14 elements of a personality profile

I am very fortunate to have access to writing resources such as PR Daily and Ragan workshops and conferences. But this year, I’ve also learned about writing and editing from an unlikely source—my son’s fourth-grade teacher. Helping him with his assignments and reading his handouts has taught me about the eight parts of speech, traits of good writing, and how to defeat writer’s block. This week, his assignment is to write a three-paragraph biography about a family member. The handout lists the elements he should include. Though this list is very basic, I find it...

“Lazy” words you should use ...

There are some “writing rules” that stick around like an unwanted party guest. No matter how many times you hint that the party is over, he stays for one more beer. And no matter how many times we insist that these “writing rules” aren’t really rules, they’re still being taught. Examples of these rules include never ending a sentence with a preposition and never spliting an infinitive. Well let’s add another to the list . . . Last week, my fourth-grader very adamantly told me that I could not start a sentence with and. He was reading over my shoulder and told...

Adjectives from A to Z

“Which word provides a better description of a puppy: ‘brown’ or ‘cute’?” — writing guru Ann Wylie In last week’s post I wrote about “dangerously ambiguous” adjectives and how the use of indirect and unclear descriptors can cause readers to ignore or misinterpret your message. The lesson here is to practice precision when you select your descriptors. What follows is a list of some precise, meaningful adjectives. Consider using these for your next writing assignment. • abrasive • abrupt • abundant • adamant • auburn • bawdy • bewildered •...

“Dangerously ambiguous” adje...

I pick up writing advice in the oddest places. Most recently, I learned a valuable lesson about the power and fragility of adjectives while reading “Freakonomics.” In a chapter on real estate agents, the authors, Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, explain how commission structures create different incentives for agents and their clients. Your interest and your real estate agent’s interest are not always aligned. “When she sells her own house, an agent holds out for the best offer,” they write. “When she sells yours, she encourages you to take the first decent...

Quiz: Can you define these 13 words?

Last week, spelling bee officials announced that for the first time, multiple-choice vocabulary tests will be added to the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee. That means contenders in the 2013 bee will now need to define these obscure words in addition to spelling them. A speller’s qualification for the semifinals and finals will be based on onstage spelling, computer-based spelling questions, and computer-based vocabulary questions. The vocabulary evaluation will count for 50 percent of the speller’s score. Spelling bee Executive Director Paige Kimble told the...

6 traits of great writing — according to...

I’ve written several posts about my 10-year-old son and his developing writing skills. And though he may not share my alacrity for writing, his school curriculum is full of great writing advice. Recently, he came home with a handout called “Six traits of great writing.” The advice outlined in the handout is basic, but it remains important for writers of all stripes. Here are the traits along with a few takeaways.   Ideas and content • Observe first; tell next. • Develop supporting details before you start writing. • Use a balance of showing and...

10 tricky cases of one word or two confu...

English is full of words and phrases that are identical except for a letter and/or a space. Examples include altogether/all together, over time/overtime, and over all/overall. As professional writers and editors, our “writer’s instinct” will often tell us which form to use in a sentence. In some cases, the differences are subtle. I’ve caught myself questioning a few one-word phrases recently. A recent article in the Columbia Journalism Review offered the following guidelines: • The one-word form is usually an adjective or adverb; • The two-word form is usually...

Commonly misunderstood words that trip u...

Do you remember being a teenager and feeling like no one understood you? Well, this column is about words with definitions that are continually misunderstood, misinterpreted, and misconstrued. They are the middle schoolers of our lexicon.   Arbitration, mediation  Arbitration means a third party listens to evidence from all parties and hands down a decision. Example: “The contract called for arbitration by a federal judge.” Mediation means a third party listens to the evidence from all parties and brings them to an agreement. Example: “The plaintiff agreed to...