It can be daunting to write a killer resume. It's the first impression a hiring manager will have of you and your only chance to compel that person to invite you in for an interview. Too many people focus solely on resume structure and buzz words, allowing sloppy editing to curtail their chances of scoring an interview. You can have all of the right ingredients-experience, skills, education-and still not hear back from companies because your resume isn't edited well. We all make mistakes, but in a tight job market when employers can afford to be choosy, they're not going to green light a resume with two spelling errors over one with zero. The tips below can help you put the finishing touches on your resume and give you a leg up in the hiring process.
Tip #1: Read it Out Loud
Not because the hiring manager will, but because reading a document aloud-word for word-is one of the best ways to spot common grammatical errors. It forces you to really pay attention to everything on the page, helping bring to light mistakes like subject-verb agreement, which will hopefully sound "off" to your ear; words that were left out or mistakenly inserted during rounds of revisions; or any inconsistencies with dates or job descriptions.
It's also a great way to hunt for mistakes that aren't caught by your computer's spell check. You would be amazed at how many human resource professionals receive resumes from experienced "mangers" (rather than managers).
Lastly, reading your resume out loud can help you get a feel for whether your resume is too long, which is much more common than one that's too short. Many people think that longer equals better, but it simply tells readers that you don't know what's important or how to write concisely-not exactly a great introduction. If you get to the end and think, "That took longer than I thought it would," you might want to think about tightening it up a bit.
Tip #2: Don't Leave Room For Doubt
Your resume needs to be concise, but it shouldn't be so bare that you leave questions in the mind of the hiring manager-or worse yet, a bad taste in her mouth. When it comes to abbreviations or acronyms, the rule of thumb is "when in doubt, spell it out." Extremely common business-related terms like CEO or HR are fine, but anything that gives you even a moment's hesitation should be spelled out-especially in a job title. One hiring professional recently complained about the number of resumes she sees with "ass. manager" as a job title. It's pretty clear that writing out "assistant" is a classier move.
Worse than that, however, is the possibility that someone on the receiving end of your resume isn't familiar with the acronyms or abbreviations you use. Even if you assume correctly that everyone in your industry knows what TSR means, the human resources professional who first looks at your resume may not. And if he doesn't know that producing a high Total Shareholder Return is a good thing, he might move on to someone who takes the additional three seconds to spell it out for him.
Tip #3: Wait a Day
This tip is similar to the advice given to jilted lovers who want to mail an angry letter to their ex: sleep on it. No matter how many times you review your resume the day you finish it, it's wise to take another look at it the following day. After you've read the same material over and over, you begin to lose the ability to pick out flaws, but when your eyes are fresh, you may be amazed at what you find. Similarly, always ask a trusted friend to look over your resume before sending it. No matter how firm your grasp of grammar, there's always someone you know who has a firmer grasp. That's the person you want to review it.
Jason Kay recommends you read use a professional resume editing service if you need additional resume help. Read reviews of the top resume services to find the best service for your needs.
Monday, September 28, 2009
10 Spelling Blunders to Avoid in Your Copy by Nikki Cooke
If the proofreading fairy hasn't visited your office lately, you might be blissfully unaware of grammar gremlins or spelling slip-ups in your sales writing. Not only do you risk confusing your audience ... but you also risk your business reputation.
In short, poor grammar or spelling errors portray an unprofessional image. To avoid unnecessary copy blunders, open your eyes to the following.
What are homophones?
Whether you snoozed through English lessons or simply can't remember, the term homophone is a useful one to know. Homophones are word which sounds the same but are spelt differently and have different meanings. No wonder people have problems with them!
Common spelling mix-ups include:
Affect and Effect
Affect is a verb - to change or influence something. Business is affected by...
Effect is a noun - or a result of something. Marketing can have a huge effect on...
Its and it's
This is a biggie! It's is a contraction or a shortened word for it is. The apostrophe always goes between the t and the s.
Its belongs to or relates to something. 'The company increased its profits.'
Principal and principle
Principal can refer to the first of something. 'The principal reason for...' You can also have a college principal.
A principle is a matter of honour or relating to an idea. You might have business principles or agree in principle with something.
Stationary and stationery
When you're not moving, you are stationary.
Your desk, on the other hand, might be littered with stationery. (Writing materials)
Too and to
Too is an adverb for 'more' and is placed before an adjective to emphasise something positive or negative. 'It's too expensive.'
To is a preposition used before and after verbs. 'A copywriter can help you to...'
Compliment and complement
You might give someone a compliment. 'I'd like to compliment you on your...'
Complement is used when you want to show that something goes with something else. 'Strawberries and cream complement each other...'
License and licence
License is a verb when something is allowed or permitted. So, you can be licensed to fly a plane.
A licence is noun for a permit or permission to do what you want. You might have poetic licence, for example. Or 'Licence to Kill' - if you are James Bond, of course!
