How to end face-to-face conversations

What’s worse than someone who talks your ear off on the phone? A co-worker or family member who drones on and on in person can be a busy communicator’s worst nightmare. It could be the neighbor who corners you in the front yard or the guy in line with you at the bar at a networking event. And then there’s the family get-togethers and the work holiday party—prime settings for long and awkward interactions. How can you politely and professionally excuse yourself in a face-to-face conversation? There’s always the classic: “Is that the restroom? Please excuse me...

How to shut down a never-ending phone ca...

Everyone has worked with someone who refuses to pick up the phone, insisting that everything can be solved through email, IM or texting. You might do it yourself. The name and number of a difficult client appears on your caller ID and you let it go to voicemail. You tell yourself you can call back tomorrow, but the next day, you respond to the voicemail with an email instead. Many communicators even prefer electronic conversations when it comes to family. How many times has your mom texted you with a request to “please call me when you have a chance” and you text her...

Minding your manners on social media

Bad manners are everywhere. And these days it seems they are most often on display on social media. And I don’t just mean fake news, election tampering, newsjacking, and all the other ways companies, countries, and politicians try to manipulate us online. I mean the bad behavior exhibited by friends and connections. Sure, there’s a time for photos of you enjoying a drink with friends, or a photo of the meal you just cooked, or for that gym check-in. There may even be a time to post political messages, 75 photos of your vacation, Bible verses, and information about the...

21 fortunes for PR professionals

Does it seem like fortune cookie fortunes have become more preachy than prophetic? That rather than telling you what to expect in the future they tell you what to do? You may even wonder if you’re reading a fortune or talking to your mother-in-law. Following this current fortune cookie trend, here are a few fortunes for PR professionals and corporate communicators. Use them well. Pass the check to the person with the worst spelling. You will be hungry again when it’s time to start writing. You can’t win friends with bad grammar. Write first; edit later. Maybe after...

Don’t let these plural forms trip you up...

Bewildered. That’s how I feel when it comes to the rules of English spelling. Writers and editors see it daily. I recently had to check the spelling of “subterfuge” because it couldn’t possibly be spelled “subterfuge” (it is). One area of spelling that is particularly challenging: finding correct plural forms. These can trip writers up, because they’re difficult to spell and difficult to pronounce. Below are 29 tricky plurals: antennae asterisks attorneys general axes (plural of axis) bases (plural of basis) courts-martial culs-de-sac diagnoses dos and...

Cookbooks for book lovers

As a follow up to a previous PR Daily post on cookbooks for writers, let’s take a look at cookbooks for book lovers. In addition to challenging and novel recipes, literary cookbooks offer a glimpse into the life of the author, their characters, and the time, place, and culture they came from.  “Jane Austen Cookbook” — recipes are taken from the Austen family’s “Household Book.” Would love to try: Martha’s Almond Cheesecakes No thanks, I’ll pass: Wine-Roasted Gammon and Pigeon Pie   “Dinner with Mr. Darcy: Recipes Inspired by the Novels of Jane...

10 cookbooks for writers

It might be early for holiday shopping — but it’s never to early for good food. Though not every writer loves the kitchen, for those who do a cookbook can be a delightful companion. What happens when you combine a love for writing with a love for food? You end up with cookbooks by writers and cookbooks for writers. Check out the list below. “The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook: Wickedly Good Meals and Desserts to Die For” includes recipes from mystery writers Scott Turrow, Mary Higgins Clark, James Patterson and others. “The Artists’ and Writers’...

A guide to common sports metaphors

Writers and editors frequently encounter mangled and confusing metaphors in messages from executives and co-workers. And it’s our job to correct those metaphors, so we can communicate clearly with our audience. But when it comes to sports metaphors, some pros can quickly strike out. Sports metaphors (or phrases or idioms) are used universally in the workplace. It’s a rare meeting that goes by without a manager asking, “Who will quarterback this project?” or someone mentioning “bench strength.” Yet, not everyone understands these metaphors. For those of us who...