5 warning signs of a lazy writer

Writing isn’t easy. Whether it’s marketing, academic or technical copy, or you’re simply trying to think of what to scribble on a co-worker’s birthday card, writing can be arduous work — more so on some days than others. Communicators don’t want their results or standards to slip simply because they’re having an off day. Even when you feel profoundly unmotivated, avoid these five shoddy practices. 1. You don’t consider your audience. In corporate communications, “writing for your audience” often takes a back seat to the demands of executives or...

41 alternatives to the word “amazi...

If you pay attention, it’s appalling how many times you see the word “amazing.” It doesn’t seem to matter what’s being described — “amazing” is the go-to adjective. “You’ll have an amazing time.” “She’s an amazing leader.” “This amazing tool makes accounting fun!” If everything is amazing . . . then nothing is amazing. We’re all writers here, so let’s see if we can’t come up with a few alternatives to the word “amazing.” Here are a few to get started, though not all of these will apply in every...

Hyphen, en dash, or em dash?

As experienced writers and editors, many PR Daily readers harbor a dislike for the hyphen. It’s a punctuation mark that’s supposed to help writers avoid ambiguity, but it can confuse readers. Add dashes of varying lengths, and it’s chaos. Chaos aside, hyphens and dashes have different uses and cannot be used interchangeably. Here’s how to tell the difference and use each correctly. Hyphens Hyphens connect words, prefixes and suffixes, and they are generally used to avoid ambiguity. We found ourselves in a dirty movie theater. We found ourselves in a dirty-movie...

29 inspirational subject lines

Spam folders can be a treasure trove. The treasure? Marketing inspiration. Of course . . . some subject lines are horrible. But, others have potential, and can be adapted and improved. And considering that readers decide whether to read or trash your email in less than a second, well-written subject lines are essential. Here are a few examples of inspirational email subject lines. See what you can do with these . . .                                            Your organic presence Your inorganic presence Does the past still...

What would the Jane Austen Society do?

Writers can find inspiration anywhere—fiction, podcasts, billboards, movie trailers. Most recently, I joined the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) and have reveled in the refinement of its messaging. As one would expect, notifications from this group have been polite, well written and reflective of the personality of the group. In a world of fake news, spam, and ham-handed marketing techniques, receiving their messages is like feeling the sun on your face on a cold day. Here are a few examples that can help you add style to your customer communications: The...