"Words in Motion" E-News Archive

If you missed an earlier e-newsletter, you can find it here.

Polish Your Writing: The Artful Tweet
Whether you use social media or not, you can learn about writing that works by practicing the art of tweeting. Twitter presents another kind of challenge to limit your words--only 140 characters to get out your message, including the links. It's an extreme example of the need to make every word count. Let's start with an exercise...

Your Writing Has Been Polished -Managing the Passive Voice
Unless you've been living on the moon, you probably know by now that the passive voice is considered (oops, there it is)** a bad idea in most writing. Here's why--and some exercises:

Polish Your Writing: the Art of Brevity
In the mood for some practice? This month, how to do the cutting that makes your message stand out clearly. Marcia Yudkin, author of "Persuading on Paper," advises aiming to cut at least 20 percent from your initial draft. Here's an example that I've taken live from the Internet (and disguised):

8 Newsletter Do's and Don'ts
Even if you are a newsletter veteran, it's a good idea to review the basics:

Watch out for bland language
There are certain kinds of phrasing and word choice, especially in official statements, that can soak the life out of your writing. They tend to crop up in written statements, especially press releases, about staff.

Writing Profiles with Punch
The secret of a profile with punch is that it tells a story. Let's face it, people love good stories, and a profile will tell the tale of how your new surgeon, or executive director, made the choice to join you, or why they have stayed so long.

What Makes a Good White Paper?
A white paper is an objective report on a relevant topic. If you are an attorney, this might be "timely estate planning." If you are a home health agency, your white paper might be titled "preventing falls in the home."

The Humble Brochure 
What, hard copy??  Am I sure you need it?  Yes!  Think of all the spots where your simple, paneled folder can alight:  

Thrive during the recession
We've used up almost 6 percent of 2009 already!  And with this major recession underway, it's easy to be discouraged. There are those few days after the First Night when we may feel that anything is possible, and then economic realities and daily challenges grip us once more.  

What's good about testimonials?
Do you use testimonials? One smart WordDrive client has collected dozens of them. She's asked me to transform them into an effective marketing tool.

Information overload!!!
Let me recommend to you a quick look at the Information Overload Research Group (IORG).  "The competitive advantage we gained from getting more information faster is starting to disappear," says a member of the IORG.  This means that our electronic communications "need to be entirely relevant."

Email Marketing's Value
You are cordially invited to visit my new web page about the value of e-news and email marketing. 

Newsletters and Stories
A strong newsletter always has a story-telling side.  More and more people recognize the importance of stories in effective communication.  See, for example, Annette Simmons' book about story telling--how the human element, the presence of emotion, the recognition of shared experience, all strengthen your message.

Welcome
Welcome to Words in Motion, WordDrive's new monthly e-newsletter about good writing for powerful communications.

Highly skilled writing for health care organizations as well as business, academia, and the not-for-profit sector.

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