Avoid spam filters?????!!!!!! Learn how,...

Take a look at your spam folder and it’s easy to see why messages end up there. The telltale signs of spam — strange subject lines, urgent requests, symbols, emojis, and exclamation points — are obvious. Emails destined for the spam folder also contain spam words, such as “removes wrinkles,” “meet singles,” “buy direct,” and “not spam.” And while most spam words are obvious, some are less so. Below are 50 once-innocent words and phrases that now alert spam filters and doom your messages before they’re sent. Avoid these if you can. Act...

Test yourself with this corporate jargon...

Make your fellow writers and editors proud. Identify the corporate speak, jargon, and meaningless business terms in the sentences below. Check your answers by scrolling to the bottom. Quiz Sorry I’m late. I’ve been actioning my deliverables. Writing is clearly not one of your core competencies. The project is already six months behind. Is now a good time to start managing expectations? How can I incentivize you to proofread your own work? Let’s discuss the new employee handbook! No one is leaving this meeting until we ideate about the new ad campaign. As many of...

There’s a word for that?!

As PR and communication professionals — as well as writers and editors — many of us spend our days correcting other people’s writing. This can be a taxing task, so sometimes it’s fun to take a break and play with words. In this post, let’s explore a few words that will make you say “There’s a word for that?” (Definitions from Wordnik and Oxford Dictionaries.) Aposiopesis — to stop abruptly and leave a statement unfinished, giving the impression that the writer or speaker is unwilling or unable to continue; pretending to conceal something but mentioning...

Quiz: Find the errors in these sentences

Make your editor proud. Identify the grammar and style errors in the sentences below. Check your answers by scrolling to the bottom. Quiz We play all the hits from the 70’s and 80’s. I’ll need to get cash from the ATM machine before we go out. We need to reign in the efforts by HR to require all staff to read Corporate Magick. They met face-to-face for the first time in 15 years. Let’s learn about Medicare! As you may or may not be aware, performance reviews start next week. The information on the website is meant to compliment class lectures. Irregardless of what...

10 exercise to help you escape the writi...

Having trouble coming up with the right words? Unable to string more than a few sentences together? Does it seem like your brain is not cooperating in spite of that looming deadline? Perhaps your brain needs a workout. Consider trying out a new writing exercise . . .  constrained writing. It’s just what is sounds like — imposing conditions on your writing, such as disallowing certain types of words or writing to a specific pattern. Imagine writing a short story without using the letter “e” or the word “is.” Writing with a constraint forces you to solve...