal, with a cracker, while eating food or after eating?\r\n\r\nWhen you say twice a day, should I space it out? By how many hours? Does it matter if it is morning and night?\r\n\r\nWhen you say plenty of water,  does that mean a full glass of water? How many ounces exactly? Drink more after?\r\n\r\nNow, I understand there\'s not a lot of room on the medicine bottle to provide specific information. That\'s what the insert is about. But that too wasn\'t helpful.\r\n\r\nHave you -it is about language that is simple but doesn\'t provide enough information. I am talking about the information doctors give you, or more specifically, the information provided with your prescription.','Sometimes you need more information','','draft','open','open','','sometimes-you-need-more-information','','','2016-08-03 10:01:09','2016-08-03 14:01:09','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3303',0,'post','',0),
(3304,4,'2016-08-01 08:44:12','2016-08-01 12:44:12','I love the plain language movement. If we could rid the earth of the word utilize I would be very happy. But this post is not really about plain language--it is about language that is simple but doesn\'t provide enough information. I am talking about the information doctors give you, or more specifically, the information provided with your prescription.\r\n\r\nYou see, I just ended a course of antibiotics. When the doctor called to tell me I would have to be taking antibiotics, she told me to take them with food, twice a day, and make sure to take them for all ten days. That\'s it.\r\n\r\nWhen I picked up my prescription, the bottle said: \"Take twice a day with food.\" My pharmacy (like most) gives a paper detailing more specifics, but these contradicted the instructions. The information said that taking the antibiotic with food reduces its effectiveness, and suggests you take it one hour before a meal or two hours after, and to take it with \"plenty of water.\" The role of food is to stop the antibiotic from messing with your digestion.\r\n\r\nSo here are my questions:\r\n\r\nWhat does it mean \"to take with food?\" Does it mean with a meal, with a cracker, while eating food or after eating?\r\n\r\nWhen you say twice a day, should I space it out? By how many hours? Does it matter if it is morning and night?\r\n\r\nWhen you say plenty of water,  does that mean a full glass of water? How many ounces exactly? Drink more after?\r\n\r\nAs you can tell, both the doctor\'s directions and certainly the pharmacy\'s instructions, were vague. You can be simple but yet be precise.','Simple is not always better','','inherit','open','open','','3303-revision-v1','','','2016-08-01 08:44:12','2016-08-01 12:44:12','',3303,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/08/3303-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3305,4,'2016-08-03 10:01:09','2016-08-03 14:01:09','I just ended a course of antibiotics. As you probably know, there are several types of antibiotics, each prescribed for different conditions, each with their specific set of instructions and side effects.\r\n\r\nWhen my doctor called to tell me that I need to take antibiotics, I was stunned. I thought I had a virus, but no, it was something much more serious. I could barely process all the questions I had. The doctor told me to start taking the antibiotic immediately, instructing me to take it with food, twice a day, and to make sure to take it for the full course.\r\n\r\nI hustled over to the pharmacy.\r\n\r\nWhen I picked up my prescription, the bottle said: \"Take twice a day with food.\" My pharmacy (like most) provides an insert detailing more specifics about the medication. I read through it, and found it contradicted the doctor\'s instructions. The information said that taking the antibiotic with food reduces its effectiveness, and suggests you take it one hour before a meal or two hours after, and to take it with \"plenty of water.\" It didn\'t specify a time plan for taking the medicine. I\r\n\r\nNeedless to say, I still had lots of questions. The pharmacy\'s information was different than what the doc had said, so naturally, I researched on the internet. I found more information, some contradictory, some the same.\r\n\r\nSo here are some of my questions:\r\n\r\nWhat does it mean \"to take with food?\" Does it mean with a meal, with a cracker, while eating food or after eating?\r\n\r\nWhen you say twice a day, should I space it out? By how many hours? Does it matter if it is morning and night?\r\n\r\nWhen you say plenty of water,  does that mean a full glass of water? How many ounces exactly? Drink more after?\r\n\r\nNow, I understand there\'s not a lot of room on the medicine bottle to provide specific information. That\'s what the insert is about. But that too wasn\'t helpful.\r\n\r\nHave you -it is about language that is simple but doesn\'t provide enough information. I am talking about the information doctors give you, or more specifically, the information provided with your prescription.','Sometimes you need more information','','inherit','open','open','','3303-revision-v1','','','2016-08-03 10:01:09','2016-08-03 14:01:09','',3303,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/08/3303-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3307,4,'2016-08-03 14:21:53','2016-08-03 18:21:53','I can\'t believe that in mid-2016 I am still complaining about this, but it happened to me again just this morning. I came across an interesting blog post about--get this--content strategy, and it had NO SHARING BUTTONS. None. Zilch. There was no<em> easy</em> way to share this content out short of me cutting and pasting the URL or using an extension such as Buffer (as Jonathan Rick helpfully pointed out on Twitter).\r\n\r\n<strong>Think about the user</strong>\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, content strategy is supposed to keep the \"user experience\" (or UX) in mind. That means, that you, the content strategist or website/blog owner, need to think about your site\'s visitors: How do they use your site? What do they need to do on your site? What do they want to learn about you? How can you make the process easy and intuitive <em>for them</em>?\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s about being social</strong>\r\n\r\nSharing buttons have been around for years. There are dozens of plugins that allow this functionality in WordPress, and I am sure in any other blogging platform. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Not having sharing buttons means you do not want your content to be shared.</span> Which means you do not understand the purpose of content or the social aspect of social media (blogs are social media).\r\n\r\nIt\'s not difficult: <strong>Your content strategy needs to include an easy way to share content</strong>. And by the way, sharing content also includes being able to email it or print it (don\'t get me started on how many recipe sites don\'t have this functionality).\r\n\r\n<strong>Make sure it works</strong>\r\n\r\nBut it\'s not enough to stick a sharing plugin on your blog or website and call it a day. You have to check that it actually works. And that it is providing the right information. And that it is easy to find and use. (Just yesterday, I came across another blog post that I wanted to share, and it did have a sharing button, microscopic, but there, and guess what, it didn\'t work.)\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>You will find sharing (and printing) buttons at the bottom of this post. Please consider sharing this so that we can get all the non-sharers on board.</strong> </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Is sharing part of your content strategy?','','publish','open','open','','is-sharing-part-of-your-content-strategy','','','2016-08-03 14:21:53','2016-08-03 18:21:53','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3307',0,'post','',0),
(3308,4,'2016-08-03 14:16:37','2016-08-03 18:16:37','I can\'t believe that in mid-2016 I am still complaining about this, but it happened to me again just this morning. I came across an interesting blog post about--get this--content strategy, and it had NO SHARING BUTTONS. None. Zilch. Nada. There was no<em> easy</em> way to share this content out short of me cutting and pasting the URL or using an extension such as Buffer (as Jonathan Rick helpfully pointed out on Twitter).\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, content strategy is supposed to keep the \"user experience\" or UX in mind. That means, that you, the content strategist, need to think about your website\'s visitors: How do they use your site? What do they need to do on your site? What do they want to learn about you? How can you make the process easy and intuitive <em>for them</em>?\r\n\r\nSharing buttons have been around for years. There are dozens of plugins that allow this functionality in WordPress, and I am sure in any other blogging platform. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Not having sharing buttons means you do not want your content to be shared.</span> Which means you do not understand the purpose of content or the social aspect of social media (blogs are social media).\r\n\r\nIt\'s not difficult: <strong>Your content strategy needs to include an easy way to share content</strong>. And by the way, sharing content also includes being able to email it or print it (don\'t get me started on how many recipe sites don\'t have this functionality).\r\n\r\nIt\'s also not enough to stick a sharing plugin on your blog or website and call it a day. You have to check that it actually works. And that it is providing the right information. And that it is easy to find and use. (Just yesterday, I came across another blog post that I wanted to share, and it did have a sharing button, microscopic, but there, and guess what, it didn\'t work).\r\n\r\nYou will find sharing (and printing) buttons at the bottom of this post. Please consider sharing this so that we can get all the non-sharers on board.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Is sharing part of your content strategy?','','inherit','open','open','','3307-revision-v1','','','2016-08-03 14:16:37','2016-08-03 18:16:37','',3307,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/08/3307-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3309,4,'2016-08-03 14:18:15','2016-08-03 18:18:15','I can\'t believe that in mid-2016 I am still complaining about this, but it happened to me again just this morning. I came across an interesting blog post about--get this--content strategy, and it had NO SHARING BUTTONS. None. Zilch. Nada. There was no<em> easy</em> way to share this content out short of me cutting and pasting the URL or using an extension such as Buffer (as Jonathan Rick helpfully pointed out on Twitter).\r\n\r\n<strong>Think about the user</strong>\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, content strategy is supposed to keep the \"user experience\" or UX in mind. That means, that you, the content strategist, need to think about your website\'s visitors: How do they use your site? What do they need to do on your site? What do they want to learn about you? How can you make the process easy and intuitive <em>for them</em>?\r\n\r\n<strong>There\'s got to be a way to share</strong>\r\n\r\nSharing buttons have been around for years. There are dozens of plugins that allow this functionality in WordPress, and I am sure in any other blogging platform. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Not having sharing buttons means you do not want your content to be shared.</span> Which means you do not understand the purpose of content or the social aspect of social media (blogs are social media).\r\n\r\nIt\'s not difficult: <strong>Your content strategy needs to include an easy way to share content</strong>. And by the way, sharing content also includes being able to email it or print it (don\'t get me started on how many recipe sites don\'t have this functionality).\r\n\r\n<strong>Make sure it works</strong>\r\n\r\nIt\'s also not enough to stick a sharing plugin on your blog or website and call it a day. You have to check that it actually works. And that it is providing the right information. And that it is easy to find and use. (Just yesterday, I came across another blog post that I wanted to share, and it did have a sharing button, microscopic, but there, and guess what, it didn\'t work).\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>You will find sharing (and printing) buttons at the bottom of this post. Please consider sharing this so that we can get all the non-sharers on board.</strong> </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Is sharing part of your content strategy?','','inherit','open','open','','3307-revision-v1','','','2016-08-03 14:18:15','2016-08-03 18:18:15','',3307,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/08/3307-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3310,4,'2016-08-03 14:21:36','2016-08-03 18:21:36','I can\'t believe that in mid-2016 I am still complaining about this, but it happened to me again just this morning. I came across an interesting blog post about--get this--content strategy, and it had NO SHARING BUTTONS. None. Zilch. There was no<em> easy</em> way to share this content out short of me cutting and pasting the URL or using an extension such as Buffer (as Jonathan Rick helpfully pointed out on Twitter).\r\n\r\n<strong>Think about the user</strong>\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, content strategy is supposed to keep the \"user experience\" (or UX) in mind. That means, that you, the content strategist or website/blog owner, need to think about your site\'s visitors: How do they use your site? What do they need to do on your site? What do they want to learn about you? How can you make the process easy and intuitive <em>for them</em>?\r\n\r\n<strong>It\'s about being social</strong>\r\n\r\nSharing buttons have been around for years. There are dozens of plugins that allow this functionality in WordPress, and I am sure in any other blogging platform. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Not having sharing buttons means you do not want your content to be shared.</span> Which means you do not understand the purpose of content or the social aspect of social media (blogs are social media).\r\n\r\nIt\'s not difficult: <strong>Your content strategy needs to include an easy way to share content</strong>. And by the way, sharing content also includes being able to email it or print it (don\'t get me started on how many recipe sites don\'t have this functionality).\r\n\r\n<strong>Make sure it works</strong>\r\n\r\nBut it\'s not enough to stick a sharing plugin on your blog or website and call it a day. You have to check that it actually works. And that it is providing the right information. And that it is easy to find and use. (Just yesterday, I came across another blog post that I wanted to share, and it did have a sharing button, microscopic, but there, and guess what, it didn\'t work.)\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>You will find sharing (and printing) buttons at the bottom of this post. Please consider sharing this so that we can get all the non-sharers on board.</strong> </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Is sharing part of your content strategy?','','inherit','open','open','','3307-revision-v1','','','2016-08-03 14:21:36','2016-08-03 18:21:36','',3307,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/08/3307-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3312,4,'2016-08-09 10:42:31','2016-08-09 14:42:31','<strong>An important message for Deborah</strong>\r\n\r\nThat was the exact subject line of an email I got this morning from AT&amp;T.\r\n\r\nSince I have my cell phone service through AT&amp;T, and the email clearly was<em> designed</em> to sound official, and I thought it was service-related news about my usage or bill. But no, it wasn\'t about my cell phone service at all. Instead, the email was an advertisement for a \"flash sale\" on AT&amp;T\'s home security services.\r\n\r\nLet\'s review: A company with which I have an established (and may I add, quite long) customer relationship sends me an email that claims it\'s important. The subject line is personalized, but the purpose of the email is to sell me other, <em>unrelated</em> services.\r\n\r\n<strong>A case of misdirection</strong>\r\n\r\nIn other words, the subject line of this email was misleading. The email was neither important nor specifically for me. It was a promotion that required a subject line that would hook me into opening it.\r\n\r\n<strong>Entering the realm of unintended consequences</strong>\r\n\r\nToday\'s misleading email from AT&amp;T had two unintended consequences:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>it eroded my trust in AT&amp;T, undermining the company\'s credibility</li>\r\n	<li>it caused me to unsubscribe from their promotional emails (all of them)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Raise interest but not at the expense of your credibility</strong>\r\n\r\nYes, companies and organizations need to have email subject lines that will raise interest and make people open the email. That\'s the purpose of email marketing after all. But when the subject lines are misleading--designed specifically as click-bait--the organization\'s credibility takes a hit. No longer will readers believe emails with words such as important, or urgent. Down the road, this can have negative consequences.\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nCultivate your credibility, even at the expense of potential sales. Once you\'ve destroyed your credibility, you will have a very hard time getting it back.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','How to undermine your credibility','','publish','open','open','','how-to-undermine-your-credibility','','','2016-08-09 10:42:31','2016-08-09 14:42:31','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3312',0,'post','',0),
(3314,4,'2016-08-09 10:36:56','2016-08-09 14:36:56','This morning I got an email from AT&amp;T with this exact subject line:\r\n\r\n<strong>An important message for Deborah</strong>\r\n\r\nSince I have my cell phone service through AT&amp;T, and the email clearly was<em> designed</em> to sound official, and I thought it was service-related news about my usage or bill. But no, it wasn\'t about my cell phone service at all. Instead, the email was an advertisement for a \"flash sale\" on AT&amp;T\'s home security services.\r\n\r\nLet\'s review: A company with which I have an established (and may I add, quite long) customer relationship sends me an email that claims it\'s important. The subject line is personalized, but the purpose of the email is to sell me other, <em>unrelated</em> services.\r\n\r\n<strong>A case of misdirection</strong>\r\n\r\nIn other words, the subject line of this email was misleading. The email was neither important nor specifically for me. It was a promotion that required a subject line that would hook me into opening it.\r\n\r\n<strong>Entering the realm of unintended consequences</strong>\r\n\r\nToday\'s misleading email from AT&amp;T had two unintended consequences:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>it eroded my trust in AT&amp;T and thus undermined the company\'s credibility</li>\r\n	<li>it caused me to unsubscribe from their promotional emails (all of them)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Raise interest but not at the expense of your credibility</strong>\r\n\r\nYes, companies and organizations need to have email subject lines that will raise interest and make people open the email. That\'s the purpose of email marketing after all. But when the subject lines are misleading--designed specifically as click-bait--the organization\'s credibility takes a hit. No longer will readers believe emails with words such as important, or urgent. Down the road, this can have negative consequences.\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nCultivate your credibility, even at the expense of potential sales. Once you\'ve destroyed your credibility, you will have a very hard time getting it back.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','How to undermine your credibility','','inherit','open','open','','3312-revision-v1','','','2016-08-09 10:36:56','2016-08-09 14:36:56','',3312,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/08/3312-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3313,4,'2016-08-09 10:35:07','2016-08-09 14:35:07','This morning I got an email from AT&amp;T with this exact subject line:\r\n\r\n<strong>An important message for Deborah</strong>\r\n\r\nSince I have my cell phone service through AT&amp;T, and the email clearly was<em> designed</em> to sound official, and I thought it was news about my usage or bill or ability to upgrade. But no, it wasn\'t about my cell phone service at all. Instead, the email was an advertisement for a \"flash sale\" on AT&amp;T\'s home security services.\r\n\r\nLet\'s review: A company with which I have an established (and may I add, quite long) customer relationship sends me an email that claims it\'s important. The subject line is personalized, but the purpose of the email is to sell me other, <em>unrelated</em> services.\r\n\r\n<strong>A case of misdirection</strong>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">In other words, the subject line of this email was misleading</span>. The email was neither important nor specifically for me. It was a promotion that required a subject line that would hook me into opening it.\r\n\r\n<strong>Entering the realm of unintended consequences</strong>\r\n\r\nToday\'s misleading email from AT&amp;T had two unintended consequences:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>it eroded my trust in AT&amp;T and thus undermined the company\'s credibility</li>\r\n	<li>it caused me to unsubscribe from their promotional emails (all of them)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Raise interest but not at the expense of your credibility</strong>\r\n\r\nYes, companies and organizations need to have email subject lines that will raise interest and make people open the email. That\'s the purpose of email marketing after all. But when the subject lines are misleading--designed specifically as click-bait--the organization\'s credibility takes a hit. No longer will readers believe emails with words such as important, or urgent. Down the road, this can have negative consequences.\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nCultivate your credibility, even at the expense of potential sales. Once you\'ve destroyed your credibility, you will have a very hard time getting it back.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','How to undermine your credibility','','inherit','open','open','','3312-revision-v1','','','2016-08-09 10:35:07','2016-08-09 14:35:07','',3312,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/08/3312-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3315,4,'2016-08-09 10:40:51','2016-08-09 14:40:51','<strong>An important message for Deborah</strong>\r\n\r\nThat was the exact subject line of an email I got this morning from AT&amp;T.\r\n\r\nSince I have my cell phone service through AT&amp;T, and the email clearly was<em> designed</em> to sound official, and I thought it was service-related news about my usage or bill. But no, it wasn\'t about my cell phone service at all. Instead, the email was an advertisement for a \"flash sale\" on AT&amp;T\'s home security services.\r\n\r\nLet\'s review: A company with which I have an established (and may I add, quite long) customer relationship sends me an email that claims it\'s important. The subject line is personalized, but the purpose of the email is to sell me other, <em>unrelated</em> services.\r\n\r\n<strong>A case of misdirection</strong>\r\n\r\nIn other words, the subject line of this email was misleading. The email was neither important nor specifically for me. It was a promotion that required a subject line that would hook me into opening it.\r\n\r\n<strong>Entering the realm of unintended consequences</strong>\r\n\r\nToday\'s misleading email from AT&amp;T had two unintended consequences:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>it eroded my trust in AT&amp;T, undermining the company\'s credibility</li>\r\n	<li>it caused me to unsubscribe from their promotional emails (all of them)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Raise interest but not at the expense of your credibility</strong>\r\n\r\nYes, companies and organizations need to have email subject lines that will raise interest and make people open the email. That\'s the purpose of email marketing after all. But when the subject lines are misleading--designed specifically as click-bait--the organization\'s credibility takes a hit. No longer will readers believe emails with words such as important, or urgent. Down the road, this can have negative consequences.\r\n\r\n<strong>Bottom line</strong>\r\n\r\nCultivate your credibility, even at the expense of potential sales. Once you\'ve destroyed your credibility, you will have a very hard time getting it back.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','How to undermine your credibility','','inherit','open','open','','3312-revision-v1','','','2016-08-09 10:40:51','2016-08-09 14:40:51','',3312,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/08/3312-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3317,4,'2016-08-17 09:21:20','2016-08-17 13:21:20','In case you\'ve missed a newsletter, just check this archive:\r\n\r\n<a title=\"August 2016 newsletter\" href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/359a88\" target=\"_blank\">August 2016</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/d841f7\" target=\"_blank\">June 2016</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"March 2016 newsletter\" href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/a50a67\" target=\"_blank\">March 2016</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/d7ed27\" target=\"_blank\">January 2016</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/987fe6\" target=\"_blank\">November 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"September 2015 newsletter\" href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/2f17a6\" target=\"_blank\">September 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/f0dc46\" target=\"_blank\">June 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/83c206\" target=\"_blank\">March 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"January 2015 newsletter\" href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/594ec5\" target=\"_blank\">January 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/p/9a6295?fe=1&amp;pact=26384901049\" target=\"_blank\">November 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/f95d35\" target=\"_blank\">September 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/c3e405\" target=\"_blank\">July 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://mad.ly/3625c4\" target=\"_blank\">April 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"February newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/dc2584\" target=\"_blank\">February 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"December 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/bb9454\" target=\"_blank\">December 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"October 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/f27424\" target=\"_blank\">October 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"July 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/eb30f3\" target=\"_blank\">July 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"May 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/9003c3\" target=\"_blank\">May 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"March 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/d82a93\" target=\"_blank\">March 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"January 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/a12873\" target=\"_blank\">January 2013</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Newsletters','','inherit','open','open','','2509-revision-v1','','','2016-08-17 09:21:20','2016-08-17 13:21:20','',2509,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/08/2509-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3318,4,'2016-08-18 12:51:56','2016-08-18 16:51:56','Yesterday, after Pilates class, I was chatting with another student for a couple minutes as we gathered our stuff. In the background, I heard a bell ringing. I noticed it but didn\'t know what it meant. We kept on chatting. The bell rang again. Again, no idea what it was. Then, one of the instructors tapped me on the shoulder and said we were being too loud, to please leave, and that the bell means be quiet. I turned to her, and after apologizing (#sorrynotsorry), told her that I had absolutely no idea what her ringing bell meant. Neither did the other student. We went outside,  feeling a bit peeved.\r\n\r\nIn my experience, a ringing bell indicates something is starting or ending. In yoga classes, teachers often ring a bell to indicate final relaxation is over. I do not associate a ringing bell with the need to be quiet.\r\n\r\nI\'ve been going to this Pilates studio for several weeks. Not once has my instructor ever rung a bell, even when there have been other people chatting. There\'s no sign indicating that you need to be quiet or that a bell will be rung if you\'re not. There\'s nothing about it on the studio website. In fact, this is the only instruction regarding behavior:\r\n<blockquote>Protocol\r\n\r\nClients must sign-in at the Front Desk upon arrival. Please remove your shoes and silence your cell phone upon entering the studio. Pets are not allowed. For your safety, clients who arrive more than 10 minutes late to a group class will not be permitted to join the class.</blockquote>\r\nThis studio is quite small and there\'s no separate waiting area. It\'s one big room. If noise is a problem (and mind you, Pilates, unlike yoga,  lacks a meditative/spiritual aspect), you need to remind students to be quiet. You could put up a sign saying something like: please, no talking or cell phone use (or whatever else).\r\n\r\nWe all understand what this means, right?:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/skotan-No-sign-800px.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3319\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/skotan-No-sign-800px-300x300.png\" alt=\"skotan-No-sign-800px\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a><strong>That\'s because some symbols/signals are universal. </strong>\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing: if you are going to use a symbol or signal that is not universally understood to mean what you intend it to, you will have to define it and educate people about what it means.\r\n\r\nIf you want to communicate clearly, you cannot make assumptions. You\'ll have to keep in mind that other people have different experiences and understanding than you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','What does that mean?','','publish','open','open','','what-does-that-mean','','','2016-08-18 12:51:56','2016-08-18 16:51:56','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3318',0,'post','',0),
