Category Archives: Writing
You Gotta Believe
I’ve never made a putt I didn’t visualize. Never struck a ball I didn’t watch to the barrel of the bat. Never swished a 20-footer I didn’t see in my mind’s eye. Each takes belief. With enough practice and repeated … Continue reading
Filed under Advertising, Blogs, Business, Competition, Productivity, Work, Writing
10 Questions About the Future of News
As the news industry morphs into something different and exciting (not to mention, scary for some), a few questions: Will the number of press passes be capped at the White House and both houses of Congress? Will the U.S. Supreme … Continue reading
Filed under Blogs, News, Technology, Web, Writing
WWJJD? (What Would Jeff Jarvis Do?)
It’s a brave new world full of a billion voices, tapping away, sounding off, getting snarky, demanding their due. Anyone with a computer or smartphone can jump in and say something. And somewhere, someone is listening, if just for a … Continue reading
Filed under Blogs, Books, Brand, Communications Society, Google, Social Networks, Twitter, Web, Writing
Twilight: Take That, Big Studios — and Critics
When a $37 million movie brings in almost $80 million during its first box office weekend, who really cares about “playability” — a term one industry watcher used this weekend to describe how a movie appeals to more than one … Continue reading
Writing Fun: Tell it to Mom
Do you love concise? I mean, really short bursts and bites of copy? Seth Godin’s advice to write a 6-word classified ad is a good start on how to nail the message you want to send. For Generation Y members, … Continue reading
Filed under Writing
Tuesday Quiz: Writing as Obsession
If you’ve ever been in the dark hole of a writing project, you’ll appreciate a pop quiz. Which author said this? “I sometimes think it’s important for writers to have an unhealthy obsession. Besides writing, that is. A. Carl Hiaasen … Continue reading
Filed under Creativity, Work, Writing
Blogging To Death
This cautionary tale in the NYT may be a little over the top, but it illustrates the downside for bloggers trying to publish technology scoops. I remember when news radio was a major player in the San Diego market. The … Continue reading
“Just” as Filler
Seth Godin, popular blogger, author and guru of marketing, is striking the word “just” from his vocabulary. Same for “sort of.” We get into habits. We use certain words more than others. “Just” is not that bad (when used sparingly). There’s … Continue reading
When Authors Fake It
Q: Why would a major publishing house print a memoir without checking basic facts? A: Intense competition to sell books. News this week of the bogus biography of a woman who claimed to have run drugs for a Los Angeles gang as a kid is … Continue reading
Filed under Books, Competition, Hype, News, Writing
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: Dialing the Right Message
If you work in marketing, PR or journalism, you’re reading constantly. Email. Websites. Text messages. Blogs. Project briefs. Ad copy. Scripts. Court filings. Government documents. Speeches. Talking points. Press releases. White papers. Case studies. Time permitting, you probably read books and magazines. Possibly you groom … Continue reading
Filed under Creativity, Uncategorized, Work, Writing
