a.k.a writer

a.k.a writer

copy distinguished

You can scroll the shelf using ← and → keys

The tips here for gaining perspective on your writing are worth bookmarking to reference again and again.

November 11, 2011

I’m not a fan of picking on journalists, but this site Unnecessary Journalism Phrases is an interesting refresher to peruse before editing your own work.

November 4, 2011

Cognitive Connection, May 28

May 28, 2010

Cognitive Connection. Thinking. Image courtesy of stock.xchng®Like many people in the U.S., I’m taking advantage of the three-day Memorial Day weekend to unplug. I’ll be spending time with my family, giving my laptop a chance to cool down for a few days.

In the mean time, here are a few reads for your (long) weekend:

  • Editor Devil Illegal Stacking Ahead I like Christine Fairchild’s breakdown of this particular writing issue so much, that I’ll forgive her the use of two exclamation points on one sentence. Seriously good advice here.
  • Lisa Romeo Writes Stuff My (Writing) Students Say, Part III Lisa’s recent series that answer student questions (and frustrations) regarding the writing process is interesting and helpful. This one offers tips on revising, yet feeling married to your words.

Your turn. Any great reads that you’d like to share with your fellow readers? Print counts, too, it doesn’t have to be something online. If you’re hooked on a new book or loved an article or essay in a magazine, include it here. Please share in the comments below. Thanks!

Bookmark and Share

Rescuing Writing That Feels Like Overworked Cookie Dough

December 14, 2009

One of the hardest things for me to do as a writer is to turn off my inner editor and just write. I’m getting better about actually allowing myself to get the words onto the page. That said, I really enjoy revisions. Whether it’s fine-tuning and delicately tweaking web copy or slashing extraneous paragraphs in an essay, I find revising to be fulfilling.

But there needs to be a stopping point. This past fall, I penned copy for a marketing campaign and website as part of a project that included a creative director and several mulitple writers who were responsible for other products. The group was great for brainstorming and it was refreshing to hop on the phone for an impromptu headline bantering session.

At one point in the project, however, I realized that my copy was stiff and no longer pliable. Had I baked it, the result would have been the equivalent of cookies that tasted like cardboard. And, when you’re hired (like I was) to make a something traditionally “boring” sound new and snazzy, dry copy is a big, fat fail.

What happened? I was writing around too many “sacred” phrases that weren’t necessary to the message—but they were precious to someone else. So here’s what I did to resuscitate my writing:

  • Open a blank page. While I was careful to keep in mind the edits I’d received and the essence of what the copy needed to sell, I rewrote the text in a new document. The act of writing from scratch infused the words with new energy. Sometimes a blank page can be your friend.
  • Create a hybrid. Once I’d created a fresh draft, I turned on my editor mode and merged what I liked from the new with what had worked well from the old. It’s like adding a small bit of fresh, cold water to revive dough that’s dried out.
  • Walk away. Getting some distance from your copy can make a tremendous difference—especially if you do something to raise your own energy level. A walk in the park, a swim, dancing around your house or playing fetch with a pet.
  • Turn to inspirations. If you’re on a tight deadline and can’t walk away or give yourself a break, turn to things that inspire and uplift you. Things that help you start a project—like music—can often help you when you’re stuck.
  • Be confident. I realized that I had succumbed to believing the other writers on the project were better than me because they had more experience with the particular industries. But we were hired for very different reasons and my expertise was delivering creative marketing copy—and the client wanted originality. That meant I had to believe in myself and, when necessary, defend the copy to keep it lively, not over-floured with too much industry-specific language.

Your turn. Have you rescued copy that turned into overworked dough? How did you do it? Or have you had to completely start over? How did you handle it? Please share your opinions and experiences in the comments below.

Photo attribution: (note, the cookie dough shown is not overworked) http://www.flickr.com/photos/sweetbeetandgreenbean/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

Bookmark and Share

SEO, Oh No! Repetition Can Cause Writers Shame

October 28, 2009 — 3 Comments

My blog piece on ridding your writing of repetition has made the rounds, appearing on several other blogs and social media sites. So you’d think I know how to follow my own tips and spot words I overuse. SEO. Image courtesy of stock.xchng®

Or not.

Out of curiosity, I recently ran my blog through a website grader, which also included an SEO analysis. Really, it was a graph of the words appearing most frequently here. There were the usual suspects, like writing, reading and freelancing. But there was one shocking four-letter word that appeared in the top 10. I’m using it again here and then never again. Ready?