(3319,4,'2016-08-18 12:43:46','2016-08-18 16:43:46','','skotan-No-sign-800px','','inherit','open','open','','skotan-no-sign-800px','','','2016-08-18 12:43:46','2016-08-18 16:43:46','',3318,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/skotan-No-sign-800px.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),
(3320,4,'2016-08-18 12:51:56','2016-08-18 16:51:56','Yesterday, after Pilates class, I was chatting with another student for a couple minutes as we gathered our stuff. In the background, I heard a bell ringing. I noticed it but didn\'t know what it meant. We kept on chatting. The bell rang again. Again, no idea what it was. Then, one of the instructors tapped me on the shoulder and said we were being too loud, to please leave, and that the bell means be quiet. I turned to her, and after apologizing (#sorrynotsorry), told her that I had absolutely no idea what her ringing bell meant. Neither did the other student. We went outside,  feeling a bit peeved.\r\n\r\nIn my experience, a ringing bell indicates something is starting or ending. In yoga classes, teachers often ring a bell to indicate final relaxation is over. I do not associate a ringing bell with the need to be quiet.\r\n\r\nI\'ve been going to this Pilates studio for several weeks. Not once has my instructor ever rung a bell, even when there have been other people chatting. There\'s no sign indicating that you need to be quiet or that a bell will be rung if you\'re not. There\'s nothing about it on the studio website. In fact, this is the only instruction regarding behavior:\r\n<blockquote>Protocol\r\n\r\nClients must sign-in at the Front Desk upon arrival. Please remove your shoes and silence your cell phone upon entering the studio. Pets are not allowed. For your safety, clients who arrive more than 10 minutes late to a group class will not be permitted to join the class.</blockquote>\r\nThis studio is quite small and there\'s no separate waiting area. It\'s one big room. If noise is a problem (and mind you, Pilates, unlike yoga,  lacks a meditative/spiritual aspect), you need to remind students to be quiet. You could put up a sign saying something like: please, no talking or cell phone use (or whatever else).\r\n\r\nWe all understand what this means, right?:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/skotan-No-sign-800px.png\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3319\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/skotan-No-sign-800px-300x300.png\" alt=\"skotan-No-sign-800px\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a><strong>That\'s because some symbols/signals are universal. </strong>\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing: if you are going to use a symbol or signal that is not universally understood to mean what you intend it to, you will have to define it and educate people about what it means.\r\n\r\nIf you want to communicate clearly, you cannot make assumptions. You\'ll have to keep in mind that other people have different experiences and understanding than you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','What does that mean?','','inherit','open','open','','3318-revision-v1','','','2016-08-18 12:51:56','2016-08-18 16:51:56','',3318,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/08/3318-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3321,4,'2016-08-18 14:46:02','2016-08-18 18:46:02','Copy editing helps bring clarity, consistency and accuracy to your documents.\r\n\r\nDepending on the document, you may need more or less editing. In all cases, your document will be checked for clarity (what you really mean to say), grammar, spelling,  punctuation, usage, and consistency.\r\n\r\nCopy editing fee: $55 per hour\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Copy Editing','','inherit','open','open','','2850-revision-v1','','','2016-08-18 14:46:02','2016-08-18 18:46:02','',2850,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/08/2850-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3323,4,'2016-08-25 10:11:37','2016-08-25 14:11:37','The most effective public relations professionals understand journalism, and what makes something newsworthy. They also appreciate that writing clearly and concisely is crucial to communicating with news editors and journalists. This is exactly why Stu Opperman is great at PR.  I\'ve known Stu for many years, and have often turned to him to review my writing. I know he will help make it clearer and more concise.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3324\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"206\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Stu-Opperman-larger-head-shot.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3324 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Stu-Opperman-larger-head-shot-206x300.jpg\" alt=\"Stu Opperman, APR \" width=\"206\" height=\"300\" /></a> Stu Opperman, APR[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAn accredited public relations professional, Stu Opperman, APR, owns <a href=\"https://impactplayers.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Impact Players</a>, well-connected firm that positively impacts the business agenda of its clients and contacts. Prior to that, he worked for South Florida-based public relations firms and also had a career as an executive and on-air talent in radio.\r\n\r\n<strong> Twitter</strong>:<a href=\"https://twitter.com/stuopperman\" target=\"_blank\"> @stuopperman</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is the backbone of all that I do, whether it’s media relations, crisis communications, content production, relationship, or audience building. Effectively communicating through the written word, in whatever format it takes, is how I most often accomplish internal and external objectives.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nIt matters more than ever, since there will be diminishing numbers of people willing or able to write effectively as communication evolves. Those who have embraced or been enabled by the shortcuts will find they need individuals who possess actual writing skills, especially in situations where it is critical to be clear, persuasive, or motivating.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nPay attention to effective writing and take note of how it\'s being done, and that’s not just in books. There is plenty to be learned in short-form communications -- articles, email, blog posts, Twitter, and even billboards.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. What are your top writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nI’m a big fan of Stephen King’s “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” (where he famously wrote that “the road to Hell is paved with adverbs”). Strunk and White’s “Elements of Style” is a classic I continue to turn to on a regular basis.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nFor the media work I do, there is only one – the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nThe use of extraneous language that could be replaced by one word (“due to the fact that” should be “because”).\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong>  <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word may be “repugnant,” not only because it’s so descriptive but also because the speaker shows his or her distaste in the pronunciation of it. My least favorite are all the ones poor writers litter their copy with, especially in public relations, such as “unique,” “cutting edge,” and “state-of-the-art.” If everything is unique, then nothing is.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>I agree with Stu that getting rid of extraneous words (and cliches) would go a long way in giving public relations writing more impact. For more writing insights, check back here on September 29.</strong> </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Stu Opperman impacts PR','','publish','open','open','','on-writing-stu-opperman-impacts-pr','','','2016-08-25 10:11:37','2016-08-25 14:11:37','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3323',0,'post','',0),
(3324,4,'2016-08-24 11:01:17','2016-08-24 15:01:17','','Stu Opperman (larger) head shot','Stu Opperman, APR\n','inherit','open','open','','stu-opperman-larger-head-shot','','','2016-08-24 11:01:37','2016-08-24 15:01:37','',3323,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Stu-Opperman-larger-head-shot.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(3325,4,'2016-08-24 11:02:00','2016-08-24 15:02:00','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3324\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"206\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Stu-Opperman-larger-head-shot.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3324 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Stu-Opperman-larger-head-shot-206x300.jpg\" alt=\"Stu Opperman, APR \" width=\"206\" height=\"300\" /></a> Stu Opperman, APR[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAn accredited public relations professional, Stu Opperman, APR, owns <a href=\"https://impactplayers.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Impact Players</a>, well-connected firm that positively impacts the business agenda of its clients and contacts. Prior to that, he worked for South Florida-based public relations firms and also had a career as an executive and on-air talent in radio.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is the backbone of all that I do, whether it’s media relations, crisis communications, content production, relationship or audience building. Effectively communicating through the written word, in whatever format it takes, is how I most often accomplish internal and external objectives.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nIt matters more than ever, since there will be diminishing numbers of people willing or able to write effectively as communication evolves. Those who have embraced or been enabled by the shortcuts will find they need individuals who possess actual writing skills, especially in situations where it is critical to be clear, persuasive, or motivating.\r\n\r\n3. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nPay attention to effective writing and take note of how it\'s being done, and that’s not just in books. There is plenty to be learned in short-form communications -- articles, email, blog posts, Twitter, and even billboards.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. What are your top (two) writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nI’m a big fan of Stephen King’s “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” (where he famously wrote that “the road to Hell is paved with adverbs”). Strunk and White’s “Elements of Style” is a classic I continue to turn to on a regular basis.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nFor the media work I do, there is only one – the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nThe use of extraneous language that could be replaced by one word (“due to the fact that” should be “because”).\r\n\r\n7.  <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word may be “repugnant,” not only because it’s so descriptive but also because the speaker shows his or her distaste in the pronunciation of it. My least favorite are all the ones poor writers litter their copy with, especially in public relations, such as “unique,” “cutting edge,” and “state-of-the-art.” If everything is unique, then nothing is.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','','','inherit','open','open','','3323-revision-v1','','','2016-08-24 11:02:00','2016-08-24 15:02:00','',3323,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/08/3323-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3326,4,'2016-08-24 11:02:59','2016-08-24 15:02:59','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3324\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"206\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Stu-Opperman-larger-head-shot.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3324 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Stu-Opperman-larger-head-shot-206x300.jpg\" alt=\"Stu Opperman, APR \" width=\"206\" height=\"300\" /></a> Stu Opperman, APR[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAn accredited public relations professional, Stu Opperman, APR, owns <a href=\"https://impactplayers.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Impact Players</a>, well-connected firm that positively impacts the business agenda of its clients and contacts. Prior to that, he worked for South Florida-based public relations firms and also had a career as an executive and on-air talent in radio.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is the backbone of all that I do, whether it’s media relations, crisis communications, content production, relationship or audience building. Effectively communicating through the written word, in whatever format it takes, is how I most often accomplish internal and external objectives.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nIt matters more than ever, since there will be diminishing numbers of people willing or able to write effectively as communication evolves. Those who have embraced or been enabled by the shortcuts will find they need individuals who possess actual writing skills, especially in situations where it is critical to be clear, persuasive, or motivating.\r\n\r\n3. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nPay attention to effective writing and take note of how it\'s being done, and that’s not just in books. There is plenty to be learned in short-form communications -- articles, email, blog posts, Twitter, and even billboards.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. What are your top (two) writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nI’m a big fan of Stephen King’s “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” (where he famously wrote that “the road to Hell is paved with adverbs”). Strunk and White’s “Elements of Style” is a classic I continue to turn to on a regular basis.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nFor the media work I do, there is only one – the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nThe use of extraneous language that could be replaced by one word (“due to the fact that” should be “because”).\r\n\r\n7.  <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word may be “repugnant,” not only because it’s so descriptive but also because the speaker shows his or her distaste in the pronunciation of it. My least favorite are all the ones poor writers litter their copy with, especially in public relations, such as “unique,” “cutting edge,” and “state-of-the-art.” If everything is unique, then nothing is.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Stu Opperman\'s writing impacts PR','','inherit','open','open','','3323-revision-v1','','','2016-08-24 11:02:59','2016-08-24 15:02:59','',3323,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/08/3323-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3327,4,'2016-08-24 11:08:33','2016-08-24 15:08:33','Really effective public relations professionals understand journalism and what makes something newsworthy. They also appreciate that writing clearly and concisely is crucial to communicating with journalists. This is exactly why Stu Opperman is great at PR, something he\'s been doing well for years. I\'ve known Stu for many years, and have often turned to him to review my writing. I know he will help it be clearer and more concise.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3324\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"206\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Stu-Opperman-larger-head-shot.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3324 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Stu-Opperman-larger-head-shot-206x300.jpg\" alt=\"Stu Opperman, APR \" width=\"206\" height=\"300\" /></a> Stu Opperman, APR[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAn accredited public relations professional, Stu Opperman, APR, owns <a href=\"https://impactplayers.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Impact Players</a>, well-connected firm that positively impacts the business agenda of its clients and contacts. Prior to that, he worked for South Florida-based public relations firms and also had a career as an executive and on-air talent in radio.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is the backbone of all that I do, whether it’s media relations, crisis communications, content production, relationship or audience building. Effectively communicating through the written word, in whatever format it takes, is how I most often accomplish internal and external objectives.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nIt matters more than ever, since there will be diminishing numbers of people willing or able to write effectively as communication evolves. Those who have embraced or been enabled by the shortcuts will find they need individuals who possess actual writing skills, especially in situations where it is critical to be clear, persuasive, or motivating.\r\n\r\n3. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nPay attention to effective writing and take note of how it\'s being done, and that’s not just in books. There is plenty to be learned in short-form communications -- articles, email, blog posts, Twitter, and even billboards.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. What are your top (two) writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nI’m a big fan of Stephen King’s “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” (where he famously wrote that “the road to Hell is paved with adverbs”). Strunk and White’s “Elements of Style” is a classic I continue to turn to on a regular basis.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nFor the media work I do, there is only one – the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nThe use of extraneous language that could be replaced by one word (“due to the fact that” should be “because”).\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong>  <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word may be “repugnant,” not only because it’s so descriptive but also because the speaker shows his or her distaste in the pronunciation of it. My least favorite are all the ones poor writers litter their copy with, especially in public relations, such as “unique,” “cutting edge,” and “state-of-the-art.” If everything is unique, then nothing is.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Stu Opperman\'s writing impacts PR','','inherit','open','open','','3323-revision-v1','','','2016-08-24 11:08:33','2016-08-24 15:08:33','',3323,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/08/3323-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3328,4,'2016-08-24 11:09:51','2016-08-24 15:09:51','Really effective public relations professionals understand journalism and what makes something newsworthy. They also appreciate that writing clearly and concisely is crucial to communicating with journalists. This is exactly why Stu Opperman is great at PR, something he\'s been doing well for years. I\'ve known Stu for many years, and have often turned to him to review my writing. I know he will help it be clearer and more concise.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3324\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"206\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Stu-Opperman-larger-head-shot.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3324 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Stu-Opperman-larger-head-shot-206x300.jpg\" alt=\"Stu Opperman, APR \" width=\"206\" height=\"300\" /></a> Stu Opperman, APR[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAn accredited public relations professional, Stu Opperman, APR, owns <a href=\"https://impactplayers.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Impact Players</a>, well-connected firm that positively impacts the business agenda of its clients and contacts. Prior to that, he worked for South Florida-based public relations firms and also had a career as an executive and on-air talent in radio.\r\n\r\n<strong> Twitter</strong>:<a href=\"https://twitter.com/stuopperman\" target=\"_blank\"> @stuopperman</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is the backbone of all that I do, whether it’s media relations, crisis communications, content production, relationship or audience building. Effectively communicating through the written word, in whatever format it takes, is how I most often accomplish internal and external objectives.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nIt matters more than ever, since there will be diminishing numbers of people willing or able to write effectively as communication evolves. Those who have embraced or been enabled by the shortcuts will find they need individuals who possess actual writing skills, especially in situations where it is critical to be clear, persuasive, or motivating.\r\n\r\n3. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nPay attention to effective writing and take note of how it\'s being done, and that’s not just in books. There is plenty to be learned in short-form communications -- articles, email, blog posts, Twitter, and even billboards.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. What are your top (two) writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nI’m a big fan of Stephen King’s “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” (where he famously wrote that “the road to Hell is paved with adverbs”). Strunk and White’s “Elements of Style” is a classic I continue to turn to on a regular basis.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nFor the media work I do, there is only one – the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nThe use of extraneous language that could be replaced by one word (“due to the fact that” should be “because”).\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong>  <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word may be “repugnant,” not only because it’s so descriptive but also because the speaker shows his or her distaste in the pronunciation of it. My least favorite are all the ones poor writers litter their copy with, especially in public relations, such as “unique,” “cutting edge,” and “state-of-the-art.” If everything is unique, then nothing is.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Stu Opperman\'s writing impacts PR','','inherit','open','open','','3323-revision-v1','','','2016-08-24 11:09:51','2016-08-24 15:09:51','',3323,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/08/3323-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3329,4,'2016-08-25 10:04:02','2016-08-25 14:04:02','The most effective public relations professionals understand journalism, and what makes something newsworthy. They also appreciate that writing clearly and concisely is crucial to communicating with news editors and journalists. This is exactly why Stu Opperman is great at PR.  I\'ve known Stu for many years, and have often turned to him to review my writing. I know he will help make it clearer and more concise.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3324\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"206\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Stu-Opperman-larger-head-shot.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3324 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Stu-Opperman-larger-head-shot-206x300.jpg\" alt=\"Stu Opperman, APR \" width=\"206\" height=\"300\" /></a> Stu Opperman, APR[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAn accredited public relations professional, Stu Opperman, APR, owns <a href=\"https://impactplayers.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Impact Players</a>, well-connected firm that positively impacts the business agenda of its clients and contacts. Prior to that, he worked for South Florida-based public relations firms and also had a career as an executive and on-air talent in radio.\r\n\r\n<strong> Twitter</strong>:<a href=\"https://twitter.com/stuopperman\" target=\"_blank\"> @stuopperman</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is the backbone of all that I do, whether it’s media relations, crisis communications, content production, relationship, or audience building. Effectively communicating through the written word, in whatever format it takes, is how I most often accomplish internal and external objectives.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nIt matters more than ever, since there will be diminishing numbers of people willing or able to write effectively as communication evolves. Those who have embraced or been enabled by the shortcuts will find they need individuals who possess actual writing skills, especially in situations where it is critical to be clear, persuasive, or motivating.\r\n\r\n3. <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nPay attention to effective writing and take note of how it\'s being done, and that’s not just in books. There is plenty to be learned in short-form communications -- articles, email, blog posts, Twitter, and even billboards.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. What are your top writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nI’m a big fan of Stephen King’s “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” (where he famously wrote that “the road to Hell is paved with adverbs”). Strunk and White’s “Elements of Style” is a classic I continue to turn to on a regular basis.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nFor the media work I do, there is only one – the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nThe use of extraneous language that could be replaced by one word (“due to the fact that” should be “because”).\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong>  <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word may be “repugnant,” not only because it’s so descriptive but also because the speaker shows his or her distaste in the pronunciation of it. My least favorite are all the ones poor writers litter their copy with, especially in public relations, such as “unique,” “cutting edge,” and “state-of-the-art.” If everything is unique, then nothing is.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>I agree with Stu that getting rid of extraneous words and cliches would go a long way in giving public relations writing more impact. For more writing insights, check back here on September 29.</strong> </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Stu Opperman\'s writing impacts PR','','inherit','open','open','','3323-revision-v1','','','2016-08-25 10:04:02','2016-08-25 14:04:02','',3323,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/08/3323-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3330,4,'2016-08-25 10:10:14','2016-08-25 14:10:14','The most effective public relations professionals understand journalism, and what makes something newsworthy. They also appreciate that writing clearly and concisely is crucial to communicating with news editors and journalists. This is exactly why Stu Opperman is great at PR.  I\'ve known Stu for many years, and have often turned to him to review my writing. I know he will help make it clearer and more concise.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3324\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"206\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Stu-Opperman-larger-head-shot.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3324 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Stu-Opperman-larger-head-shot-206x300.jpg\" alt=\"Stu Opperman, APR \" width=\"206\" height=\"300\" /></a> Stu Opperman, APR[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAn accredited public relations professional, Stu Opperman, APR, owns <a href=\"https://impactplayers.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Impact Players</a>, well-connected firm that positively impacts the business agenda of its clients and contacts. Prior to that, he worked for South Florida-based public relations firms and also had a career as an executive and on-air talent in radio.