34 redundant, repetitive, and superfluou...

by Laura Hale Brockway, ELS As writers, editors, and PR professionals, we are keenly aware that we must fight for readers’ attention. My daily sanity check is to ask, “Is someone actually going to read this?” To help readers, I use concise language and eliminate redundancies. As Strunk and White say, “Make every word tell.” Below are phrases in which every word does not tell. They are redundant, repetitive, wordy, verbose, and superfluous. Eliminate such phrases to tighten your writing. (Redundant words are italicized.) • added bonus • advance planning •...

20 more words you need to stop misspelli...

by Laura Hale Brockway Last week, I posted an article about 50 commonly misspelled words (such as inoculate, susceptible, bellwether). At the end of the post, I asked PR Daily readers to share words they have trouble spelling. Turns out, there are nearly two-dozen other words giving you grief: 1. Campaign 2. Carburetor 3. Commission 4. Contributor 5. Counterfeit 6. Definitely 7. Gauge 8. Hors d’oeuvre 9. Iridescent 10. Liaison 11. Losing 12. Millennial 13. Mise en place 14. Necessary 15. Occasion 16. Premiere/premier 17. Restaurateur 18. Separate 19....

50 words you need to stop misspelling

As writers, editors, and avid PR Daily readers, we are all above-average spellers. We’re the people others call for spelling advice; we’re the ones who kick butt at Words with Friends; we’re the ones who remember the spelling rules we learned in elementary school. And yet, sometimes even we get stumped and make spelling mistakes. I’m guilty of misspelling words. Just last week, I had to double-check the spelling of “inoculate.” I could have sworn there were two N’s in that word. As they say, admitting you have a problem is the first step. So yes, there are...

How to write for your readers — not your...

Any experienced writer or editor will tell you that the first rule of good writing is to know your audience. For whom are you writing? What motivates them to read your material? How can you make your topic relevant to your readers? This rule applies no matter what you’re writing. Whether it’s a press release, a feature article, or a blog post, begin with your audience in mind. I wish it were that simple. In the world of corporate communications, “writing for your audience” often takes a back seat to political correctness and the whims of executives. Be honest: Is...

22 filler terms we abuse every day—and h...

by Laura Hale Brockway   Have you ever been in a conversation with a seemingly smart, rational person who says something utterly absurd? It can leave one at a loss for words. “Uh-huh,” might be the only available response, followed by, “Gee, how ’bout those Cubs?” Absurd or baffling statements aside, too often we find ourselves filling silences with pure twaddle. I recently made a list of these awkward filler terms. Though they might appear to keep conversation flowing, they’re nothing more than verbal speed bumps. And when I started paying attention, I...