Just.

Of the thousands upon thousands of words here, how could I have used that one so frequently and not caught it?

If you’re a writer who does any self-editing at all, you know the tricks for avoiding mistakes in a single post. But how do you catch yourself over months—or years—of writing?

Well, obviously, you can use a website grade that measures SEO and screen for overused words. You could also randomly pick a batch of posts and ask someone you trust to give you direct feedback to read them.

You can also ask your readers for feedback, like this:

Readers, have you noticed words I use too frequently? Don’t be shy! Tell me in the comments.

Bookmark and Share

Repeat After Me: Ridding Your Writing of Repetition

June 15, 2009 — 2 Comments

While search engine optimization (SEO) is on lighting fires on laptop keyboards these days, this post is not about leveraging key words on your blog(s). It’s about freeing your writing (essays, manuscripts, speeches, client work) from unnecessary repetition.

Pencil Shavings. Image courtesy of stock.xchng®It sneaks up on you; it’s so easy to overuse a word or description without realizing it.  Even if you don’t notice, others will. During a non-fiction writing class, my instructor pointed out that I had used the phrase “you’re so silly” in dialogue four times over six pages. How did I miss that?

Another example from my own work was that I repeated the word refrigerator in a scene where this kitchen appliance was being repossessed. So then I tried substituting with the descriptive phrase “avocado-colored rectangular box.” That didn’t work at all! My paragraph improved when I restructured the sentences so that I didn’t need the word refrigerator so much.

Repetitive writing can kill good work in any type of situation – from memoir to novels to press releases. One of the most over used words ever in press releases is “excited.” Or “thrilled.” How many times have you read “XYZ Company is excited to announce…”?

So what can you to avoid this?

  • Have friends read your writing. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s important. People who know you well may be able to catch something you repeat in everyday conversations that spills into your prose.
  • Have people you don’t know well read your work. Some of the best writing buddies I have are not “friends.” We love working together but it helps that we don’t share the intimate details of our daily lives. It makes for good perspective.
  • Read your work out loud. It’s amazing what you can catch when you hear your own words. I recently met a writer who had nearly lost his voice because he’d spent the last two days reading his full manuscript to his wife.
  • Record yourself. This can be especially helpful as it can give you distance and a chance to make notes as you listen.

What are your tips? What’s your favorite tip for reviewing your own writing?

Cracking the Code with a Mentor

June 10, 2009 — 2 Comments

Planet Earth. Image courtesy of stock.xchng®Throughout my career, I’ve had the amazing privilege to be a mentor to several people, including aspiring writers and editors. Many of these relationships began with me in the role of editor. The editor-writer relationship can be many things: transactional, perfunctory, frustrating, beneficial and inspiring are just a few descriptions used.

One of my favorite yet-to-be-published novelists loves to entertain me with tales about her editor chasing her around a cabin as they argued over a short story. And she loves him for it.

When something magical occurs between an editor and a writer, it can develop into mentorship. When I left an in-house job, I was honored by the number of writers who described my approach to editing as mentorship. It is pure joy to work with people who love words, whether they are seasoned pros or beginners with sentences as wobbly as a toddler learning to walk.

What can take a relationship into the mentorship-sphere? Here’s how a few authors described it to me.

  • Developing trust. Sometimes creating trust is as easy an as editor providing a few “whys” behind the edits – without being asked. It helps to show that an editor is red-penning with the story’s best interest in mind.
  • Understanding what the writer wants to say. My favorite moment is when an author exclaims, “that’s exactly what I meant – but I couldn’t find the words.”
  • Extending a safety net. It can be talking something through a panicked reaction to edits. Or maybe it’s encouraging the scribe to “open a vein,” knowing that you’ll be there to keep the story from sliding off some curvy road.

Not every word doctor will be a mentor – sometimes you just need someone an objective perspective and a sharp red pencil.

How has a mentor helped you? If you’re a mentor, what do you recommend for these relationships?

Bookmark and Share

Turning the Tables – On Me

April 3, 2009

I love asking questions. Those of you who have worked with me or known me for a while are probably nodding your heads – or accusing me of making an understatement! There’s definitely proof of my question affection with previous posts, like the Spotlight On Immortal Dog and prior Q&As with recruiters.

 In a February post, I told you about the new “Meet the Editor” feature I’m managing at the Blood Red Pencil. Well, now it’s my turn to answer the same questions. Read my responses and let me know what you think!

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.