\r\n\r\n<strong> Twitter</strong>:<a href=\"https://twitter.com/stuopperman\" target=\"_blank\"> @stuopperman</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it? </strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is the backbone of all that I do, whether it’s media relations, crisis communications, content production, relationship, or audience building. Effectively communicating through the written word, in whatever format it takes, is how I most often accomplish internal and external objectives.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nIt matters more than ever, since there will be diminishing numbers of people willing or able to write effectively as communication evolves. Those who have embraced or been enabled by the shortcuts will find they need individuals who possess actual writing skills, especially in situations where it is critical to be clear, persuasive, or motivating.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nPay attention to effective writing and take note of how it\'s being done, and that’s not just in books. There is plenty to be learned in short-form communications -- articles, email, blog posts, Twitter, and even billboards.\r\n\r\n<strong> 4. What are your top writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nI’m a big fan of Stephen King’s “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” (where he famously wrote that “the road to Hell is paved with adverbs”). Strunk and White’s “Elements of Style” is a classic I continue to turn to on a regular basis.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nFor the media work I do, there is only one – the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nThe use of extraneous language that could be replaced by one word (“due to the fact that” should be “because”).\r\n\r\n<strong>7.</strong>  <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nMy favorite word may be “repugnant,” not only because it’s so descriptive but also because the speaker shows his or her distaste in the pronunciation of it. My least favorite are all the ones poor writers litter their copy with, especially in public relations, such as “unique,” “cutting edge,” and “state-of-the-art.” If everything is unique, then nothing is.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>I agree with Stu that getting rid of extraneous words (and cliches) would go a long way in giving public relations writing more impact. For more writing insights, check back here on September 29.</strong> </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Stu Opperman impacts PR','','inherit','open','open','','3323-revision-v1','','','2016-08-25 10:10:14','2016-08-25 14:10:14','',3323,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/08/3323-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3338,4,'2016-09-12 16:51:45','2016-09-12 20:51:45','I\'ve been conducting an experiment over on my personal Facebook page. I haven\'t posted anything for more than two weeks. As I expected, nobody has commented on my lack of posting. Nobody has gone to my Facebook page and reacted/commented on anything already there. There\'s been absolutely no interaction. Perhaps this means I have crappy \"friends\" or more likely, it means that when you don\'t participate in social media, people forget you\'re there.\r\n\r\nI\'ve seen this happen with my blog. If I haven\'t posted recently, my site traffic goes down. When I post something, my traffic goes up. (This is why it\'s so valuable to have Google Analytics deployed on your site.)\r\n\r\nThis could never happen \"in real life.\" Even if you were quietly sitting in a room not talking to anybody, people would notice you were there. Perhaps they wouldn\'t speak to you, but they would see you. I<strong>n social media, to get noticed, you must be active</strong>. You have to post regularly.  People will forget your blog if they haven\'t seen you post for a while. Ditto if you haven\'t posted recently on LinkedIn (and worse if you don\'t have even have a picture on your profile).\r\n\r\nMany small businesses understand that social media is an important communications channel. However, many don\'t understand how to make it really work for them. You\'ll see businesses (organizations and nonprofits too) that think all they have to do is create the Facebook page, get some people to \"like\" it and nothing more.\r\n\r\nThe only reason somebody would visit your Facebook page (or website or LinkedIn profile) when you haven\'t been active is because they are looking for something specific or researching. And then it would have to come up as part of a query. Even well known brands (the CocaColas and McDonald\'s of this world) advertise. They want to be top of mind and reinforce their brand promise.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the bottom line: If you are using social media for business purposes, you must be active, even if it means doing paid advertising.\r\n\r\nWhen you are out of sight on social media, you are out of mind.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Out of sight, out of mind?','','publish','open','open','','out-of-sight-out-of-mind','','','2016-09-12 16:51:45','2016-09-12 20:51:45','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3338',0,'post','',0),
(3333,4,'2016-09-01 10:24:43','2016-09-01 14:24:43','It seems a daily occurrence at the Washington Post: a headline typo here, and a factual error there. Sometimes, I have had to read a sentence several times to even start understanding it. This is because the Washington Post has few (if any) copy editors. I suspect reporters are being asked to edit their own work, which is never a good idea, especially with quick turnarounds. You can edit your own work, if you can look at it with \"fresh eyes\" after a day or so. In the fast-paced, 24/7 news cycle, there is little time to look at writing with fresh eyes.\r\n\r\nI could not believe the mistake I found in an article in today\'s Post. It\'s about the Chesapeake Crab &amp; Beer Festival, which took place on Saturday at National Harbor in Maryland. The story appeared in the Post\'s Local Living section  and had the headline \"All smiles on a crab-filled festival day in Inner Harbor.\"\r\n\r\nThe Inner Harbor is in Baltimore and the event took place at National Harbor. Then, in the body of the article, the writer says the event took place in Baltimore, except it didn\'t. See for yourself here:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/img040.pdf\">Washington Post article</a>\r\n\r\nCopy editors don\'t just catch grammatical mistakes and typos, they check for accuracy too. Clearly, this article was not checked at all. A cursory search (and plain common sense) would have told anyone reading this article that the event took place at National Harbor and not in Baltimore.\r\n\r\nShame on the Washington Post! These mistakes make the newspaper look sloppy and careless, and makes me question the accuracy of all reporting.','The Washington Post needs copy editors','','publish','open','open','','the-washington-post-needs-copy-editors','','','2016-09-01 10:24:43','2016-09-01 14:24:43','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3333',0,'post','',2),
(3334,4,'2016-09-01 10:17:41','2016-09-01 14:17:41','','Washington Post article','','inherit','open','open','','img040','','','2016-09-01 10:17:58','2016-09-01 14:17:58','',3333,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/img040.pdf',0,'attachment','application/pdf',0),
(3335,4,'2016-09-01 10:22:45','2016-09-01 14:22:45','It seems a daily occurrence at the Washington Post: a headline typo here, and error there. Sometimes, I have had to read a sentence several times to even start understanding it. This is because the Washington Post has few (if any) copy editors. I suspect reporters are being asked to edit their own work, which is never a good idea, especially with quick turnarounds. You can edit your own work, if you can look at it with \"fresh eyes\" after a day or so. In the fast-paced, 24/7 news cycle, there is little time to look at writing with fresh eyes.\r\n\r\nI could not believe the mistake I found in an article in today\'s Post. It\'s about the Chesapeake Crab and Beer Festival, which took place on Saturday at National Harbor in Maryland. The story appeared in the Post\'s Local Living section  and had the headline \"All smiles on a crab-filled festival day in Inner Harbor.\"\r\n\r\nThe Inner Harbor is in Baltimore and the event took place at National Harbor. Then, in the body of the article, the writer says the event took place in Baltimore, except it didn\'t. See for yourself here:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/img040.pdf\">Washington Post article</a>\r\n\r\nCopy editors don\'t just catch grammatical mistakes and typos, they check for accuracy too. Clearly, this article was not checked at all. A cursory search (and plain common sense) would have told anyone reading this article that the event took place at National Harbor and not in Baltimore.\r\n\r\nShame on the Washington Post! These mistakes make the newspaper look sloppy and careless, and makes me question the accuracy of all reporting.','The Washington Post needs copy editors','','inherit','open','open','','3333-revision-v1','','','2016-09-01 10:22:45','2016-09-01 14:22:45','',3333,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/09/3333-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3336,4,'2016-09-01 10:24:43','2016-09-01 14:24:43','It seems a daily occurrence at the Washington Post: a headline typo here, and a factual error there. Sometimes, I have had to read a sentence several times to even start understanding it. This is because the Washington Post has few (if any) copy editors. I suspect reporters are being asked to edit their own work, which is never a good idea, especially with quick turnarounds. You can edit your own work, if you can look at it with \"fresh eyes\" after a day or so. In the fast-paced, 24/7 news cycle, there is little time to look at writing with fresh eyes.\r\n\r\nI could not believe the mistake I found in an article in today\'s Post. It\'s about the Chesapeake Crab &amp; Beer Festival, which took place on Saturday at National Harbor in Maryland. The story appeared in the Post\'s Local Living section  and had the headline \"All smiles on a crab-filled festival day in Inner Harbor.\"\r\n\r\nThe Inner Harbor is in Baltimore and the event took place at National Harbor. Then, in the body of the article, the writer says the event took place in Baltimore, except it didn\'t. See for yourself here:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/img040.pdf\">Washington Post article</a>\r\n\r\nCopy editors don\'t just catch grammatical mistakes and typos, they check for accuracy too. Clearly, this article was not checked at all. A cursory search (and plain common sense) would have told anyone reading this article that the event took place at National Harbor and not in Baltimore.\r\n\r\nShame on the Washington Post! These mistakes make the newspaper look sloppy and careless, and makes me question the accuracy of all reporting.','The Washington Post needs copy editors','','inherit','open','open','','3333-revision-v1','','','2016-09-01 10:24:43','2016-09-01 14:24:43','',3333,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/09/3333-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3339,4,'2016-09-12 16:51:45','2016-09-12 20:51:45','I\'ve been conducting an experiment over on my personal Facebook page. I haven\'t posted anything for more than two weeks. As I expected, nobody has commented on my lack of posting. Nobody has gone to my Facebook page and reacted/commented on anything already there. There\'s been absolutely no interaction. Perhaps this means I have crappy \"friends\" or more likely, it means that when you don\'t participate in social media, people forget you\'re there.\r\n\r\nI\'ve seen this happen with my blog. If I haven\'t posted recently, my site traffic goes down. When I post something, my traffic goes up. (This is why it\'s so valuable to have Google Analytics deployed on your site.)\r\n\r\nThis could never happen \"in real life.\" Even if you were quietly sitting in a room not talking to anybody, people would notice you were there. Perhaps they wouldn\'t speak to you, but they would see you. I<strong>n social media, to get noticed, you must be active</strong>. You have to post regularly.  People will forget your blog if they haven\'t seen you post for a while. Ditto if you haven\'t posted recently on LinkedIn (and worse if you don\'t have even have a picture on your profile).\r\n\r\nMany small businesses understand that social media is an important communications channel. However, many don\'t understand how to make it really work for them. You\'ll see businesses (organizations and nonprofits too) that think all they have to do is create the Facebook page, get some people to \"like\" it and nothing more.\r\n\r\nThe only reason somebody would visit your Facebook page (or website or LinkedIn profile) when you haven\'t been active is because they are looking for something specific or researching. And then it would have to come up as part of a query. Even well known brands (the CocaColas and McDonald\'s of this world) advertise. They want to be top of mind and reinforce their brand promise.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the bottom line: If you are using social media for business purposes, you must be active, even if it means doing paid advertising.\r\n\r\nWhen you are out of sight on social media, you are out of mind.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Out of sight, out of mind?','','inherit','open','open','','3338-revision-v1','','','2016-09-12 16:51:45','2016-09-12 20:51:45','',3338,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/09/3338-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3341,4,'2016-09-21 10:36:18','0000-00-00 00:00:00','In the past couple of weeks, I have had several different customer interactions. In thinking about them from a marketing perspective, I realized they all come down to the experience each was providing.\r\n\r\nIt\'s about customer experience\r\n\r\nLast week, I had an appointment to get my hair cut. My hair stylist owns and operates the salon, by herself. In other words, she has no employees--no receptionist, no cleaning person, nobody else but her. Because of this, she has several challenges in providing a good customer experience.\r\n\r\nIt\'s not easy to make an appointment. To make an appointment is often a two-step process. Since you have to call and speak to her and she\'s obviously not always available,  you have to leave a message, and wait for her to call you back. If she had a receptionist or an automated system on her website, this would be done in one easy step.\r\n\r\nShe has to do everything herself.\r\n\r\nNot providing a pleasant customer experience. Last week, I walked in a couple minutes early for my appointment. She was still working on another customer. She told me to take a seat.  I am not sure if the other customer was late for her appointment or if she inadvertently double-booked. This has never happened before. Since her place is small, she only has a couple of (hard) chairs. It\'s not made for waiting. There are no refreshments or piles of magazines to sit with.\r\n\r\nIt became apparent that she was going to be a good while, so I said I would go run another errand. I came back about twenty minutes later, and the other customer was still there!\r\n\r\nThe stylist never apologized for making me wait or gave me an explanation for the delay.\r\n\r\nForgetting customer relationships are personal. After I finally sat down to have my hair cut, I explained what I wanted. I told her that I continue to let my hair grow, and that she had cut too much the last time. She looked at me with absolute surprise. She didn\'t know that I was growning my hair out (something I have been doing for months). Now, she can\'t be expected to remember every customer\'s situation, which is why she should make notes about each of her customers\' visits. She should review the notes before the customer comes in.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Successful marketing is about the experience','','draft','open','open','','','','','2016-09-21 10:36:18','2016-09-21 14:36:18','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3341',0,'post','',0),
(3342,4,'2016-09-21 10:36:18','2016-09-21 14:36:18','In the past couple of weeks, I have had several different customer interactions. In thinking about them from a marketing perspective, I realized they all come down to the experience each was providing.\r\n\r\nIt\'s about customer experience\r\n\r\nLast week, I had an appointment to get my hair cut. My hair stylist owns and operates the salon, by herself. In other words, she has no employees--no receptionist, no cleaning person, nobody else but her. Because of this, she has several challenges in providing a good customer experience.\r\n\r\nIt\'s not easy to make an appointment. To make an appointment is often a two-step process. Since you have to call and speak to her and she\'s obviously not always available,  you have to leave a message, and wait for her to call you back. If she had a receptionist or an automated system on her website, this would be done in one easy step.\r\n\r\nShe has to do everything herself.\r\n\r\nNot providing a pleasant customer experience. Last week, I walked in a couple minutes early for my appointment. She was still working on another customer. She told me to take a seat.  I am not sure if the other customer was late for her appointment or if she inadvertently double-booked. This has never happened before. Since her place is small, she only has a couple of (hard) chairs. It\'s not made for waiting. There are no refreshments or piles of magazines to sit with.\r\n\r\nIt became apparent that she was going to be a good while, so I said I would go run another errand. I came back about twenty minutes later, and the other customer was still there!\r\n\r\nThe stylist never apologized for making me wait or gave me an explanation for the delay.\r\n\r\nForgetting customer relationships are personal. After I finally sat down to have my hair cut, I explained what I wanted. I told her that I continue to let my hair grow, and that she had cut too much the last time. She looked at me with absolute surprise. She didn\'t know that I was growning my hair out (something I have been doing for months). Now, she can\'t be expected to remember every customer\'s situation, which is why she should make notes about each of her customers\' visits. She should review the notes before the customer comes in.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Successful marketing is about the experience','','inherit','open','open','','3341-revision-v1','','','2016-09-21 10:36:18','2016-09-21 14:36:18','',3341,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/09/3341-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3344,4,'2016-09-22 10:22:29','2016-09-22 14:22:29','When I do any copy editing and/or proofreading, I always come across two problems: wordiness and punctuation mistakes. These problems affect how clear your writing is and muddle your message. That\'s because when readers have to read overlong, poorly punctuated sentences, filled with unnecessary words, they don\'t understand what you are trying to say.\r\n\r\n<strong>Problem #1: Wordiness</strong>\r\n\r\nWordiness is using too many words to say what you mean.\r\n\r\nHow do you fix this problem?\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Eliminate extra words and phrases</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWhen I was in grad school, one of my professors (the wonderful Jack Falla), had us write a press release, and then go back and eliminate ten words. The problem with this approach is that wordy people often think they need all the words they have written. They don\'t.\r\n\r\nToday\'s Nonprofit Marketing Guide has a great post listing wordy phrases and their much more succinct alternatives.<a href=\"http://http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2016/09/21/cut-the-glut-wordy-phrases-to-eliminate-from-your-writing-and-alternatives/\" target=\"_blank\"> Read it here</a>.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Ask yourself if  you are being redundant</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nPhrases such as \"basic fundamentals\" are redundant.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Use active voice</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nActive voice uses fewer words than passive voice. It\'s more direct.\r\n\r\n<strong>Problem #2: Punctuation mistakes</strong>\r\n\r\nPunctuation is a tool to make your sentences work better. You use a period to end a sentence and a comma to insert a pause. You use a colon to indicate something is following and a semicolon to separate two big ideas in one sentence. We also use parentheses to add extra information to a sentence and em dashes to set off words or phrases.\r\n\r\nHow do you fix this problem?\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Learn how to use the comma properly</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThe comma seems to trip lots of people up. Either they use it too much or not enough. And then there\'s the whole serial or Oxford comma debate. In any case, Grammar Book has some useful <a href=\"http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/commas.asp\" target=\"_blank\">rules for comma usage.</a>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Learn when to use the em dash</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEm dashes are not to be confused with the shorter en dashes and the even shorter dashes or hyphens. The Punctuation Guide has a  <a href=\"http://www.thepunctuationguide.com/em-dash.html\" target=\"_blank\">good explanation </a>of how to use em dashes.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Watch out for improper capitalization and apostrophes</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIt\'s become epidemic lately -- people are using capitalization to indicate importance. That\'s not how it works. Use caps at the beginning of a sentence, and to indicate proper names. The president may be important, but unless you are expressly referring to President Barack Obama, there\'s no need to capitalize the word alone.\r\n\r\nApostrophes are meant to convey possession. They do not make a word plural. Hamilton University calls the misuse of the apostrophe a deadly sin of writing. <a href=\"http://https://www.hamilton.edu/writing/seven-sins-of-writing/the-fourth-deadly-sin-misuse-of-the-apostrophe\" target=\"_blank\">Check it out.</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>To be clear, be concise</strong>\r\n\r\nSometimes people are wordy because they don\'t have anything to say. That\'s a lack of message. No amount of removing redundancies will fix it. However, if you\'ve written something and you are not sure whether it\'s communicating what you want it to say, make sure to eliminate wordiness and correct your punctuation. Chances are that being more concise (and precise with your punctuation) will clarify whatever it is you are trying to say.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">If you need some help eliminating wordiness, fixing punctuation, and making your writing clearer, contact me!</span>','Two big problems muddling your message','','publish','open','open','','two-big-problems-muddling-your-message','','','2016-09-22 10:22:29','2016-09-22 14:22:29','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3344',0,'post','',0),
(3345,4,'2016-09-22 10:14:47','2016-09-22 14:14:47','When I do any copy editing and/or proofreading, I always come across these two problems: wordiness and punctuation mistakes. These problems affect how clear your writing is and muddle your message. That\'s because when readers have to read overlong, poorly punctuated sentences, filled with unnecessary words, they don\'t understand what you are trying to say.\r\n\r\n<strong>Problem #1: Wordiness</strong>\r\n\r\nWordiness is using too many words to say what you mean.\r\n\r\nHow do you fix this problem?\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Eliminate extra words and phrases</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWhen I was in grad school, one of my professors (the wonderful Jack Falla), had us write a press release, and then go back and eliminate ten words. The problem with this approach is that wordy people often think they need all the words they have written. They don\'t.\r\n\r\nToday\'s Nonprofit Marketing Guide has a great post listing wordy phrases and their much more succinct alternatives.<a href=\"http://http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2016/09/21/cut-the-glut-wordy-phrases-to-eliminate-from-your-writing-and-alternatives/\" target=\"_blank\"> Read it here</a>.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Ask yourself if  you are being redundant</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nPhrases such as \"basic fundamentals\" are redundant.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Use active voice</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nActive voice uses fewer words than passive voice. It\'s more direct.\r\n\r\n<strong>Problem #2: Punctuation mistakes</strong>\r\n\r\nPunctuation is a tool to make your sentences work better. You use a period to end a sentence and a comma to insert a pause. You use a colon to indicate something is following and a semicolon to separate two big ideas in one sentence. We also use parentheses to add extra information to a sentence and em dashes to set off words or phrases.\r\n\r\nHow to fix this problem\r\n\r\nBy far, people seem to have the most problems with commas and em dashes.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Learn how to use the comma</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThe comma seems to trip lots of people up. Either they use it too much or not enough. And then there\'s the whole serial or Oxford comma debate. In any case, Grammar Book has some useful <a href=\"http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/commas.asp\" target=\"_blank\">rules for comma usage.</a>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Learn how to use an em dash</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEm dashes are not to be confused with the shorter en dashes and the even shorter dashes or hyphens. The Punctuation Guide has a  <a href=\"http://www.thepunctuationguide.com/em-dash.html\" target=\"_blank\">good explanation </a>of how to use em dashes.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Watch out for your capitalization and apostrophes.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIt\'s become epidemic lately -- people are using capitalization to indicate importance. That\'s not how it works. Use caps at the beginning of a sentence, and to indicate proper names. The president may be important, but unless you are expressly referring to President Barack Obama, there\'s no need to capitalize the word alone.\r\n\r\nApostrophes are meant to convey possession. They do not make a word plural. Hamilton University calls the misuse of the apostrophe a deadly sin of writing. <a href=\"http://https://www.hamilton.edu/writing/seven-sins-of-writing/the-fourth-deadly-sin-misuse-of-the-apostrophe\" target=\"_blank\">Check it out.</a>\r\n\r\nSometimes people are wordy because they don\'t have anything to say. That\'s a lack of message. No amount of removing redundancies will fix it. However, if you\'ve written something and you are not sure whether it\'s communicating what you want it to say, make sure to eliminate wordiness and correct your punctuation. Chances are that will clarify whatever it is you are trying to say.','Two big problems muddling your message','','inherit','open','open','','3344-revision-v1','','','2016-09-22 10:14:47','2016-09-22 14:14:47','',3344,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/09/3344-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3346,4,'2016-09-22 10:18:54','2016-09-22 14:18:54','When I do any copy editing and/or proofreading, I always come across two problems: wordiness and punctuation mistakes. These problems affect how clear your writing is and muddle your message. That\'s because when readers have to read overlong, poorly punctuated sentences, filled with unnecessary words, they don\'t understand what you are trying to say.\r\n\r\n<strong>Problem #1: Wordiness</strong>\r\n\r\nWordiness is using too many words to say what you mean.\r\n\r\nHow do you fix this problem?\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Eliminate extra words and phrases</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWhen I was in grad school, one of my professors (the wonderful Jack Falla), had us write a press release, and then go back and eliminate ten words. The problem with this approach is that wordy people often think they need all the words they have written. They don\'t.\r\n\r\nToday\'s Nonprofit Marketing Guide has a great post listing wordy phrases and their much more succinct alternatives.<a href=\"http://http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2016/09/21/cut-the-glut-wordy-phrases-to-eliminate-from-your-writing-and-alternatives/\" target=\"_blank\"> Read it here</a>.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Ask yourself if  you are being redundant</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nPhrases such as \"basic fundamentals\" are redundant.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Use active voice</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nActive voice uses fewer words than passive voice. It\'s more direct.