Ways of Working
Many of us at Wordsmithie also have avocations that keep us busy. As a copywriter and editorial director, I naturally write. Years ago, I left a newspaper job to go abroad and write the Great American Novel. Amazingly, it got published. Later, while working in various copywriting and communications positions, I branched into nonfiction, writing…
You’ve got a big presentation coming up. Sure, you’ve got a handle on the content. You possess confidence and skills, too. So now what? Even though your topic is interesting and you feel good about presenting to others, consider a few elements that help you attract and retain your audience’s attention throughout your talk. There…
Have you ever found yourself struggling to write something at work? You might have all the empirical data you need to write a persuasive case study, or a great idea for a blog post. But when you sit down to write, you just spin your wheels and get stuck. I knew this feeling well when…
Virginia (as in, Woolf) was totally right. For writers, sometimes nothing but a room of our own will do. However, there is a huge difference between having our own space and writing in a vacuum. This is especially true in the professional world, where writers are part of a team that is often charged with…
When crafting a speech, it’s mission critical to lock in content and organization. And, it’s as equally important to spend time up front carefully planning language and practicing your delivery style to ensure that both how and what you have to say are on target. Language choice matters You know your topic and your audience.…
“So what’s your favorite podcast?” This question is the latest icebreaker and pick-up line, and heavy podcast users are eager to find great shows that will captivate and educate. What we love most about podcasts is their convenience. Being able to listen to a niche-topic radio show at any time gives the platform and audience…
Most people speak in public every day. When we’re out and about chatting at the market or when we visit neighbors, or conduct business with colleagues and clients, we’re fairly comfortable communicating. But when it comes to presenting in a more formal context, we often forget that we possess skills that help us tell stories,…
The recent suspension of anchor Brian Williams from the NBC Nightly News offers a valuable lesson about the importance of safeguarding your brand. And make no mistake, Williams is—or at least was—a very valuable TV brand. The anchor’s sin was embellishing his participation in various news stories. According to a Washington Post article, people in the…
Standing in front of a roomful of eager professionals is no small feat. Even the most seasoned trainer feels the surge of adrenalin when presenting important content to a group. Anxiety could and should be a net positive, as it shows you care about the event’s outcome. And managing anxiety (no matter how great or…
When you’re fully immersed in a topic or activity, you’re transported to another state. You’re also more likely to file facts in your internal database, remember key messages and recall more readily. It’s no surprise that the most interesting, engaging content gets absorbed first, most and best. We get invested in core content when there’s…