\r\n\r\n<strong>Problem #2: Punctuation mistakes</strong>\r\n\r\nPunctuation is a tool to make your sentences work better. You use a period to end a sentence and a comma to insert a pause. You use a colon to indicate something is following and a semicolon to separate two big ideas in one sentence. We also use parentheses to add extra information to a sentence and em dashes to set off words or phrases.\r\n\r\nHow to fix this problem\r\n\r\nBy far, people seem to have the most problems with commas and em dashes.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Learn how to use the comma</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThe comma seems to trip lots of people up. Either they use it too much or not enough. And then there\'s the whole serial or Oxford comma debate. In any case, Grammar Book has some useful <a href=\"http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/commas.asp\" target=\"_blank\">rules for comma usage.</a>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Learn how to use the em dash</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEm dashes are not to be confused with the shorter en dashes and the even shorter dashes or hyphens. The Punctuation Guide has a  <a href=\"http://www.thepunctuationguide.com/em-dash.html\" target=\"_blank\">good explanation </a>of how to use em dashes.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Watch out for improper capitalization and apostrophes.</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIt\'s become epidemic lately -- people are using capitalization to indicate importance. That\'s not how it works. Use caps at the beginning of a sentence, and to indicate proper names. The president may be important, but unless you are expressly referring to President Barack Obama, there\'s no need to capitalize the word alone.\r\n\r\nApostrophes are meant to convey possession. They do not make a word plural. Hamilton University calls the misuse of the apostrophe a deadly sin of writing. <a href=\"http://https://www.hamilton.edu/writing/seven-sins-of-writing/the-fourth-deadly-sin-misuse-of-the-apostrophe\" target=\"_blank\">Check it out.</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Being more concise is being clearer</strong>\r\n\r\nSometimes people are wordy because they don\'t have anything to say. That\'s a lack of message. No amount of removing redundancies will fix it. However, if you\'ve written something and you are not sure whether it\'s communicating what you want it to say, make sure to eliminate wordiness and correct your punctuation. Chances are that will clarify whatever it is you are trying to say.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">If you need some help eliminating wordiness, fixing punctuation, and making your writing clearer, contact me!</span>','Two big problems muddling your message','','inherit','open','open','','3344-revision-v1','','','2016-09-22 10:18:54','2016-09-22 14:18:54','',3344,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/09/3344-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3347,4,'2016-09-22 10:22:29','2016-09-22 14:22:29','When I do any copy editing and/or proofreading, I always come across two problems: wordiness and punctuation mistakes. These problems affect how clear your writing is and muddle your message. That\'s because when readers have to read overlong, poorly punctuated sentences, filled with unnecessary words, they don\'t understand what you are trying to say.\r\n\r\n<strong>Problem #1: Wordiness</strong>\r\n\r\nWordiness is using too many words to say what you mean.\r\n\r\nHow do you fix this problem?\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Eliminate extra words and phrases</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nWhen I was in grad school, one of my professors (the wonderful Jack Falla), had us write a press release, and then go back and eliminate ten words. The problem with this approach is that wordy people often think they need all the words they have written. They don\'t.\r\n\r\nToday\'s Nonprofit Marketing Guide has a great post listing wordy phrases and their much more succinct alternatives.<a href=\"http://http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2016/09/21/cut-the-glut-wordy-phrases-to-eliminate-from-your-writing-and-alternatives/\" target=\"_blank\"> Read it here</a>.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Ask yourself if  you are being redundant</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nPhrases such as \"basic fundamentals\" are redundant.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Use active voice</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nActive voice uses fewer words than passive voice. It\'s more direct.\r\n\r\n<strong>Problem #2: Punctuation mistakes</strong>\r\n\r\nPunctuation is a tool to make your sentences work better. You use a period to end a sentence and a comma to insert a pause. You use a colon to indicate something is following and a semicolon to separate two big ideas in one sentence. We also use parentheses to add extra information to a sentence and em dashes to set off words or phrases.\r\n\r\nHow do you fix this problem?\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Learn how to use the comma properly</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThe comma seems to trip lots of people up. Either they use it too much or not enough. And then there\'s the whole serial or Oxford comma debate. In any case, Grammar Book has some useful <a href=\"http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/commas.asp\" target=\"_blank\">rules for comma usage.</a>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Learn when to use the em dash</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nEm dashes are not to be confused with the shorter en dashes and the even shorter dashes or hyphens. The Punctuation Guide has a  <a href=\"http://www.thepunctuationguide.com/em-dash.html\" target=\"_blank\">good explanation </a>of how to use em dashes.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li><strong>Watch out for improper capitalization and apostrophes</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIt\'s become epidemic lately -- people are using capitalization to indicate importance. That\'s not how it works. Use caps at the beginning of a sentence, and to indicate proper names. The president may be important, but unless you are expressly referring to President Barack Obama, there\'s no need to capitalize the word alone.\r\n\r\nApostrophes are meant to convey possession. They do not make a word plural. Hamilton University calls the misuse of the apostrophe a deadly sin of writing. <a href=\"http://https://www.hamilton.edu/writing/seven-sins-of-writing/the-fourth-deadly-sin-misuse-of-the-apostrophe\" target=\"_blank\">Check it out.</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>To be clear, be concise</strong>\r\n\r\nSometimes people are wordy because they don\'t have anything to say. That\'s a lack of message. No amount of removing redundancies will fix it. However, if you\'ve written something and you are not sure whether it\'s communicating what you want it to say, make sure to eliminate wordiness and correct your punctuation. Chances are that being more concise (and precise with your punctuation) will clarify whatever it is you are trying to say.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">If you need some help eliminating wordiness, fixing punctuation, and making your writing clearer, contact me!</span>','Two big problems muddling your message','','inherit','open','open','','3344-revision-v1','','','2016-09-22 10:22:29','2016-09-22 14:22:29','',3344,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/09/3344-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3348,4,'2016-09-29 09:59:01','2016-09-29 13:59:01','I met Bonnie Friedman at an industry networking event several years ago. We\'ve stayed in touch, and a couple of years ago Bonnie told me she was starting to write a book about advocating for someone who is ill and in the hospital. The book was published earlier this year, which prompted me to reach out to Bonnie to ask her about her writing.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3355\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"198\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-Head.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3355 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-Head-198x300.jpg\" alt=\"bonnie-head\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" /></a> Bonnie Friedman[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBonnie Friedman is a seasoned communications and marketing professional with more than 40 years of experience in the Washington, DC, area, with her own consultancy <a href=\"http://www.bfstrategic.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Bonnie Friedman Strategic Communications, LLC</a>.  She worked for several federal agencies before starting her own consulting business. Her new book, Hospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One, combines her passion for health care advocacy with her love of writing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/bonniecomm\" target=\"_blank\">@Bonniecomm</a>\r\n<h1></h1>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is the heart of what I do, whether working in government, as a consultant or now as an author. Even as a teenager, I loved to write. For me, it is the most effective way to express thoughts, share information or convey emotion. Of all the things I do professionally, writing is by far the most important skill in my wheelhouse.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, I believe it does matter. Whether you want to convey thoughts, information or emotion, you want to do so effectively. Sloppy or inexact language detracts from the message and makes the writer appear lazy or facile. For me, it is extremely satisfying to create a strong, well-crafted statement or document that precisely reflects my point of view.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. </strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nWhen I first started my career, I was told to write the first draft, warts and all, off the top of my head, then go back and improve upon it later. When I feel stuck now, I still follow that advice. It helps me express my initial thoughts and move forward with my work. There is a freedom in that type of writing that frequently breathes life and light into my work, even if I later edit or revise it.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nDepending on what I am writing, the top three are the Associated Press Stylebook, William Strunk’s The Elements of Style and Roget’s Thesaurus. Even though I frequently use online resources for quick references, these three are still my all-time favorites.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t follow a specific style guide as a matter of course. However, if I am writing for the media, I use the AP Stylebook; if writing for a government client, I may use the Government Printing Office Style Manual. When I wrote my book, I did not use one particular style guide but referred to various resources when I needed guidance, particularly on how best to convey complicated medical information for lay readers.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nI really dislike the use of “impact” as a verb. It grates on me. As far as I’m concerned, the word “impact” should remain a noun. When used as a verb, it strikes me as affected and pretentious. That said, I recognize that language must be fluid and supple. If it weren’t, we might still be speaking Elizabethan English today.<strong>   </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>7</strong>. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nThere are so many great words; it is hard to choose. One that I like a lot is onomatopoeia; it is wonderfully descriptive and rolls around in the mouth quite deliciously. Likewise, there are several words I dislike viscerally, but none are acceptably repeated in a family-friendly interview. All are mean-spirited, hateful references to individuals or groups. Some are four letters; others are longer.  You get the idea.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3350\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3350\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Hospital Warrior Launch\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a> Hospital Warrior Launch[/caption]\r\n\r\nGiven that her book launched this year, I asked Bonnie to share her thoughts about the process of writing a book.\r\n\r\n<strong>Describe your book:</strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One is a how-to guide on advocating effectively when someone you love is ill. It is filled with advice, tips and ideas based on my own experience as well interviews with a wide range of medical and legal professionals. It is also a story of love, family and thriving. The website is <a href=\"http://www.hospitalwarrior.com\">www.hospitalwarrior.com</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>What inspired you to write the book and how long did it take you to write it? </strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior draws on my 24 years of advocating for my husband through 14 separate hospitalizations—some routine and some life-threatening. He is now doing well, and I felt I had learned so much over the years that I wanted to share with others. Giving back is an important value in my life. In Judaism, we call it <em>Tikkun Olam</em>. This is my way of giving back. The book took about two years to write.\r\n\r\n<strong>What were your main challenges in writing and publishing a book? How did it compare to the previous writing you have done?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many challenges in writing and publishing a book. To start, as an author, you must be clear in your own mind about your audience, your message and your market.  While you need to remain flexible about options and opportunities, you can’t lose sight of your primary goals. Publishing in today’s market is very difficult, especially for new authors. I feel fortunate to have a small, indie publisher who invests in his authors’ success.\r\n\r\nIn some ways, writing this book was similar to other forms of non-fiction. It required research, interviews, fact-checking and discipline. But it required all those things in massive doses—more than I had ever done before. Also important were organizational skills, tenacity and belief in what I was doing. It might have been easy to give up or change course, especially when finding the right publisher proved difficult. But I was determined, and that paid off for me.\r\n\r\n<strong>What tips do you have for others thinking of writing a book?</strong>\r\n\r\nBe clear about your purpose. Know your market. Stay open-mined and creative. At the same time, bring discipline to your work and apply it to your writing. If you are a new author, find a mentor for guidance and support. I have a wonderful friend who is the author of seven books; she shared advice generously when I needed it. Also be sure to have at least a few readers—people whose opinions you respect and who will provide solid, constructive feedback on your work. Then be willing to listen to them!\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong> Like Bonnie says, writing a book is just like writing for marketing and PR, except taken to a \"massive\" degree. It\'s a great achievement, and in Bonnie\'s case, one that will provide people with needed information to successfully helped loved ones who are ill and in the hospital. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>For more writing insight from a communications professional, check back here on Thursday, October 27 for the next On Writing interview.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Bonnie Friedman is an advocate','','publish','open','open','','on-writing-bonnie-friedman-is-an-advocate','','','2016-09-29 09:59:01','2016-09-29 13:59:01','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3348',0,'post','',0),
(3350,4,'2016-09-27 09:40:17','2016-09-27 13:40:17','','bonnie-preso','Hospital Warrior Launch','inherit','open','open','','bonnie-preso','','','2016-09-29 09:46:12','2016-09-29 13:46:12','',3348,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(3349,4,'2016-09-26 17:23:11','2016-09-26 21:23:11','&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBonnie Friedman is a seasoned communications and marketing professional with more than 40 years of experience in the Washington, DC, area. She worked for several federal agencies before starting her own consulting business. Her new book, Hospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One, combines her passion for health care advocacy with her love of writing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> @Bonniecomm\r\n<h1>Seven questions about writing</h1>\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is the heart of what I do, whether working in government, as a consultant or now as an author. Even as a teenager, I loved to write. For me, it is the most effective way to express thoughts, share information or convey emotion. Of all the things I do professionally, writing is by far the most important skill in my wheelhouse.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, I believe it does matter. Whether you want to convey thoughts, information or emotion, you want to do so effectively. Sloppy or inexact language detracts from the message and makes the writer appear lazy or facile. For me, it is extremely satisfying to create a strong, well-crafted statement or document that precisely reflects my point of view.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. </strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nWhen I first started my career, I was told to write the first draft, warts and all, off the top of my head, then go back and improve upon it later. When I feel stuck now, I still follow that advice. It helps me express my initial thoughts and move forward with my work. There is a freedom in that type of writing that frequently breathes life and light into my work, even if I later edit or revise it.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nDepending on what I am writing, the top three are the Associated Press Stylebook, William Strunk’s The Elements of Style and Roget’s Thesaurus. Even though I frequently use online resources for quick references, these three are still my all-time favorites.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t follow a specific style guide as a matter of course. However, if I am writing for the media, I use the AP Stylebook; if writing for a government client, I may use the Government Printing Office Style Manual. When I wrote my book, I did not use one particular style guide but referred to various resources when I needed guidance, particularly on how best to convey complicated medical information for lay readers.\r\n\r\n6. <strong>What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nI really dislike the use of “impact” as a verb. It grates on me. As far as I’m concerned, the word “impact” should remain a noun. When used as a verb, it strikes me as affected and pretentious. That said, I recognize that language must be fluid and supple. If it weren’t, we might still be speaking Elizabethan English today.<strong>   </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>7</strong>. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nThere are so many great words; it is hard to choose. One that I like a lot is onomatopoeia; it is wonderfully descriptive and rolls around in the mouth quite deliciously. Likewise, there are several words I dislike viscerally, but none are acceptably repeated in a family-friendly interview. All are mean-spirited, hateful references to individuals or groups. Some are four letters; others are longer.  You get the idea.\r\n\r\nBonnie published a book this year<strong>, so I asked her a few questions about the book writing process. </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Describe your book:</strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One is a how-to guide on advocating effectively when someone you love is ill. It is filled with advice, tips and ideas based on my own experience as well interviews with a wide range of medical and legal professionals. It is also a story of love, family and thriving. The website is <a href=\"http://www.hospitalwarrior.com\">www.hospitalwarrior.com</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>What inspired you to write the book and how long did it take you to write it? </strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior draws on my 24 years of advocating for my husband through 14 separate hospitalizations—some routine and some life-threatening. He is now doing well, and I felt I had learned so much over the years that I wanted to share with others. Giving back is an important value in my life. In Judaism, we call it <em>Tikkun Olam</em>. This is my way of giving back. The book took about two years to write.\r\n\r\n<strong>What were your main challenges in writing and publishing a book? How did it compare to the previous writing you have done?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many challenges in writing and publishing a book. To start, as an author, you must be clear in your own mind about your audience, your message and your market.  While you need to remain flexible about options and opportunities, you can’t lose sight of your primary goals. Publishing in today’s market is very difficult, especially for new authors. I feel fortunate to have a small, indie publisher who invests in his authors’ success.\r\n\r\nIn some ways, writing this book was similar to other forms of non-fiction. It required research, interviews, fact-checking and discipline. But it required all those things in massive doses—more than I had ever done before. Also important were organizational skills, tenacity and belief in what I was doing. It might have been easy to give up or change course, especially when finding the right publisher proved difficult. But I was determined, and that paid off for me.\r\n\r\n<strong>What tips do you have for others thinking of writing a book?</strong>\r\n\r\nBe clear about your purpose. Know your market. Stay open-mined and creative. At the same time, bring discipline to your work and apply it to your writing. If you are a new author, find a mentor for guidance and support. I have a wonderful friend who is the author of seven books; she shared advice generously when I needed it. Also be sure to have at least a few readers—people whose opinions you respect and who will provide solid, constructive feedback on your work. Then be willing to listen to them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Bonnie Friedman is an advocate','','inherit','open','open','','3348-revision-v1','','','2016-09-26 17:23:11','2016-09-26 21:23:11','',3348,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/09/3348-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3351,4,'2016-09-27 09:41:01','2016-09-27 13:41:01','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3350\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"bonnie-preso\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>Bonnie Friedman is a seasoned communications and marketing professional with more than 40 years of experience in the Washington, DC, area. She worked for several federal agencies before starting her own consulting business. Her new book, Hospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One, combines her passion for health care advocacy with her love of writing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> @Bonniecomm\r\n<h1></h1>\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is the heart of what I do, whether working in government, as a consultant or now as an author. Even as a teenager, I loved to write. For me, it is the most effective way to express thoughts, share information or convey emotion. Of all the things I do professionally, writing is by far the most important skill in my wheelhouse.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, I believe it does matter. Whether you want to convey thoughts, information or emotion, you want to do so effectively. Sloppy or inexact language detracts from the message and makes the writer appear lazy or facile. For me, it is extremely satisfying to create a strong, well-crafted statement or document that precisely reflects my point of view.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. </strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nWhen I first started my career, I was told to write the first draft, warts and all, off the top of my head, then go back and improve upon it later. When I feel stuck now, I still follow that advice. It helps me express my initial thoughts and move forward with my work. There is a freedom in that type of writing that frequently breathes life and light into my work, even if I later edit or revise it.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nDepending on what I am writing, the top three are the Associated Press Stylebook, William Strunk’s The Elements of Style and Roget’s Thesaurus. Even though I frequently use online resources for quick references, these three are still my all-time favorites.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t follow a specific style guide as a matter of course. However, if I am writing for the media, I use the AP Stylebook; if writing for a government client, I may use the Government Printing Office Style Manual. When I wrote my book, I did not use one particular style guide but referred to various resources when I needed guidance, particularly on how best to convey complicated medical information for lay readers.\r\n\r\n6. <strong>What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nI really dislike the use of “impact” as a verb. It grates on me. As far as I’m concerned, the word “impact” should remain a noun. When used as a verb, it strikes me as affected and pretentious. That said, I recognize that language must be fluid and supple. If it weren’t, we might still be speaking Elizabethan English today.<strong>   </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>7</strong>. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nThere are so many great words; it is hard to choose. One that I like a lot is onomatopoeia; it is wonderfully descriptive and rolls around in the mouth quite deliciously. Likewise, there are several words I dislike viscerally, but none are acceptably repeated in a family-friendly interview. All are mean-spirited, hateful references to individuals or groups. Some are four letters; others are longer.  You get the idea.\r\n\r\nBonnie published a book this year<strong>, </strong>so I asked her a some bonus questions about the book writing process.\r\n\r\n<strong>Describe your book:</strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One is a how-to guide on advocating effectively when someone you love is ill. It is filled with advice, tips and ideas based on my own experience as well interviews with a wide range of medical and legal professionals. It is also a story of love, family and thriving. The website is <a href=\"http://www.hospitalwarrior.com\">www.hospitalwarrior.com</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>What inspired you to write the book and how long did it take you to write it? </strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior draws on my 24 years of advocating for my husband through 14 separate hospitalizations—some routine and some life-threatening. He is now doing well, and I felt I had learned so much over the years that I wanted to share with others. Giving back is an important value in my life. In Judaism, we call it <em>Tikkun Olam</em>. This is my way of giving back. The book took about two years to write.\r\n\r\n<strong>What were your main challenges in writing and publishing a book? How did it compare to the previous writing you have done?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many challenges in writing and publishing a book. To start, as an author, you must be clear in your own mind about your audience, your message and your market.  While you need to remain flexible about options and opportunities, you can’t lose sight of your primary goals. Publishing in today’s market is very difficult, especially for new authors. I feel fortunate to have a small, indie publisher who invests in his authors’ success.\r\n\r\nIn some ways, writing this book was similar to other forms of non-fiction. It required research, interviews, fact-checking and discipline. But it required all those things in massive doses—more than I had ever done before. Also important were organizational skills, tenacity and belief in what I was doing. It might have been easy to give up or change course, especially when finding the right publisher proved difficult. But I was determined, and that paid off for me.\r\n\r\n<strong>What tips do you have for others thinking of writing a book?</strong>\r\n\r\nBe clear about your purpose. Know your market. Stay open-mined and creative. At the same time, bring discipline to your work and apply it to your writing. If you are a new author, find a mentor for guidance and support. I have a wonderful friend who is the author of seven books; she shared advice generously when I needed it. Also be sure to have at least a few readers—people whose opinions you respect and who will provide solid, constructive feedback on your work. Then be willing to listen to them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Bonnie Friedman is an advocate','','inherit','open','open','','3348-revision-v1','','','2016-09-27 09:41:01','2016-09-27 13:41:01','',3348,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/09/3348-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3352,4,'2016-09-27 09:52:04','2016-09-27 13:52:04','I met Bonnie Friedman at an industry networking event several years ago. We\'ve stayed in touch, and a couple of years ago Bonnie told me she was starting to write a book about advocating for your health. Well, her book launched earlier this year. Naturally, I reached out to Bonnie to ask her about her writing.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3350\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"bonnie-preso\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>Bonnie Friedman is a seasoned communications and marketing professional with more than 40 years of experience in the Washington, DC, area, with her own consultancy <a href=\"http://www.bfstrategic.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Bonnie Friedman Strategic Communications, LLC</a>.  She worked for several federal agencies before starting her own consulting business. Her new book, Hospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One, combines her passion for health care advocacy with her love of writing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> @Bonniecomm\r\n<h1></h1>\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is the heart of what I do, whether working in government, as a consultant or now as an author. Even as a teenager, I loved to write. For me, it is the most effective way to express thoughts, share information or convey emotion. Of all the things I do professionally, writing is by far the most important skill in my wheelhouse.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, I believe it does matter. Whether you want to convey thoughts, information or emotion, you want to do so effectively. Sloppy or inexact language detracts from the message and makes the writer appear lazy or facile. For me, it is extremely satisfying to create a strong, well-crafted statement or document that precisely reflects my point of view.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. </strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nWhen I first started my career, I was told to write the first draft, warts and all, off the top of my head, then go back and improve upon it later. When I feel stuck now, I still follow that advice. It helps me express my initial thoughts and move forward with my work. There is a freedom in that type of writing that frequently breathes life and light into my work, even if I later edit or revise it.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nDepending on what I am writing, the top three are the Associated Press Stylebook, William Strunk’s The Elements of Style and Roget’s Thesaurus. Even though I frequently use online resources for quick references, these three are still my all-time favorites.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t follow a specific style guide as a matter of course. However, if I am writing for the media, I use the AP Stylebook; if writing for a government client, I may use the Government Printing Office Style Manual. When I wrote my book, I did not use one particular style guide but referred to various resources when I needed guidance, particularly on how best to convey complicated medical information for lay readers.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nI really dislike the use of “impact” as a verb. It grates on me. As far as I’m concerned, the word “impact” should remain a noun. When used as a verb, it strikes me as affected and pretentious. That said, I recognize that language must be fluid and supple. If it weren’t, we might still be speaking Elizabethan English today.<strong>   </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>7</strong>. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nThere are so many great words; it is hard to choose. One that I like a lot is onomatopoeia; it is wonderfully descriptive and rolls around in the mouth quite deliciously. Likewise, there are several words I dislike viscerally, but none are acceptably repeated in a family-friendly interview. All are mean-spirited, hateful references to individuals or groups. Some are four letters; others are longer.  You get the idea.\r\n\r\nBonnie published a book this year<strong>, </strong>so I asked her a some bonus questions about the book writing process.\r\n\r\n<strong>Describe your book:</strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One is a how-to guide on advocating effectively when someone you love is ill. It is filled with advice, tips and ideas based on my own experience as well interviews with a wide range of medical and legal professionals. It is also a story of love, family and thriving. The website is <a href=\"http://www.hospitalwarrior.com\">www.hospitalwarrior.com</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>What inspired you to write the book and how long did it take you to write it? </strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior draws on my 24 years of advocating for my husband through 14 separate hospitalizations—some routine and some life-threatening. He is now doing well, and I felt I had learned so much over the years that I wanted to share with others. Giving back is an important value in my life. In Judaism, we call it <em>Tikkun Olam</em>. This is my way of giving back. The book took about two years to write.\r\n\r\n<strong>What were your main challenges in writing and publishing a book? How did it compare to the previous writing you have done?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many challenges in writing and publishing a book. To start, as an author, you must be clear in your own mind about your audience, your message and your market.  While you need to remain flexible about options and opportunities, you can’t lose sight of your primary goals. Publishing in today’s market is very difficult, especially for new authors. I feel fortunate to have a small, indie publisher who invests in his authors’ success.\r\n\r\nIn some ways, writing this book was similar to other forms of non-fiction. It required research, interviews, fact-checking and discipline. But it required all those things in massive doses—more than I had ever done before. Also important were organizational skills, tenacity and belief in what I was doing. It might have been easy to give up or change course, especially when finding the right publisher proved difficult. But I was determined, and that paid off for me.\r\n\r\n<strong>What tips do you have for others thinking of writing a book?</strong>\r\n\r\nBe clear about your purpose. Know your market. Stay open-mined and creative. At the same time, bring discipline to your work and apply it to your writing. If you are a new author, find a mentor for guidance and support. I have a wonderful friend who is the author of seven books; she shared advice generously when I needed it. Also be sure to have at least a few readers—people whose opinions you respect and who will provide solid, constructive feedback on your work. Then be willing to listen to them!\r\n\r\n<strong> Like Bonnie says, writing a book is just like writing for marketing and PR, except taken to a \"massive\" degree. It\'s a great achievement. For more writing insight, check back here on Thursday, October 27.</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Bonnie Friedman is an advocate','','inherit','open','open','','3348-revision-v1','','','2016-09-27 09:52:04','2016-09-27 13:52:04','',3348,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/09/3348-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3353,4,'2016-09-29 09:43:11','2016-09-29 13:43:11','I met Bonnie Friedman at an industry networking event several years ago. We\'ve stayed in touch, and a couple of years ago Bonnie told me she was starting to write a book about advocating for a loved one\r\n\r\nwhen in the hospital. Well, her book launched earlier this year. Naturally, I reached out to Bonnie to ask her about her writing.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3350\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"bonnie-preso\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>Bonnie Friedman is a seasoned communications and marketing professional with more than 40 years of experience in the Washington, DC, area, with her own consultancy <a href=\"http://www.bfstrategic.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Bonnie Friedman Strategic Communications, LLC</a>.  She worked for several federal agencies before starting her own consulting business. Her new book, Hospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One, combines her passion for health care advocacy with her love of writing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/bonniecomm\" target=\"_blank\">@Bonniecomm</a>\r\n<h1></h1>\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is the heart of what I do, whether working in government, as a consultant or now as an author. Even as a teenager, I loved to write. For me, it is the most effective way to express thoughts, share information or convey emotion. Of all the things I do professionally, writing is by far the most important skill in my wheelhouse.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, I believe it does matter. Whether you want to convey thoughts, information or emotion, you want to do so effectively. Sloppy or inexact language detracts from the message and makes the writer appear lazy or facile. For me, it is extremely satisfying to create a strong, well-crafted statement or document that precisely reflects my point of view.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. </strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nWhen I first started my career, I was told to write the first draft, warts and all, off the top of my head, then go back and improve upon it later. When I feel stuck now, I still follow that advice. It helps me express my initial thoughts and move forward with my work. There is a freedom in that type of writing that frequently breathes life and light into my work, even if I later edit or revise it.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nDepending on what I am writing, the top three are the Associated Press Stylebook, William Strunk’s The Elements of Style and Roget’s Thesaurus. Even though I frequently use online resources for quick references, these three are still my all-time favorites.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t follow a specific style guide as a matter of course. However, if I am writing for the media, I use the AP Stylebook; if writing for a government client, I may use the Government Printing Office Style Manual. When I wrote my book, I did not use one particular style guide but referred to various resources when I needed guidance, particularly on how best to convey complicated medical information for lay readers.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nI really dislike the use of “impact” as a verb. It grates on me. As far as I’m concerned, the word “impact” should remain a noun. When used as a verb, it strikes me as affected and pretentious. That said, I recognize that language must be fluid and supple. If it weren’t, we might still be speaking Elizabethan English today.<strong>   </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>7</strong>. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nThere are so many great words; it is hard to choose. One that I like a lot is onomatopoeia; it is wonderfully descriptive and rolls around in the mouth quite deliciously. Likewise, there are several words I dislike viscerally, but none are acceptably repeated in a family-friendly interview. All are mean-spirited, hateful references to individuals or groups. Some are four letters; others are longer.  You get the idea.\r\n\r\nSince Bonnie published her book this year<strong>,</strong> I asked her a few bonus questions about the book writing process.\r\n\r\n<strong>Describe your book:</strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One is a how-to guide on advocating effectively when someone you love is ill. It is filled with advice, tips and ideas based on my own experience as well interviews with a wide range of medical and legal professionals. It is also a story of love, family and thriving. The website is <a href=\"http://www.hospitalwarrior.com\">www.hospitalwarrior.com</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>What inspired you to write the book and how long did it take you to write it? </strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior draws on my 24 years of advocating for my husband through 14 separate hospitalizations—some routine and some life-threatening. He is now doing well, and I felt I had learned so much over the years that I wanted to share with others. Giving back is an important value in my life. In Judaism, we call it <em>Tikkun Olam</em>. This is my way of giving back. The book took about two years to write.\r\n\r\n<strong>What were your main challenges in writing and publishing a book? How did it compare to the previous writing you have done?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many challenges in writing and publishing a book. To start, as an author, you must be clear in your own mind about your audience, your message and your market.  While you need to remain flexible about options and opportunities, you can’t lose sight of your primary goals. Publishing in today’s market is very difficult, especially for new authors. I feel fortunate to have a small, indie publisher who invests in his authors’ success.\r\n\r\nIn some ways, writing this book was similar to other forms of non-fiction. It required research, interviews, fact-checking and discipline. But it required all those things in massive doses—more than I had ever done before. Also important were organizational skills, tenacity and belief in what I was doing. It might have been easy to give up or change course, especially when finding the right publisher proved difficult. But I was determined, and that paid off for me.\r\n\r\n<strong>What tips do you have for others thinking of writing a book?</strong>\r\n\r\nBe clear about your purpose. Know your market. Stay open-mined and creative. At the same time, bring discipline to your work and apply it to your writing. If you are a new author, find a mentor for guidance and support. I have a wonderful friend who is the author of seven books; she shared advice generously when I needed it. Also be sure to have at least a few readers—people whose opinions you respect and who will provide solid, constructive feedback on your work. Then be willing to listen to them!\r\n\r\n<strong> Like Bonnie says, writing a book is just like writing for marketing and PR, except taken to a \"massive\" degree. It\'s a great achievement. For more writing insight, check back here on Thursday, October 27.</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Bonnie Friedman is an advocate','','inherit','open','open','','3348-revision-v1','','','2016-09-29 09:43:11','2016-09-29 13:43:11','',3348,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/09/3348-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3355,4,'2016-09-29 09:45:23','2016-09-29 13:45:23','','bonnie-head','','inherit','open','open','','bonnie-head','','','2016-09-29 09:45:23','2016-09-29 13:45:23','',3348,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-Head.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(3354,4,'2016-09-29 09:44:03','2016-09-29 13:44:03','I met Bonnie Friedman at an industry networking event several years ago. We\'ve stayed in touch, and a couple of years ago Bonnie told me she was starting to write a book about advocating for a loved onewhen in the hospital. Well, her book launched earlier this year. Naturally, I reached out to Bonnie to ask her about her writing.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3350\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"bonnie-preso\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBonnie Friedman is a seasoned communications and marketing professional with more than 40 years of experience in the Washington, DC, area, with her own consultancy <a href=\"http://www.bfstrategic.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Bonnie Friedman Strategic Communications, LLC</a>.  She worked for several federal agencies before starting her own consulting business. Her new book, Hospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One, combines her passion for health care advocacy with her love of writing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/bonniecomm\" target=\"_blank\">@Bonniecomm</a>\r\n<h1></h1>\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is the heart of what I do, whether working in government, as a consultant or now as an author. Even as a teenager, I loved to write. For me, it is the most effective way to express thoughts, share information or convey emotion. Of all the things I do professionally, writing is by far the most important skill in my wheelhouse.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, I believe it does matter. Whether you want to convey thoughts, information or emotion, you want to do so effectively. Sloppy or inexact language detracts from the message and makes the writer appear lazy or facile. For me, it is extremely satisfying to create a strong, well-crafted statement or document that precisely reflects my point of view.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. </strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nWhen I first started my career, I was told to write the first draft, warts and all, off the top of my head, then go back and improve upon it later. When I feel stuck now, I still follow that advice. It helps me express my initial thoughts and move forward with my work. There is a freedom in that type of writing that frequently breathes life and light into my work, even if I later edit or revise it.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nDepending on what I am writing, the top three are the Associated Press Stylebook, William Strunk’s The Elements of Style and Roget’s Thesaurus. Even though I frequently use online resources for quick references, these three are still my all-time favorites.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t follow a specific style guide as a matter of course. However, if I am writing for the media, I use the AP Stylebook; if writing for a government client, I may use the Government Printing Office Style Manual. When I wrote my book, I did not use one particular style guide but referred to various resources when I needed guidance, particularly on how best to convey complicated medical information for lay readers.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nI really dislike the use of “impact” as a verb. It grates on me. As far as I’m concerned, the word “impact” should remain a noun. When used as a verb, it strikes me as affected and pretentious. That said, I recognize that language must be fluid and supple. If it weren’t, we might still be speaking Elizabethan English today.<strong>   </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>7</strong>. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nThere are so many great words; it is hard to choose. One that I like a lot is onomatopoeia; it is wonderfully descriptive and rolls around in the mouth quite deliciously. Likewise, there are several words I dislike viscerally, but none are acceptably repeated in a family-friendly interview. All are mean-spirited, hateful references to individuals or groups. Some are four letters; others are longer.  You get the idea.\r\n\r\nSince Bonnie published her book this year<strong>,</strong> I asked her a few bonus questions about the book writing process.\r\n\r\n<strong>Describe your book:</strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One is a how-to guide on advocating effectively when someone you love is ill. It is filled with advice, tips and ideas based on my own experience as well interviews with a wide range of medical and legal professionals. It is also a story of love, family and thriving. The website is <a href=\"http://www.hospitalwarrior.com\">www.hospitalwarrior.com</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>What inspired you to write the book and how long did it take you to write it? </strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior draws on my 24 years of advocating for my husband through 14 separate hospitalizations—some routine and some life-threatening. He is now doing well, and I felt I had learned so much over the years that I wanted to share with others. Giving back is an important value in my life. In Judaism, we call it <em>Tikkun Olam</em>. This is my way of giving back. The book took about two years to write.\r\n\r\n<strong>What were your main challenges in writing and publishing a book? How did it compare to the previous writing you have done?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many challenges in writing and publishing a book. To start, as an author, you must be clear in your own mind about your audience, your message and your market.  While you need to remain flexible about options and opportunities, you can’t lose sight of your primary goals. Publishing in today’s market is very difficult, especially for new authors. I feel fortunate to have a small, indie publisher who invests in his authors’ success.\r\n\r\nIn some ways, writing this book was similar to other forms of non-fiction. It required research, interviews, fact-checking and discipline. But it required all those things in massive doses—more than I had ever done before. Also important were organizational skills, tenacity and belief in what I was doing. It might have been easy to give up or change course, especially when finding the right publisher proved difficult. But I was determined, and that paid off for me.\r\n\r\n<strong>What tips do you have for others thinking of writing a book?</strong>\r\n\r\nBe clear about your purpose. Know your market. Stay open-mined and creative. At the same time, bring discipline to your work and apply it to your writing. If you are a new author, find a mentor for guidance and support. I have a wonderful friend who is the author of seven books; she shared advice generously when I needed it. Also be sure to have at least a few readers—people whose opinions you respect and who will provide solid, constructive feedback on your work. Then be willing to listen to them!\r\n\r\n<strong> Like Bonnie says, writing a book is just like writing for marketing and PR, except taken to a \"massive\" degree. It\'s a great achievement. For more writing insight, check back here on Thursday, October 27.</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Bonnie Friedman is an advocate','','inherit','open','open','','3348-revision-v1','','','2016-09-29 09:44:03','2016-09-29 13:44:03','',3348,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/09/3348-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3356,4,'2016-09-29 09:46:29','2016-09-29 13:46:29','I met Bonnie Friedman at an industry networking event several years ago. We\'ve stayed in touch, and a couple of years ago Bonnie told me she was starting to write a book about advocating for a loved onewhen in the hospital. Well, her book launched earlier this year. Naturally, I reached out to Bonnie to ask her about her writing.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-Head.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3355\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-Head-198x300.jpg\" alt=\"bonnie-head\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" /></a>Bonnie Friedman is a seasoned communications and marketing professional with more than 40 years of experience in the Washington, DC, area, with her own consultancy <a href=\"http://www.bfstrategic.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Bonnie Friedman Strategic Communications, LLC</a>.  She worked for several federal agencies before starting her own consulting business. Her new book, Hospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One, combines her passion for health care advocacy with her love of writing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/bonniecomm\" target=\"_blank\">@Bonniecomm</a>\r\n<h1></h1>\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is the heart of what I do, whether working in government, as a consultant or now as an author. Even as a teenager, I loved to write. For me, it is the most effective way to express thoughts, share information or convey emotion. Of all the things I do professionally, writing is by far the most important skill in my wheelhouse.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, I believe it does matter. Whether you want to convey thoughts, information or emotion, you want to do so effectively. Sloppy or inexact language detracts from the message and makes the writer appear lazy or facile. For me, it is extremely satisfying to create a strong, well-crafted statement or document that precisely reflects my point of view.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. </strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nWhen I first started my career, I was told to write the first draft, warts and all, off the top of my head, then go back and improve upon it later. When I feel stuck now, I still follow that advice. It helps me express my initial thoughts and move forward with my work. There is a freedom in that type of writing that frequently breathes life and light into my work, even if I later edit or revise it.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nDepending on what I am writing, the top three are the Associated Press Stylebook, William Strunk’s The Elements of Style and Roget’s Thesaurus. Even though I frequently use online resources for quick references, these three are still my all-time favorites.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t follow a specific style guide as a matter of course. However, if I am writing for the media, I use the AP Stylebook; if writing for a government client, I may use the Government Printing Office Style Manual. When I wrote my book, I did not use one particular style guide but referred to various resources when I needed guidance, particularly on how best to convey complicated medical information for lay readers.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nI really dislike the use of “impact” as a verb. It grates on me. As far as I’m concerned, the word “impact” should remain a noun. When used as a verb, it strikes me as affected and pretentious. That said, I recognize that language must be fluid and supple. If it weren’t, we might still be speaking Elizabethan English today.<strong>   </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>7</strong>. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nThere are so many great words; it is hard to choose. One that I like a lot is onomatopoeia; it is wonderfully descriptive and rolls around in the mouth quite deliciously. Likewise, there are several words I dislike viscerally, but none are acceptably repeated in a family-friendly interview. All are mean-spirited, hateful references to individuals or groups. Some are four letters; others are longer.  You get the idea.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3350\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3350\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Hospital Warrior Launch\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a> Hospital Warrior Launch[/caption]\r\n\r\nSince Bonnie published her book this year<strong>,</strong> I asked her a few bonus questions about the book writing process.\r\n\r\n<strong>Describe your book:</strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One is a how-to guide on advocating effectively when someone you love is ill. It is filled with advice, tips and ideas based on my own experience as well interviews with a wide range of medical and legal professionals. It is also a story of love, family and thriving. The website is <a href=\"http://www.hospitalwarrior.com\">www.hospitalwarrior.com</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>What inspired you to write the book and how long did it take you to write it? </strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior draws on my 24 years of advocating for my husband through 14 separate hospitalizations—some routine and some life-threatening. He is now doing well, and I felt I had learned so much over the years that I wanted to share with others. Giving back is an important value in my life. In Judaism, we call it <em>Tikkun Olam</em>. This is my way of giving back. The book took about two years to write.\r\n\r\n<strong>What were your main challenges in writing and publishing a book? How did it compare to the previous writing you have done?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many challenges in writing and publishing a book. To start, as an author, you must be clear in your own mind about your audience, your message and your market.  While you need to remain flexible about options and opportunities, you can’t lose sight of your primary goals. Publishing in today’s market is very difficult, especially for new authors. I feel fortunate to have a small, indie publisher who invests in his authors’ success.\r\n\r\nIn some ways, writing this book was similar to other forms of non-fiction. It required research, interviews, fact-checking and discipline. But it required all those things in massive doses—more than I had ever done before. Also important were organizational skills, tenacity and belief in what I was doing. It might have been easy to give up or change course, especially when finding the right publisher proved difficult. But I was determined, and that paid off for me.\r\n\r\n<strong>What tips do you have for others thinking of writing a book?</strong>\r\n\r\nBe clear about your purpose. Know your market. Stay open-mined and creative. At the same time, bring discipline to your work and apply it to your writing. If you are a new author, find a mentor for guidance and support. I have a wonderful friend who is the author of seven books; she shared advice generously when I needed it. Also be sure to have at least a few readers—people whose opinions you respect and who will provide solid, constructive feedback on your work. Then be willing to listen to them!\r\n\r\n<strong> Like Bonnie says, writing a book is just like writing for marketing and PR, except taken to a \"massive\" degree. It\'s a great achievement. For more writing insight, check back here on Thursday, October 27.</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Bonnie Friedman is an advocate','','inherit','open','open','','3348-revision-v1','','','2016-09-29 09:46:29','2016-09-29 13:46:29','',3348,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/09/3348-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3357,4,'2016-09-29 09:52:36','2016-09-29 13:52:36','I met Bonnie Friedman at an industry networking event several years ago. We\'ve stayed in touch, and a couple of years ago Bonnie told me she was starting to write a book about advocating for a loved one when in the hospital. The book was published earlier this year, which prompted me to reach out to Bonnie to ask her about her writing.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-Head.jpg\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-3355\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-Head-198x300.jpg\" alt=\"bonnie-head\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBonnie Friedman is a seasoned communications and marketing professional with more than 40 years of experience in the Washington, DC, area, with her own consultancy <a href=\"http://www.bfstrategic.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Bonnie Friedman Strategic Communications, LLC</a>.  She worked for several federal agencies before starting her own consulting business. Her new book, Hospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One, combines her passion for health care advocacy with her love of writing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/bonniecomm\" target=\"_blank\">@Bonniecomm</a>\r\n<h1></h1>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is the heart of what I do, whether working in government, as a consultant or now as an author. Even as a teenager, I loved to write. For me, it is the most effective way to express thoughts, share information or convey emotion. Of all the things I do professionally, writing is by far the most important skill in my wheelhouse.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, I believe it does matter. Whether you want to convey thoughts, information or emotion, you want to do so effectively. Sloppy or inexact language detracts from the message and makes the writer appear lazy or facile. For me, it is extremely satisfying to create a strong, well-crafted statement or document that precisely reflects my point of view.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. </strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nWhen I first started my career, I was told to write the first draft, warts and all, off the top of my head, then go back and improve upon it later. When I feel stuck now, I still follow that advice. It helps me express my initial thoughts and move forward with my work. There is a freedom in that type of writing that frequently breathes life and light into my work, even if I later edit or revise it.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nDepending on what I am writing, the top three are the Associated Press Stylebook, William Strunk’s The Elements of Style and Roget’s Thesaurus. Even though I frequently use online resources for quick references, these three are still my all-time favorites.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t follow a specific style guide as a matter of course. However, if I am writing for the media, I use the AP Stylebook; if writing for a government client, I may use the Government Printing Office Style Manual. When I wrote my book, I did not use one particular style guide but referred to various resources when I needed guidance, particularly on how best to convey complicated medical information for lay readers.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nI really dislike the use of “impact” as a verb. It grates on me. As far as I’m concerned, the word “impact” should remain a noun. When used as a verb, it strikes me as affected and pretentious. That said, I recognize that language must be fluid and supple. If it weren’t, we might still be speaking Elizabethan English today.<strong>   </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>7</strong>. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nThere are so many great words; it is hard to choose. One that I like a lot is onomatopoeia; it is wonderfully descriptive and rolls around in the mouth quite deliciously. Likewise, there are several words I dislike viscerally, but none are acceptably repeated in a family-friendly interview. All are mean-spirited, hateful references to individuals or groups. Some are four letters; others are longer.  You get the idea.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3350\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3350\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Hospital Warrior Launch\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a> Hospital Warrior Launch[/caption]\r\n\r\nGiven that her book launched this year, I asked Bonnie to share her thoughts about the process of writing a book.\r\n\r\n<strong>Describe your book:</strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One is a how-to guide on advocating effectively when someone you love is ill. It is filled with advice, tips and ideas based on my own experience as well interviews with a wide range of medical and legal professionals. It is also a story of love, family and thriving. The website is <a href=\"http://www.hospitalwarrior.com\">www.hospitalwarrior.com</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>What inspired you to write the book and how long did it take you to write it? </strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior draws on my 24 years of advocating for my husband through 14 separate hospitalizations—some routine and some life-threatening. He is now doing well, and I felt I had learned so much over the years that I wanted to share with others. Giving back is an important value in my life. In Judaism, we call it <em>Tikkun Olam</em>. This is my way of giving back. The book took about two years to write.\r\n\r\n<strong>What were your main challenges in writing and publishing a book? How did it compare to the previous writing you have done?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many challenges in writing and publishing a book. To start, as an author, you must be clear in your own mind about your audience, your message and your market.  While you need to remain flexible about options and opportunities, you can’t lose sight of your primary goals. Publishing in today’s market is very difficult, especially for new authors. I feel fortunate to have a small, indie publisher who invests in his authors’ success.\r\n\r\nIn some ways, writing this book was similar to other forms of non-fiction. It required research, interviews, fact-checking and discipline. But it required all those things in massive doses—more than I had ever done before. Also important were organizational skills, tenacity and belief in what I was doing. It might have been easy to give up or change course, especially when finding the right publisher proved difficult. But I was determined, and that paid off for me.\r\n\r\n<strong>What tips do you have for others thinking of writing a book?</strong>\r\n\r\nBe clear about your purpose. Know your market. Stay open-mined and creative. At the same time, bring discipline to your work and apply it to your writing. If you are a new author, find a mentor for guidance and support. I have a wonderful friend who is the author of seven books; she shared advice generously when I needed it. Also be sure to have at least a few readers—people whose opinions you respect and who will provide solid, constructive feedback on your work. Then be willing to listen to them!\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong> Like Bonnie says, writing a book is just like writing for marketing and PR, except taken to a \"massive\" degree. It\'s a great achievement, and in Bonnie\'s case, one that will people needed information to successfully helped loved ones who are ill and in the hospital. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>For more writing insight, check back here on Thursday, October 27.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Bonnie Friedman is an advocate','','inherit','open','open','','3348-revision-v1','','','2016-09-29 09:52:36','2016-09-29 13:52:36','',3348,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/09/3348-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3358,4,'2016-09-29 09:55:51','2016-09-29 13:55:51','I met Bonnie Friedman at an industry networking event several years ago. We\'ve stayed in touch, and a couple of years ago Bonnie told me she was starting to write a book about advocating for someone who is ill and in the hospital. The book was published earlier this year, which prompted me to reach out to Bonnie to ask her about her writing.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3355\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"198\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-Head.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3355 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-Head-198x300.jpg\" alt=\"bonnie-head\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" /></a> Bonnie Friedman[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBonnie Friedman is a seasoned communications and marketing professional with more than 40 years of experience in the Washington, DC, area, with her own consultancy <a href=\"http://www.bfstrategic.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Bonnie Friedman Strategic Communications, LLC</a>.  She worked for several federal agencies before starting her own consulting business. Her new book, Hospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One, combines her passion for health care advocacy with her love of writing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/bonniecomm\" target=\"_blank\">@Bonniecomm</a>\r\n<h1></h1>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is the heart of what I do, whether working in government, as a consultant or now as an author. Even as a teenager, I loved to write. For me, it is the most effective way to express thoughts, share information or convey emotion. Of all the things I do professionally, writing is by far the most important skill in my wheelhouse.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, I believe it does matter. Whether you want to convey thoughts, information or emotion, you want to do so effectively. Sloppy or inexact language detracts from the message and makes the writer appear lazy or facile. For me, it is extremely satisfying to create a strong, well-crafted statement or document that precisely reflects my point of view.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. </strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nWhen I first started my career, I was told to write the first draft, warts and all, off the top of my head, then go back and improve upon it later. When I feel stuck now, I still follow that advice. It helps me express my initial thoughts and move forward with my work. There is a freedom in that type of writing that frequently breathes life and light into my work, even if I later edit or revise it.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nDepending on what I am writing, the top three are the Associated Press Stylebook, William Strunk’s The Elements of Style and Roget’s Thesaurus. Even though I frequently use online resources for quick references, these three are still my all-time favorites.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t follow a specific style guide as a matter of course. However, if I am writing for the media, I use the AP Stylebook; if writing for a government client, I may use the Government Printing Office Style Manual. When I wrote my book, I did not use one particular style guide but referred to various resources when I needed guidance, particularly on how best to convey complicated medical information for lay readers.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nI really dislike the use of “impact” as a verb. It grates on me. As far as I’m concerned, the word “impact” should remain a noun. When used as a verb, it strikes me as affected and pretentious. That said, I recognize that language must be fluid and supple. If it weren’t, we might still be speaking Elizabethan English today.<strong>   </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>7</strong>. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nThere are so many great words; it is hard to choose. One that I like a lot is onomatopoeia; it is wonderfully descriptive and rolls around in the mouth quite deliciously. Likewise, there are several words I dislike viscerally, but none are acceptably repeated in a family-friendly interview. All are mean-spirited, hateful references to individuals or groups. Some are four letters; others are longer.  You get the idea.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3350\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3350\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Hospital Warrior Launch\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a> Hospital Warrior Launch[/caption]\r\n\r\nGiven that her book launched this year, I asked Bonnie to share her thoughts about the process of writing a book.\r\n\r\n<strong>Describe your book:</strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One is a how-to guide on advocating effectively when someone you love is ill. It is filled with advice, tips and ideas based on my own experience as well interviews with a wide range of medical and legal professionals. It is also a story of love, family and thriving. The website is <a href=\"http://www.hospitalwarrior.com\">www.hospitalwarrior.com</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>What inspired you to write the book and how long did it take you to write it? </strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior draws on my 24 years of advocating for my husband through 14 separate hospitalizations—some routine and some life-threatening. He is now doing well, and I felt I had learned so much over the years that I wanted to share with others. Giving back is an important value in my life. In Judaism, we call it <em>Tikkun Olam</em>. This is my way of giving back. The book took about two years to write.\r\n\r\n<strong>What were your main challenges in writing and publishing a book? How did it compare to the previous writing you have done?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many challenges in writing and publishing a book. To start, as an author, you must be clear in your own mind about your audience, your message and your market.  While you need to remain flexible about options and opportunities, you can’t lose sight of your primary goals. Publishing in today’s market is very difficult, especially for new authors. I feel fortunate to have a small, indie publisher who invests in his authors’ success.\r\n\r\nIn some ways, writing this book was similar to other forms of non-fiction. It required research, interviews, fact-checking and discipline. But it required all those things in massive doses—more than I had ever done before. Also important were organizational skills, tenacity and belief in what I was doing. It might have been easy to give up or change course, especially when finding the right publisher proved difficult. But I was determined, and that paid off for me.\r\n\r\n<strong>What tips do you have for others thinking of writing a book?</strong>\r\n\r\nBe clear about your purpose. Know your market. Stay open-mined and creative. At the same time, bring discipline to your work and apply it to your writing. If you are a new author, find a mentor for guidance and support. I have a wonderful friend who is the author of seven books; she shared advice generously when I needed it. Also be sure to have at least a few readers—people whose opinions you respect and who will provide solid, constructive feedback on your work. Then be willing to listen to them!\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong> Like Bonnie says, writing a book is just like writing for marketing and PR, except taken to a \"massive\" degree. It\'s a great achievement, and in Bonnie\'s case, one that will provide people with needed information to successfully helped loved ones who are ill and in the hospital. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>For more writing insight from a communications professional, check back here on Thursday, October 27 for the next On Writing interview.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Bonnie Friedman is an advocate','','inherit','open','open','','3348-revision-v1','','','2016-09-29 09:55:51','2016-09-29 13:55:51','',3348,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/09/3348-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3359,4,'2016-09-29 09:56:29','2016-09-29 13:56:29','I met Bonnie Friedman at an industry networking event several years ago. We\'ve stayed in touch, and a couple of years ago Bonnie told me she was starting to write a book about advocating for someone who is ill and in the hospital. The book was published earlier this year, which prompted me to reach out to Bonnie to ask her about her writing.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3355\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"198\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-Head.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3355 size-medium\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-Head-198x300.jpg\" alt=\"bonnie-head\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" /></a> Bonnie Friedman[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBonnie Friedman is a seasoned communications and marketing professional with more than 40 years of experience in the Washington, DC, area, with her own consultancy <a href=\"http://www.bfstrategic.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Bonnie Friedman Strategic Communications, LLC</a>.  She worked for several federal agencies before starting her own consulting business. Her new book, Hospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One, combines her passion for health care advocacy with her love of writing.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/bonniecomm\" target=\"_blank\">@Bonniecomm</a>\r\n<h1></h1>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1. What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nWriting is the heart of what I do, whether working in government, as a consultant or now as an author. Even as a teenager, I loved to write. For me, it is the most effective way to express thoughts, share information or convey emotion. Of all the things I do professionally, writing is by far the most important skill in my wheelhouse.\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world? </strong>\r\n\r\nYes, I believe it does matter. Whether you want to convey thoughts, information or emotion, you want to do so effectively. Sloppy or inexact language detracts from the message and makes the writer appear lazy or facile. For me, it is extremely satisfying to create a strong, well-crafted statement or document that precisely reflects my point of view.\r\n\r\n<strong>3. </strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nWhen I first started my career, I was told to write the first draft, warts and all, off the top of my head, then go back and improve upon it later. When I feel stuck now, I still follow that advice. It helps me express my initial thoughts and move forward with my work. There is a freedom in that type of writing that frequently breathes life and light into my work, even if I later edit or revise it.\r\n\r\n<strong>4. What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)? </strong>\r\n\r\nDepending on what I am writing, the top three are the Associated Press Stylebook, William Strunk’s The Elements of Style and Roget’s Thesaurus. Even though I frequently use online resources for quick references, these three are still my all-time favorites.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI don’t follow a specific style guide as a matter of course. However, if I am writing for the media, I use the AP Stylebook; if writing for a government client, I may use the Government Printing Office Style Manual. When I wrote my book, I did not use one particular style guide but referred to various resources when I needed guidance, particularly on how best to convey complicated medical information for lay readers.\r\n\r\n<strong>6. What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nI really dislike the use of “impact” as a verb. It grates on me. As far as I’m concerned, the word “impact” should remain a noun. When used as a verb, it strikes me as affected and pretentious. That said, I recognize that language must be fluid and supple. If it weren’t, we might still be speaking Elizabethan English today.<strong>   </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>7</strong>. <strong>What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nThere are so many great words; it is hard to choose. One that I like a lot is onomatopoeia; it is wonderfully descriptive and rolls around in the mouth quite deliciously. Likewise, there are several words I dislike viscerally, but none are acceptably repeated in a family-friendly interview. All are mean-spirited, hateful references to individuals or groups. Some are four letters; others are longer.  You get the idea.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3350\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3350\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bonnie-preso-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Hospital Warrior Launch\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" /></a> Hospital Warrior Launch[/caption]\r\n\r\nGiven that her book launched this year, I asked Bonnie to share her thoughts about the process of writing a book.\r\n\r\n<strong>Describe your book:</strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior: How to Get the Best Care for Your Loved One is a how-to guide on advocating effectively when someone you love is ill. It is filled with advice, tips and ideas based on my own experience as well interviews with a wide range of medical and legal professionals. It is also a story of love, family and thriving. The website is <a href=\"http://www.hospitalwarrior.com\">www.hospitalwarrior.com</a>.\r\n\r\n<strong>What inspired you to write the book and how long did it take you to write it? </strong>\r\n\r\nHospital Warrior draws on my 24 years of advocating for my husband through 14 separate hospitalizations—some routine and some life-threatening. He is now doing well, and I felt I had learned so much over the years that I wanted to share with others. Giving back is an important value in my life. In Judaism, we call it <em>Tikkun Olam</em>. This is my way of giving back. The book took about two years to write.\r\n\r\n<strong>What were your main challenges in writing and publishing a book? How did it compare to the previous writing you have done?</strong>\r\n\r\nThere are many challenges in writing and publishing a book. To start, as an author, you must be clear in your own mind about your audience, your message and your market.  While you need to remain flexible about options and opportunities, you can’t lose sight of your primary goals. Publishing in today’s market is very difficult, especially for new authors. I feel fortunate to have a small, indie publisher who invests in his authors’ success.\r\n\r\nIn some ways, writing this book was similar to other forms of non-fiction. It required research, interviews, fact-checking and discipline. But it required all those things in massive doses—more than I had ever done before. Also important were organizational skills, tenacity and belief in what I was doing. It might have been easy to give up or change course, especially when finding the right publisher proved difficult. But I was determined, and that paid off for me.\r\n\r\n<strong>What tips do you have for others thinking of writing a book?</strong>\r\n\r\nBe clear about your purpose. Know your market. Stay open-mined and creative. At the same time, bring discipline to your work and apply it to your writing. If you are a new author, find a mentor for guidance and support. I have a wonderful friend who is the author of seven books; she shared advice generously when I needed it. Also be sure to have at least a few readers—people whose opinions you respect and who will provide solid, constructive feedback on your work. Then be willing to listen to them!\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong> Like Bonnie says, writing a book is just like writing for marketing and PR, except taken to a \"massive\" degree. It\'s a great achievement, and in Bonnie\'s case, one that will provide people with needed information to successfully helped loved ones who are ill and in the hospital. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>For more writing insight from a communications professional, check back here on Thursday, October 27 for the next On Writing interview.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','On writing: Bonnie Friedman is an advocate','','inherit','open','open','','3348-revision-v1','','','2016-09-29 09:56:29','2016-09-29 13:56:29','',3348,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/09/3348-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3361,4,'2016-10-06 11:01:37','2016-10-06 15:01:37','You\'ve all heard that famous question: if a tree falls in a forest, and no one is there to hear it, does it still make a sound?\r\n\r\nLet\'s change that question: if you are telling a story, but nobody can hear you, are you still communicating?\r\n\r\nI was considering this second question during Rosh Hashana services this week. The synagogue I was attending does not have microphones, and the rabbi there is not good at projecting his voice. As he was giving his sermon, I was having a hard time hearing what he was saying. I am sure the further back in the synagogue that people were sitting, the less they could hear.\r\n\r\nIf you couldn\'t hear the rabbi, then you would not know what he said, and therefore, it was like he never gave a sermon at all. So, was this rabbi communicating? In short, he wasn\'t.\r\n\r\nIn essence,<strong> communication is the exchange of information. </strong> If you can\'t hear the information being shared, then you do not know what that information is, therefore information is not being exchanged.\r\n\r\nThe rabbi may have had some greats insights or inspirational messages to share, but if nobody heard them, then he failed to enlighten or inspire his congregation.\r\n\r\n<strong>Make sure they can hear</strong>\r\n\r\nThe takeaway from my Rosh Hashana experience is simple: It\'s not enough to have good information to share, you have to make sure your intended audience can receive that information.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','If a tree falls...','','publish','open','open','','if-a-tree-falls','','','2016-10-06 11:01:37','2016-10-06 15:01:37','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3361',0,'post','',0),
(3362,4,'2016-10-06 11:01:37','2016-10-06 15:01:37','You\'ve all heard that famous question: if a tree falls in a forest, and no one is there to hear it, does it still make a sound?\r\n\r\nLet\'s change that question: if you are telling a story, but nobody can hear you, are you still communicating?\r\n\r\nI was considering this second question during Rosh Hashana services this week. The synagogue I was attending does not have microphones, and the rabbi there is not good at projecting his voice. As he was giving his sermon, I was having a hard time hearing what he was saying. I am sure the further back in the synagogue that people were sitting, the less they could hear.\r\n\r\nIf you couldn\'t hear the rabbi, then you would not know what he said, and therefore, it was like he never gave a sermon at all. So, was this rabbi communicating? In short, he wasn\'t.\r\n\r\nIn essence,<strong> communication is the exchange of information. </strong> If you can\'t hear the information being shared, then you do not know what that information is, therefore information is not being exchanged.\r\n\r\nThe rabbi may have had some greats insights or inspirational messages to share, but if nobody heard them, then he failed to enlighten or inspire his congregation.\r\n\r\n<strong>Make sure they can hear</strong>\r\n\r\nThe takeaway from my Rosh Hashana experience is simple: It\'s not enough to have good information to share, you have to make sure your intended audience can receive that information.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','If a tree falls...','','inherit','open','open','','3361-revision-v1','','','2016-10-06 11:01:37','2016-10-06 15:01:37','',3361,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/10/3361-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3365,4,'2016-10-19 10:23:38','2016-10-19 14:23:38','In case you\'ve missed a newsletter, just check this archive:\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/a051e8\" target=\"_blank\">October 2016</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"August 2016 newsletter\" href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/359a88\" target=\"_blank\">August 2016</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/d841f7\" target=\"_blank\">June 2016</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"March 2016 newsletter\" href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/a50a67\" target=\"_blank\">March 2016</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/d7ed27\" target=\"_blank\">January 2016</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/987fe6\" target=\"_blank\">November 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"September 2015 newsletter\" href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/2f17a6\" target=\"_blank\">September 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/f0dc46\" target=\"_blank\">June 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/83c206\" target=\"_blank\">March 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"January 2015 newsletter\" href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/594ec5\" target=\"_blank\">January 2015</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/p/9a6295?fe=1&amp;pact=26384901049\" target=\"_blank\">November 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/f95d35\" target=\"_blank\">September 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://madmimi.com/s/c3e405\" target=\"_blank\">July 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://mad.ly/3625c4\" target=\"_blank\">April 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"February newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/dc2584\" target=\"_blank\">February 2014</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"December 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/bb9454\" target=\"_blank\">December 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"October 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/f27424\" target=\"_blank\">October 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"July 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/eb30f3\" target=\"_blank\">July 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"May 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/9003c3\" target=\"_blank\">May 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"March 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/d82a93\" target=\"_blank\">March 2013</a>\r\n\r\n<a title=\"January 2013 newsletter\" href=\"http://mad.ly/a12873\" target=\"_blank\">January 2013</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Newsletters','','inherit','open','open','','2509-revision-v1','','','2016-10-19 10:23:38','2016-10-19 14:23:38','',2509,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/10/2509-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3366,4,'2016-10-24 11:10:53','2016-10-24 15:10:53','Lately, I have seen a couple of opinion pieces written by marketing people that state you should never, ever share your political opinion, at the risk of losing clients and alienating your network.\r\n\r\nI don\'t agree. I think it depends on several factors and there is not a one-size-fits-all approach. You will need to consider at least two issues:\r\n\r\n1. Are you an employee or are you representing yourself? Are you sharing a political opinion for a company or for yourself?\r\n\r\n2. Where you are sharing your views?\r\n\r\n<strong>Let\'s start with the where.</strong>\r\n\r\nI don\'t think you should ever share political views on LinkedIn, no matter if you are a company, individual or small business owner. But you should (in certain cases) on Twitter.\r\n\r\n<strong>LinkedIn is a professional, business-oriented social network. Twitter is not.\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\nPeople go to LinkedIn specifically to network and to research your professional background. They do not go to LinkedIn to find out about  your views on Hillary Clinton.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter is real-time conversation. LinkedIn is more static.</strong>\r\n\r\nI know that you aren’t supposed to talk about politics or religion in polite company. But Twitter is not polite company. It’s a rapid-fire issue-of-the-minute national and international conversation. LinkedIn, on the other hand, is not that. It’s a staid, share your credentials and network sort of place.\r\n\r\nThere are millions of tweets every hour. On LinkedIn, your network probably shares a few updates a day.\r\n\r\n<strong>People go to Twitter to share their opinion and see what others think.</strong>\r\n\r\nDuring the presidential debates it was pretty easy to see who doesn\'t live in the United States and who uses automated tweets. Those were the folks who didn\'t weigh in on the Clinton-Trump stand-off and/or tweeted about non-political matters.\r\n\r\n<strong>But it matters who you are, too.</strong>\r\n\r\nOn social media, not everyone is treated the same.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">If you are tweeting as yourself and you are not claiming a company or organization in your Twitter profile, then you should say what you want.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">If you are tweeting in name of the organization, then you need to be very careful what you say.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">If you are representing a consumer-oriented organization (like a restaurant or manufacturer), then you should be probably keep quiet. People do not generally follow a product or brand to see what political views it has.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">If you work for an organization that works in a political or advocacy space, then you must make your views known.  People follow political/advocacy accounts precisely because of a specific viewpoint.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">If you are like me, an individual who owns her own business, then you should make a decision that best fits you. I choose to share my political views on Twitter, not on LinkedIn. Be aware that not all your current or potential clients will share your views, and may choose not to do business with you because of those views. On the other hand, some people will share your viewpoint and will choose to interact with you precisely because of that view.</p>\r\n<strong>We are human</strong>\r\n\r\nIn the end, we must remember that on social media, we are not automatons, we are human beings. Sometimes we respond viscerally and in the moment. For example, when people found out about the horrible massacre at Newtown, they shared their horror and some also shared their views on guns.\r\n\r\nHuman beings have ideas, likes, dislikes and of course, political opinions. While political opinions can incite strong responses, your likes and dislikes can generate controversy too.\r\n\r\n<strong>You win some, and you lose some</strong>\r\n\r\nUltimately, you will need to accept that sharing your opinions (political and otherwise) may create a backlash, or it could result in support.  Your opinions can lose you followers, but they may also gain you a following.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>What do you think? Do you share your political views? What is the main reason you do or do not? Let me know in the comments.</strong> </span>\r\n\r\nP.S. If you care about my political views, follow me on Twitter at @DBMC.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Why I share political views on Twitter but not on LinkedIn	','','publish','open','open','','why-i-share-political-views-on-twitter-but-not-on-linkedin','','','2016-10-24 11:10:53','2016-10-24 15:10:53','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3366',0,'post','',0),
(3367,4,'2016-10-21 10:45:52','2016-10-21 14:45:52','Lately, I have seen a couple of opinion pieces written by marketing people that state you should never, ever share your political opinion, at the risk of losing clients and alienating your network.\r\n\r\nI don\'t agree. I think it depends on where you are sharing your views. I don\'t think you should share your political views on LinkedIn, but you definitely should on Twitter.\r\n\r\n<strong>LinkedIn is a professional, business-oriented social network. Twitter is not.</strong>\r\n\r\nPeople go to LinkedIn specifically to network and to research your professional background. They do not go to LinkedIn to find out about  your views on Hillary Clinton.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter is real-time conversation. LinkedIn is more static.</strong>\r\n\r\nI know that you aren’t supposed to talk about politics or religion in polite company. But Twitter is not polite company. It’s a rapid-fire issue-of-the-minute national and international conversation. LinkedIn, on the other hand, is not that. It’s a staid, share your credentials and network sort of place.\r\n\r\nThere are millions of tweets every hour. On LinkedIn, your network probably shares a few updates a day.\r\n\r\n<strong>People go to Twitter to share their opinion and see what others think.</strong>\r\n\r\nDuring the presidential debates it was pretty easy to see who doesn\'t live in the United States and who uses automated tweets. Those were the folks who didn\'t weigh in on the Clinton-Trump stand-off and/or tweeted about non-political matters.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Why I share political views on Twitter but not on LinkedIn	','','inherit','open','open','','3366-revision-v1','','','2016-10-21 10:45:52','2016-10-21 14:45:52','',3366,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/10/3366-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3368,4,'2016-10-24 11:09:44','2016-10-24 15:09:44','Lately, I have seen a couple of opinion pieces written by marketing people that state you should never, ever share your political opinion, at the risk of losing clients and alienating your network.\r\n\r\nI don\'t agree. I think it depends on several factors and there is not a one-size-fits-all approach. You will need to consider at least two issues:\r\n\r\n1. Are you an employee or are you representing yourself? Are you sharing a political opinion for a company or for yourself?\r\n\r\n2. Where you are sharing your views?\r\n\r\n<strong>Let\'s start with the where.</strong>\r\n\r\nI don\'t think you should ever share political views on LinkedIn, no matter if you are a company, individual or small business owner. But you should (in certain cases) on Twitter.\r\n\r\n<strong>LinkedIn is a professional, business-oriented social network. Twitter is not.\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\nPeople go to LinkedIn specifically to network and to research your professional background. They do not go to LinkedIn to find out about  your views on Hillary Clinton.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter is real-time conversation. LinkedIn is more static.</strong>\r\n\r\nI know that you aren’t supposed to talk about politics or religion in polite company. But Twitter is not polite company. It’s a rapid-fire issue-of-the-minute national and international conversation. LinkedIn, on the other hand, is not that. It’s a staid, share your credentials and network sort of place.\r\n\r\nThere are millions of tweets every hour. On LinkedIn, your network probably shares a few updates a day.\r\n\r\n<strong>People go to Twitter to share their opinion and see what others think.</strong>\r\n\r\nDuring the presidential debates it was pretty easy to see who doesn\'t live in the United States and who uses automated tweets. Those were the folks who didn\'t weigh in on the Clinton-Trump stand-off and/or tweeted about non-political matters.\r\n\r\n<strong>But it matters who you are, too.</strong>\r\n\r\nOn social media, not everyone is treated the same.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">If you are tweeting as yourself and you are not claiming a company or organization in your Twitter profile, then you should say what you want.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">If you are tweeting in name of the organization, then you need to be very careful what you say.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">If you are representing a consumer-oriented organization (like a restaurant or manufacturer), then you should be probably keep quiet. People do not generally follow a product or brand to see what political views it has.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">If you work for an organization that works in a political or advocacy space, then you must make your views known.  People follow political/advocacy accounts precisely because of a specific viewpoint.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">If you are like me, an individual who owns her own business, then you should make a decision that best fits you. I choose to share my political views on Twitter, not on LinkedIn. Be aware that not all your current or potential clients will share your views, and may choose not to do business with you because of those views. On the other hand, some people will share your viewpoint and will choose to interact with you precisely because of that view.</p>\r\n<strong>We are human</strong>\r\n\r\nIn the end, we must remember that on social media, we are not automatons, we are human beings. Sometimes we respond viscerally and in the moment. For example, when people found out about the horrible massacre at Newtown, they shared their horror and some also shared their views on guns.\r\n\r\nHuman beings have ideas, likes, dislikes and of course, political opinions. While political opinions can incite strong responses, your likes and dislikes can generate controversy too.\r\n\r\n<strong>You win some, and you lose some</strong>\r\n\r\nUltimately, you will need to accept that sharing your opinions (political and otherwise) may create a backlash, or it could result in support.  Your opinions can lose you followers, but they may also gain you a following.\r\n\r\nWhat do you think? Do you share your political views? What is the main reason you do or do not? Let me know in the comments.\r\n\r\nP.S. If you care about my political views, follow me on Twitter at @DBMC.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Why I share political views on Twitter but not on LinkedIn	','','inherit','open','open','','3366-revision-v1','','','2016-10-24 11:09:44','2016-10-24 15:09:44','',3366,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/10/3366-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3369,4,'2016-10-24 11:10:53','2016-10-24 15:10:53','Lately, I have seen a couple of opinion pieces written by marketing people that state you should never, ever share your political opinion, at the risk of losing clients and alienating your network.\r\n\r\nI don\'t agree. I think it depends on several factors and there is not a one-size-fits-all approach. You will need to consider at least two issues:\r\n\r\n1. Are you an employee or are you representing yourself? Are you sharing a political opinion for a company or for yourself?\r\n\r\n2. Where you are sharing your views?\r\n\r\n<strong>Let\'s start with the where.</strong>\r\n\r\nI don\'t think you should ever share political views on LinkedIn, no matter if you are a company, individual or small business owner. But you should (in certain cases) on Twitter.\r\n\r\n<strong>LinkedIn is a professional, business-oriented social network. Twitter is not.\r\n</strong>\r\n\r\nPeople go to LinkedIn specifically to network and to research your professional background. They do not go to LinkedIn to find out about  your views on Hillary Clinton.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter is real-time conversation. LinkedIn is more static.</strong>\r\n\r\nI know that you aren’t supposed to talk about politics or religion in polite company. But Twitter is not polite company. It’s a rapid-fire issue-of-the-minute national and international conversation. LinkedIn, on the other hand, is not that. It’s a staid, share your credentials and network sort of place.\r\n\r\nThere are millions of tweets every hour. On LinkedIn, your network probably shares a few updates a day.\r\n\r\n<strong>People go to Twitter to share their opinion and see what others think.</strong>\r\n\r\nDuring the presidential debates it was pretty easy to see who doesn\'t live in the United States and who uses automated tweets. Those were the folks who didn\'t weigh in on the Clinton-Trump stand-off and/or tweeted about non-political matters.\r\n\r\n<strong>But it matters who you are, too.</strong>\r\n\r\nOn social media, not everyone is treated the same.\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">If you are tweeting as yourself and you are not claiming a company or organization in your Twitter profile, then you should say what you want.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">If you are tweeting in name of the organization, then you need to be very careful what you say.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">If you are representing a consumer-oriented organization (like a restaurant or manufacturer), then you should be probably keep quiet. People do not generally follow a product or brand to see what political views it has.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">If you work for an organization that works in a political or advocacy space, then you must make your views known.  People follow political/advocacy accounts precisely because of a specific viewpoint.</p>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">If you are like me, an individual who owns her own business, then you should make a decision that best fits you. I choose to share my political views on Twitter, not on LinkedIn. Be aware that not all your current or potential clients will share your views, and may choose not to do business with you because of those views. On the other hand, some people will share your viewpoint and will choose to interact with you precisely because of that view.</p>\r\n<strong>We are human</strong>\r\n\r\nIn the end, we must remember that on social media, we are not automatons, we are human beings. Sometimes we respond viscerally and in the moment. For example, when people found out about the horrible massacre at Newtown, they shared their horror and some also shared their views on guns.\r\n\r\nHuman beings have ideas, likes, dislikes and of course, political opinions. While political opinions can incite strong responses, your likes and dislikes can generate controversy too.\r\n\r\n<strong>You win some, and you lose some</strong>\r\n\r\nUltimately, you will need to accept that sharing your opinions (political and otherwise) may create a backlash, or it could result in support.  Your opinions can lose you followers, but they may also gain you a following.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>What do you think? Do you share your political views? What is the main reason you do or do not? Let me know in the comments.</strong> </span>\r\n\r\nP.S. If you care about my political views, follow me on Twitter at @DBMC.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Why I share political views on Twitter but not on LinkedIn	','','inherit','open','open','','3366-revision-v1','','','2016-10-24 11:10:53','2016-10-24 15:10:53','',3366,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/10/3366-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3371,4,'2016-10-27 09:10:05','2016-10-27 13:10:05','Even though it\'s hard to believe we are days away from Halloween (and thus two months away from the end of the year, yikes!), here we are, on the last Thursday of October, which means it\'s time for the On Writing interview. This month I asked Todd Van Hoosear to share his thoughts. Todd is a professional communicator who focuses on technology and social media. He has spent several semesters teaching students at Boston University all about social media. Read on to learn how Todd uses and hones his writing skills (and you may also learn a new word--I did).\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3372\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"280\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/VanHoosear_Todd.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3372\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/VanHoosear_Todd.jpg\" alt=\"Todd Van Hoosear\" width=\"280\" height=\"280\" /></a> Todd Van Hoosear[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://morethanmarketing.net/contact/\" target=\"_blank\">Todd Van Hoosear</a> is a public relations professional with 20 years of experience under his belt – most of it agency work, but with stints in IT and product marketing. He recently moved from Boston to Gainesville, Florida, where he is still working remotely for a few EMA Boston clients, but also contemplating his next move.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/vanhoosear\" target=\"_blank\">@vanhoosear</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs a PR pro, I regularly vacillate between stressing the importance of writing and that of selling when it comes to putting the right team together to serve my clients. Public relations is, at its essence, a combination of the art of storytelling and the science of influence. Writing plays into both of these. So do interpersonal skills, organizational skills, and yes, even math!\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Blaise Pascal (and Mark Twain and Lord knows how many more authors it’s also been attributed to), “I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time.” Writing is hard. Writing concisely is even harder. Writing good tweets and texts may be the hardest of all. Except maybe for Donald Trump. He’s got it down. He makes it look easy when it’s not. I’ll give him credit: he writes like he speaks, which is a critical skill in today’s world. For most people, it takes years to forget all their formal writing training. <strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>3.</strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nI can’t remember where I heard this, but it’s stuck with me all these years: good writers are like magicians, and the readers are their audience. The readers want to be tricked. They love the mystery, even when they know it isn’t real. Your job as a writer isn’t to fill their heads, it’s to give them what they need to fill their own heads, and then messing with them just a little. Maybe not quite as much as George RR Martin does, though. That’s just cruel. I’m still mourning Ned Stark!\r\n\r\n<strong>4.What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI listen to the <a href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/grammar-girl-quick-dirty-tips/id173429229?mt=2\" target=\"_blank\">Grammar Girl podcast</a> religiously. I also read<a href=\"http://www.copyblogger.com/\" target=\"_blank\"> Copyblogger</a> on a regular basis, as it’s very relevant to my day-to-day. Finally, I’ll go old school and recommend a book: <em>Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion</em> by Robert Cialdini. It’s my writing bible.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI am <em>AP Stylebook</em> 100%, as are most PR pros I would imagine.\r\n\r\n<strong>6</strong>. <strong>What’s your top writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Faith No More: “What is it?” Ambiguous pronouns drive me absolutely crazy. Who is he? Who are they? People say? Which people, exactly? This was near the top of the list of pet peeves I shared with my students every semester at Boston University.\r\n\r\n<strong>7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nThank you for giving me the excuse to use the word <a href=\"http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/epeolatry\" target=\"_blank\">epeolatry </a>in a sentence. Poorly, yes; but it’s there. It’s how I feel about words, especially when I find the right ones. I’m not sure I have a least favorite word. They’re all great. But I do have a least favorite non-word: irregardless.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Just so you know, I had to look up epeolatry and it means \"a worship of words.\" That\'s a good one to know! I love Todd\'s view that writing concisely is hard. And even more so, that writing well is like magic. Making concise writing look easy is definitely a trick worth learning. On Writing will be back, but not on the last Thursday of November, since that is Thanksgiving Day and I think you\'ll have better things to do than read this blog, instead it will publish on Thursday, December 1. Don\'t miss it!</strong></span>','On writing: Todd Van Hoosear works magic against ambiguity','','publish','open','open','','on-writing-todd-van-hoosear-works-magic-against-ambiguity','','\nhttp://morethanmarketing.net/contact/','2016-10-27 09:10:05','2016-10-27 13:10:05','',0,'http://deborahbrody.com/?p=3371',0,'post','',0),
(3372,4,'2016-10-26 09:59:39','2016-10-26 13:59:39','','vanhoosear_todd','Todd Van Hoosear','inherit','open','open','','vanhoosear_todd','','','2016-10-26 09:59:58','2016-10-26 13:59:58','',3371,'http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/VanHoosear_Todd.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),
(3373,4,'2016-10-26 10:00:54','2016-10-26 14:00:54','<h1></h1>\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3372\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/VanHoosear_Todd.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3372\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/VanHoosear_Todd.jpg\" alt=\"Todd Van Hoosear\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Todd Van Hoosear[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Name:</strong>   Todd Van Hoosear\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization</strong>:   EMA Boston\r\n\r\n<strong>Website:</strong> http://vanhoosear.com/\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> @vanhoosear\r\n\r\nTodd Van Hoosear is a public relations professional with 20 years of experience under his belt – most of it agency work, but with stints in IT and product marketing. He recently moved from Boston to Gainesville, Florida, where he is still working remotely for a few EMA Boston clients, but also contemplating his next move.\r\n<h1>Seven questions about writing</h1>\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs a PR pro, I regularly vacillate between stressing the importance of writing and that of selling when it comes to putting the right team together to serve my clients. Public relations is, at its essence, a combination of the art of storytelling and the science of influence. Writing plays into both of these. So do interpersonal skills, organizational skills, and yes, even math!\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Blaise Pascal (and Mark Twain and Lord knows how many more authors it’s also been attributed to), “I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time.” Writing is hard. Writing concisely is even harder. Writing good tweets and texts may be the hardest of all. Except maybe for Donald Trump. He’s got it down. He makes it look easy when it’s not. I’ll give him credit: he writes like he speaks, which is a critical skill in today’s world. For most people, it takes years to forget all their formal writing training. <strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>3.</strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nI can’t remember where I heard this, but it’s stuck with me all these years: good writers are like magicians, and the readers are their audience. The readers want to be tricked. They love the mystery, even when they know it isn’t real. Your job as a writer isn’t to fill their heads, it’s to give them what they need to fill their own heads, and then messing with them just a little. Maybe not quite as much as George RR Martin does, though. That’s just cruel. I’m still mourning Ned Stark!\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>4.What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI listen to the Grammar Girl podcast religiously. I also read Copyblogger on a regular basis, as it’s very relevant to my day-to-day. Finally, I’ll go old school and recommend a book: <em>Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion</em> by Robert Cialdini. It’s my writing bible.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI am <em>AP Stylebook</em> 100%, as are most PR pros I would imagine.\r\n\r\n<strong>6</strong>. <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Faith No More: “What is it?” Ambiguous pronouns drive me absolutely crazy. Who is he? Who are they? People say? Which people, exactly? This was near the top of the list of pet peeves I shared with my students every semester at Boston University.\r\n\r\n<strong>7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nThank you for giving me the excuse to use the word epeolatry in a sentence. Poorly, yes; but it’s there. It’s how I feel about words, especially when I find the right ones. I’m not sure I have a least favorite word. They’re all great. But I do have a least favorite non-word: irregardless.','On writing: Todd Van Hoosear works magic against ambiguity','','inherit','open','open','','3371-revision-v1','','','2016-10-26 10:00:54','2016-10-26 14:00:54','',3371,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/10/3371-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3375,4,'2016-10-27 08:45:43','2016-10-27 12:45:43','Even though it\'s hard to believe we are days away from Halloween (and thus two months away from the end of the year), here we are, on the last Thursday of October. This month\'s On Writing interview is with PR pro Todd Van Hoosear. Todd has also spent several semesters teaching students at Boston University all about social media. Read on to see how Todd uses and hones his writing skills.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/VanHoosear_Todd.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3372\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/VanHoosear_Todd.jpg\" alt=\"Todd Van Hoosear\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://morethanmarketing.net/contact/\" target=\"_blank\">Todd Van Hoosear</a> is a public relations professional with 20 years of experience under his belt – most of it agency work, but with stints in IT and product marketing. He recently moved from Boston to Gainesville, Florida, where he is still working remotely for a few EMA Boston clients, but also contemplating his next move.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/vanhoosear\" target=\"_blank\">@vanhoosear</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs a PR pro, I regularly vacillate between stressing the importance of writing and that of selling when it comes to putting the right team together to serve my clients. Public relations is, at its essence, a combination of the art of storytelling and the science of influence. Writing plays into both of these. So do interpersonal skills, organizational skills, and yes, even math!\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Blaise Pascal (and Mark Twain and Lord knows how many more authors it’s also been attributed to), “I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time.” Writing is hard. Writing concisely is even harder. Writing good tweets and texts may be the hardest of all. Except maybe for Donald Trump. He’s got it down. He makes it look easy when it’s not. I’ll give him credit: he writes like he speaks, which is a critical skill in today’s world. For most people, it takes years to forget all their formal writing training. <strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>3.</strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nI can’t remember where I heard this, but it’s stuck with me all these years: good writers are like magicians, and the readers are their audience. The readers want to be tricked. They love the mystery, even when they know it isn’t real. Your job as a writer isn’t to fill their heads, it’s to give them what they need to fill their own heads, and then messing with them just a little. Maybe not quite as much as George RR Martin does, though. That’s just cruel. I’m still mourning Ned Stark!\r\n\r\n<strong>4.What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI listen to the <a href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/grammar-girl-quick-dirty-tips/id173429229?mt=2\" target=\"_blank\">Grammar Girl podcast</a> religiously. I also read<a href=\"http://www.copyblogger.com/\" target=\"_blank\"> Copyblogger</a> on a regular basis, as it’s very relevant to my day-to-day. Finally, I’ll go old school and recommend a book: <em>Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion</em> by Robert Cialdini. It’s my writing bible.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI am <em>AP Stylebook</em> 100%, as are most PR pros I would imagine.\r\n\r\n<strong>6</strong>. <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Faith No More: “What is it?” Ambiguous pronouns drive me absolutely crazy. Who is he? Who are they? People say? Which people, exactly? This was near the top of the list of pet peeves I shared with my students every semester at Boston University.\r\n\r\n<strong>7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nThank you for giving me the excuse to use the word epeolatry in a sentence. Poorly, yes; but it’s there. It’s how I feel about words, especially when I find the right ones. I’m not sure I have a least favorite word. They’re all great. But I do have a least favorite non-word: irregardless.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>I love Todd\'s view that writing concisely is hard. And even more so, that writing well is like a magic trick. Making concise writing look easy is definitely a trick worth learning. On Writing will be back, but not on the last Thursday of November since that is Thanksgiving Day and I think you\'ll have better things to do than read this blog, but on Thursday, December 1. Don\'t miss it!</strong></span>','On writing: Todd Van Hoosear works magic against ambiguity','','inherit','open','open','','3371-revision-v1','','','2016-10-27 08:45:43','2016-10-27 12:45:43','',3371,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/10/3371-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3374,4,'2016-10-27 08:43:08','2016-10-27 12:43:08','Even though it\'s hard to believe we are days away from Halloween (and thus two months away from the end of the year), here we are, on the last Thursday of October. This month\'s On Writing interview is with PR pro Todd Van Hoosear. Todd has also spent several semesters teaching students at Boston University all about social media. Read on to see how Todd uses and hones his writing skills.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3372\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/VanHoosear_Todd.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3372\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/VanHoosear_Todd.jpg\" alt=\"Todd Van Hoosear\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a> Todd Van Hoosear[/caption]\r\n\r\n<strong>Name:</strong>   Todd Van Hoosear\r\n\r\n<strong>Organization</strong>:   EMA Boston\r\n\r\n<strong>Website:</strong> http://vanhoosear.com/\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> @vanhoosear\r\n\r\nTodd Van Hoosear is a public relations professional with 20 years of experience under his belt – most of it agency work, but with stints in IT and product marketing. He recently moved from Boston to Gainesville, Florida, where he is still working remotely for a few EMA Boston clients, but also contemplating his next move.\r\n<h1>Seven questions about writing</h1>\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs a PR pro, I regularly vacillate between stressing the importance of writing and that of selling when it comes to putting the right team together to serve my clients. Public relations is, at its essence, a combination of the art of storytelling and the science of influence. Writing plays into both of these. So do interpersonal skills, organizational skills, and yes, even math!\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Blaise Pascal (and Mark Twain and Lord knows how many more authors it’s also been attributed to), “I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time.” Writing is hard. Writing concisely is even harder. Writing good tweets and texts may be the hardest of all. Except maybe for Donald Trump. He’s got it down. He makes it look easy when it’s not. I’ll give him credit: he writes like he speaks, which is a critical skill in today’s world. For most people, it takes years to forget all their formal writing training. <strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>3.</strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nI can’t remember where I heard this, but it’s stuck with me all these years: good writers are like magicians, and the readers are their audience. The readers want to be tricked. They love the mystery, even when they know it isn’t real. Your job as a writer isn’t to fill their heads, it’s to give them what they need to fill their own heads, and then messing with them just a little. Maybe not quite as much as George RR Martin does, though. That’s just cruel. I’m still mourning Ned Stark!\r\n\r\n<strong>4.What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI listen to the <a href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/grammar-girl-quick-dirty-tips/id173429229?mt=2\" target=\"_blank\">Grammar Girl podcast</a> religiously. I also read<a href=\"http://www.copyblogger.com/\" target=\"_blank\"> Copyblogger</a> on a regular basis, as it’s very relevant to my day-to-day. Finally, I’ll go old school and recommend a book: <em>Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion</em> by Robert Cialdini. It’s my writing bible.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI am <em>AP Stylebook</em> 100%, as are most PR pros I would imagine.\r\n\r\n<strong>6</strong>. <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Faith No More: “What is it?” Ambiguous pronouns drive me absolutely crazy. Who is he? Who are they? People say? Which people, exactly? This was near the top of the list of pet peeves I shared with my students every semester at Boston University.\r\n\r\n<strong>7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nThank you for giving me the excuse to use the word epeolatry in a sentence. Poorly, yes; but it’s there. It’s how I feel about words, especially when I find the right ones. I’m not sure I have a least favorite word. They’re all great. But I do have a least favorite non-word: irregardless.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>I love Todd\'s view that writing concisely is hard. And even more so, that writing well is like a magic trick. Making concise writing look easy is definitely a trick worth learning. On Writing will be back, but not on the last Thursday of November since that is Thanksgiving Day and I think you\'ll have better things to do than read this blog, but on Thursday, December 1. Don\'t miss it!</strong></span>','On writing: Todd Van Hoosear works magic against ambiguity','','inherit','open','open','','3371-revision-v1','','','2016-10-27 08:43:08','2016-10-27 12:43:08','',3371,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/10/3371-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3376,4,'2016-10-27 08:47:04','2016-10-27 12:47:04','Even though it\'s hard to believe we are days away from Halloween (and thus two months away from the end of the year), here we are, on the last Thursday of October. This month\'s On Writing interview is with PR pro Todd Van Hoosear. Todd has also spent several semesters teaching students at Boston University all about social media. Read on to see how Todd uses and hones his writing skills.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/VanHoosear_Todd.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3372\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/VanHoosear_Todd.jpg\" alt=\"Todd Van Hoosear\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://morethanmarketing.net/contact/\" target=\"_blank\">Todd Van Hoosear</a> is a public relations professional with 20 years of experience under his belt – most of it agency work, but with stints in IT and product marketing. He recently moved from Boston to Gainesville, Florida, where he is still working remotely for a few EMA Boston clients, but also contemplating his next move.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/vanhoosear\" target=\"_blank\">@vanhoosear</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs a PR pro, I regularly vacillate between stressing the importance of writing and that of selling when it comes to putting the right team together to serve my clients. Public relations is, at its essence, a combination of the art of storytelling and the science of influence. Writing plays into both of these. So do interpersonal skills, organizational skills, and yes, even math!\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Blaise Pascal (and Mark Twain and Lord knows how many more authors it’s also been attributed to), “I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time.” Writing is hard. Writing concisely is even harder. Writing good tweets and texts may be the hardest of all. Except maybe for Donald Trump. He’s got it down. He makes it look easy when it’s not. I’ll give him credit: he writes like he speaks, which is a critical skill in today’s world. For most people, it takes years to forget all their formal writing training. <strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>3.</strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nI can’t remember where I heard this, but it’s stuck with me all these years: good writers are like magicians, and the readers are their audience. The readers want to be tricked. They love the mystery, even when they know it isn’t real. Your job as a writer isn’t to fill their heads, it’s to give them what they need to fill their own heads, and then messing with them just a little. Maybe not quite as much as George RR Martin does, though. That’s just cruel. I’m still mourning Ned Stark!\r\n\r\n<strong>4.What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI listen to the <a href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/grammar-girl-quick-dirty-tips/id173429229?mt=2\" target=\"_blank\">Grammar Girl podcast</a> religiously. I also read<a href=\"http://www.copyblogger.com/\" target=\"_blank\"> Copyblogger</a> on a regular basis, as it’s very relevant to my day-to-day. Finally, I’ll go old school and recommend a book: <em>Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion</em> by Robert Cialdini. It’s my writing bible.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI am <em>AP Stylebook</em> 100%, as are most PR pros I would imagine.\r\n\r\n<strong>6</strong>. <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Faith No More: “What is it?” Ambiguous pronouns drive me absolutely crazy. Who is he? Who are they? People say? Which people, exactly? This was near the top of the list of pet peeves I shared with my students every semester at Boston University.\r\n\r\n<strong>7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nThank you for giving me the excuse to use the word epeolatry in a sentence. Poorly, yes; but it’s there. It’s how I feel about words, especially when I find the right ones. I’m not sure I have a least favorite word. They’re all great. But I do have a least favorite non-word: irregardless.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>I love Todd\'s view that writing concisely is hard. And even more so, that writing well is like a magic trick. Making concise writing look easy is definitely a trick worth learning. On Writing will be back, but not on the last Thursday of November since that is Thanksgiving Day and I think you\'ll have better things to do than read this blog, but on Thursday, December 1. Don\'t miss it!</strong></span>','On writing: Todd Van Hoosear works magic against ambiguity','','inherit','open','open','','3371-revision-v1','','','2016-10-27 08:47:04','2016-10-27 12:47:04','',3371,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/10/3371-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3377,4,'2016-10-27 08:48:15','2016-10-27 12:48:15','Even though it\'s hard to believe we are days away from Halloween (and thus two months away from the end of the year), here we are, on the last Thursday of October. This month\'s On Writing interview is with PR pro Todd Van Hoosear. Todd has also spent several semesters teaching students at Boston University all about social media. Read on to see how Todd uses and hones his writing skills.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/VanHoosear_Todd.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3372\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/VanHoosear_Todd.jpg\" alt=\"Todd Van Hoosear\" width=\"280\" height=\"280\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://morethanmarketing.net/contact/\" target=\"_blank\">Todd Van Hoosear</a> is a public relations professional with 20 years of experience under his belt – most of it agency work, but with stints in IT and product marketing. He recently moved from Boston to Gainesville, Florida, where he is still working remotely for a few EMA Boston clients, but also contemplating his next move.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/vanhoosear\" target=\"_blank\">@vanhoosear</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs a PR pro, I regularly vacillate between stressing the importance of writing and that of selling when it comes to putting the right team together to serve my clients. Public relations is, at its essence, a combination of the art of storytelling and the science of influence. Writing plays into both of these. So do interpersonal skills, organizational skills, and yes, even math!\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Blaise Pascal (and Mark Twain and Lord knows how many more authors it’s also been attributed to), “I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time.” Writing is hard. Writing concisely is even harder. Writing good tweets and texts may be the hardest of all. Except maybe for Donald Trump. He’s got it down. He makes it look easy when it’s not. I’ll give him credit: he writes like he speaks, which is a critical skill in today’s world. For most people, it takes years to forget all their formal writing training. <strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>3.</strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nI can’t remember where I heard this, but it’s stuck with me all these years: good writers are like magicians, and the readers are their audience. The readers want to be tricked. They love the mystery, even when they know it isn’t real. Your job as a writer isn’t to fill their heads, it’s to give them what they need to fill their own heads, and then messing with them just a little. Maybe not quite as much as George RR Martin does, though. That’s just cruel. I’m still mourning Ned Stark!\r\n\r\n<strong>4.What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI listen to the <a href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/grammar-girl-quick-dirty-tips/id173429229?mt=2\" target=\"_blank\">Grammar Girl podcast</a> religiously. I also read<a href=\"http://www.copyblogger.com/\" target=\"_blank\"> Copyblogger</a> on a regular basis, as it’s very relevant to my day-to-day. Finally, I’ll go old school and recommend a book: <em>Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion</em> by Robert Cialdini. It’s my writing bible.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI am <em>AP Stylebook</em> 100%, as are most PR pros I would imagine.\r\n\r\n<strong>6</strong>. <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Faith No More: “What is it?” Ambiguous pronouns drive me absolutely crazy. Who is he? Who are they? People say? Which people, exactly? This was near the top of the list of pet peeves I shared with my students every semester at Boston University.\r\n\r\n<strong>7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nThank you for giving me the excuse to use the word epeolatry in a sentence. Poorly, yes; but it’s there. It’s how I feel about words, especially when I find the right ones. I’m not sure I have a least favorite word. They’re all great. But I do have a least favorite non-word: irregardless.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>I love Todd\'s view that writing concisely is hard. And even more so, that writing well is like a magic trick. Making concise writing look easy is definitely a trick worth learning. On Writing will be back, but not on the last Thursday of November since that is Thanksgiving Day and I think you\'ll have better things to do than read this blog, but on Thursday, December 1. Don\'t miss it!</strong></span>','On writing: Todd Van Hoosear works magic against ambiguity','','inherit','open','open','','3371-revision-v1','','','2016-10-27 08:48:15','2016-10-27 12:48:15','',3371,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/10/3371-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3378,4,'2016-10-27 08:48:53','2016-10-27 12:48:53','Even though it\'s hard to believe we are days away from Halloween (and thus two months away from the end of the year), here we are, on the last Thursday of October. This month\'s On Writing interview is with PR pro Todd Van Hoosear. Todd has also spent several semesters teaching students at Boston University all about social media. Read on to see how Todd uses and hones his writing skills.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/VanHoosear_Todd.jpg\"><img class=\"alignright wp-image-3372\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/VanHoosear_Todd.jpg\" alt=\"Todd Van Hoosear\" width=\"280\" height=\"280\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://morethanmarketing.net/contact/\" target=\"_blank\">Todd Van Hoosear</a> is a public relations professional with 20 years of experience under his belt – most of it agency work, but with stints in IT and product marketing. He recently moved from Boston to Gainesville, Florida, where he is still working remotely for a few EMA Boston clients, but also contemplating his next move.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/vanhoosear\" target=\"_blank\">@vanhoosear</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs a PR pro, I regularly vacillate between stressing the importance of writing and that of selling when it comes to putting the right team together to serve my clients. Public relations is, at its essence, a combination of the art of storytelling and the science of influence. Writing plays into both of these. So do interpersonal skills, organizational skills, and yes, even math!\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Blaise Pascal (and Mark Twain and Lord knows how many more authors it’s also been attributed to), “I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time.” Writing is hard. Writing concisely is even harder. Writing good tweets and texts may be the hardest of all. Except maybe for Donald Trump. He’s got it down. He makes it look easy when it’s not. I’ll give him credit: he writes like he speaks, which is a critical skill in today’s world. For most people, it takes years to forget all their formal writing training. <strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>3.</strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nI can’t remember where I heard this, but it’s stuck with me all these years: good writers are like magicians, and the readers are their audience. The readers want to be tricked. They love the mystery, even when they know it isn’t real. Your job as a writer isn’t to fill their heads, it’s to give them what they need to fill their own heads, and then messing with them just a little. Maybe not quite as much as George RR Martin does, though. That’s just cruel. I’m still mourning Ned Stark!\r\n\r\n<strong>4.What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI listen to the <a href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/grammar-girl-quick-dirty-tips/id173429229?mt=2\" target=\"_blank\">Grammar Girl podcast</a> religiously. I also read<a href=\"http://www.copyblogger.com/\" target=\"_blank\"> Copyblogger</a> on a regular basis, as it’s very relevant to my day-to-day. Finally, I’ll go old school and recommend a book: <em>Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion</em> by Robert Cialdini. It’s my writing bible.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI am <em>AP Stylebook</em> 100%, as are most PR pros I would imagine.\r\n\r\n<strong>6</strong>. <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Faith No More: “What is it?” Ambiguous pronouns drive me absolutely crazy. Who is he? Who are they? People say? Which people, exactly? This was near the top of the list of pet peeves I shared with my students every semester at Boston University.\r\n\r\n<strong>7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nThank you for giving me the excuse to use the word epeolatry in a sentence. Poorly, yes; but it’s there. It’s how I feel about words, especially when I find the right ones. I’m not sure I have a least favorite word. They’re all great. But I do have a least favorite non-word: irregardless.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>I love Todd\'s view that writing concisely is hard. And even more so, that writing well is like a magic trick. Making concise writing look easy is definitely a trick worth learning. On Writing will be back, but not on the last Thursday of November since that is Thanksgiving Day and I think you\'ll have better things to do than read this blog, but on Thursday, December 1. Don\'t miss it!</strong></span>','On writing: Todd Van Hoosear works magic against ambiguity','','inherit','open','open','','3371-revision-v1','','','2016-10-27 08:48:53','2016-10-27 12:48:53','',3371,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/10/3371-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
(3379,4,'2016-10-27 08:49:24','2016-10-27 12:49:24','Even though it\'s hard to believe we are days away from Halloween (and thus two months away from the end of the year), here we are, on the last Thursday of October. This month\'s On Writing interview is with PR pro Todd Van Hoosear. Todd has also spent several semesters teaching students at Boston University all about social media. Read on to see how Todd uses and hones his writing skills.\r\n\r\n<strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3372\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"280\"]<a href=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/VanHoosear_Todd.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-3372\" src=\"http://deborahbrody.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/VanHoosear_Todd.jpg\" alt=\"Todd Van Hoosear\" width=\"280\" height=\"280\" /></a> Todd Van Hoosear[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://morethanmarketing.net/contact/\" target=\"_blank\">Todd Van Hoosear</a> is a public relations professional with 20 years of experience under his belt – most of it agency work, but with stints in IT and product marketing. He recently moved from Boston to Gainesville, Florida, where he is still working remotely for a few EMA Boston clients, but also contemplating his next move.\r\n\r\n<strong>Twitter:</strong> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/vanhoosear\" target=\"_blank\">@vanhoosear</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong> 1.</strong> <strong>What role does writing play in your work and how important a skill is it?</strong>\r\n\r\nAs a PR pro, I regularly vacillate between stressing the importance of writing and that of selling when it comes to putting the right team together to serve my clients. Public relations is, at its essence, a combination of the art of storytelling and the science of influence. Writing plays into both of these. So do interpersonal skills, organizational skills, and yes, even math!\r\n\r\n<strong>2. Does writing well still matter in a digital/text/emoji world?</strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Blaise Pascal (and Mark Twain and Lord knows how many more authors it’s also been attributed to), “I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time.” Writing is hard. Writing concisely is even harder. Writing good tweets and texts may be the hardest of all. Except maybe for Donald Trump. He’s got it down. He makes it look easy when it’s not. I’ll give him credit: he writes like he speaks, which is a critical skill in today’s world. For most people, it takes years to forget all their formal writing training. <strong> </strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>3.</strong> <strong>What’s the best advice you’ve received or would give on how to improve writing skills? </strong>\r\n\r\nI can’t remember where I heard this, but it’s stuck with me all these years: good writers are like magicians, and the readers are their audience. The readers want to be tricked. They love the mystery, even when they know it isn’t real. Your job as a writer isn’t to fill their heads, it’s to give them what they need to fill their own heads, and then messing with them just a little. Maybe not quite as much as George RR Martin does, though. That’s just cruel. I’m still mourning Ned Stark!\r\n\r\n<strong>4.What are your top three writing resources or references (digital or paper-based)?</strong>\r\n\r\nI listen to the <a href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/grammar-girl-quick-dirty-tips/id173429229?mt=2\" target=\"_blank\">Grammar Girl podcast</a> religiously. I also read<a href=\"http://www.copyblogger.com/\" target=\"_blank\"> Copyblogger</a> on a regular basis, as it’s very relevant to my day-to-day. Finally, I’ll go old school and recommend a book: <em>Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion</em> by Robert Cialdini. It’s my writing bible.\r\n\r\n<strong>5. Do you follow a style guide, and if so, which one?  </strong>\r\n\r\nI am <em>AP Stylebook</em> 100%, as are most PR pros I would imagine.\r\n\r\n<strong>6</strong>. <strong>What’s your top—most cringe-worthy--writing/grammar/usage pet peeve? </strong>\r\n\r\nTo quote Faith No More: “What is it?” Ambiguous pronouns drive me absolutely crazy. Who is he? Who are they? People say? Which people, exactly? This was near the top of the list of pet peeves I shared with my students every semester at Boston University.\r\n\r\n<strong>7. What’s your favorite word and what’s your least favorite? </strong>\r\n\r\nThank you for giving me the excuse to use the word epeolatry in a sentence. Poorly, yes; but it’s there. It’s how I feel about words, especially when I find the right ones. I’m not sure I have a least favorite word. They’re all great. But I do have a least favorite non-word: irregardless.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>I love Todd\'s view that writing concisely is hard. And even more so, that writing well is like a magic trick. Making concise writing look easy is definitely a trick worth learning. On Writing will be back, but not on the last Thursday of November since that is Thanksgiving Day and I think you\'ll have better things to do than read this blog, but on Thursday, December 1. Don\'t miss it!</strong></span>','On writing: Todd Van Hoosear works magic against ambiguity','','inherit','open','open','','3371-revision-v1','','','2016-10-27 08:49:24','2016-10-27 12:49:24','',3371,'http://deborahbrody.com/2016/10/3371-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),