Precede and Proceed
Precede means to come before something. You might precede the report with a short introduction.
When you proceed, you continue as planned or go forwards. 'Proceed to the exit...'
Weather and whether
Brits are obsessed with it! The weather is all about the climate.
Whether is a conjunction used when asking questions or expressing doubt. It's another word for 'if' ... whether you like it or not.
Right and write
When you are right, you are correct. Right is also a direction and reference to a political persuasion. And of course, you should know what your rights are by now!
To write is all about writing words or recording something.
Copy clarity
Has that cleared up some confusion for you? The trick is to read your copy several times, ask someone else to read your copy for you or if in doubt, organise a professional proofreader to give it the once over instead!
Since we often can't see our own errors, another pair of eyes can make all the difference.
Nikki Cooke is founder of The Word Well, a freelance copywriting service based in Oxfordshire. Along with her technical director Jean, she provides first-class on and offline marketing solutions to small and medium sized businesses. When she's not knee-deep in copy, she can be found blogging away on her 'Copy Break' blog, or submitting articles to various online article sites.
Visit The Word Well at http://www.thewordwell.com/ to find out more.
In short, poor grammar or spelling errors portray an unprofessional image. To avoid unnecessary copy blunders, open your eyes to the following.
What are homophones?
Whether you snoozed through English lessons or simply can't remember, the term homophone is a useful one to know. Homophones are word which sounds the same but are spelt differently and have different meanings. No wonder people have problems with them!
Common spelling mix-ups include:
Affect and Effect
Affect is a verb - to change or influence something. Business is affected by...
Effect is a noun - or a result of something. Marketing can have a huge effect on...
Its and it's
This is a biggie! It's is a contraction or a shortened word for it is. The apostrophe always goes between the t and the s.
Its belongs to or relates to something. 'The company increased its profits.'
Principal and principle
Principal can refer to the first of something. 'The principal reason for...' You can also have a college principal.
A principle is a matter of honour or relating to an idea. You might have business principles or agree in principle with something.
Stationary and stationery
When you're not moving, you are stationary.
Your desk, on the other hand, might be littered with stationery. (Writing materials)
Too and to
Too is an adverb for 'more' and is placed before an adjective to emphasise something positive or negative. 'It's too expensive.'
To is a preposition used before and after verbs. 'A copywriter can help you to...'
Compliment and complement
You might give someone a compliment. 'I'd like to compliment you on your...'
Complement is used when you want to show that something goes with something else. 'Strawberries and cream complement each other...'
License and licence
License is a verb when something is allowed or permitted. So, you can be licensed to fly a plane.
A licence is noun for a permit or permission to do what you want. You might have poetic licence, for example. Or 'Licence to Kill' - if you are James Bond, of course!
Precede and Proceed
Precede means to come before something. You might precede the report with a short introduction.
When you proceed, you continue as planned or go forwards. 'Proceed to the exit...'
Weather and whether
Brits are obsessed with it! The weather is all about the climate.
Whether is a conjunction used when asking questions or expressing doubt. It's another word for 'if' ... whether you like it or not.
Right and write
When you are right, you are correct. Right is also a direction and reference to a political persuasion. And of course, you should know what your rights are by now!
To write is all about writing words or recording something.
Copy clarity
Has that cleared up some confusion for you? The trick is to read your copy several times, ask someone else to read your copy for you or if in doubt, organise a professional proofreader to give it the once over instead!
Since we often can't see our own errors, another pair of eyes can make all the difference.
Nikki Cooke is founder of The Word Well, a freelance copywriting service based in Oxfordshire. Along with her technical director Jean, she provides first-class on and offline marketing solutions to small and medium sized businesses. When she's not knee-deep in copy, she can be found blogging away on her 'Copy Break' blog, or submitting articles to various online article sites.
Visit The Word Well at http://www.thewordwell.com/ to find out more.
Monday, September 21, 2009
How to Write an Effective Email Sales Letter by Linda C Smith
The proliferation of marketing companies that utilize the internet for automatic sales letter distribution has been growing right along with the numbers of independent contractors with network marketing and direct selling companies who use them - as well as all types of businesses and even political campaigns that use them. The "sales letter" has been around a long time. It is designed to be half introduction, half interest enticement that will open the door for the sales person to the potential customer. It is part of the philosophy: customers don't know about your products or business unless you tell them. And, customers won't know how they can purchase your products or services unless you tell them. And, unless you tell them, potential customers may not even realize what value your products or services have for them.
Hence, the Sales Letter.
On the internet, unsolicited letters of this ilk are called "spam." It is unlawful* to send sales letters without the recipients prior approval to receive. Marketing companies have methods of generating leads - a word for someone who has indicated some level of interest in a business, product or service - and build these leads into databases of people who do want to receive information, or "opt in." These databases are structured around all kinds of demographic information that will help the sales person to target just the right market segment with just the right letter.
Crafting an effective sales letter for use in email sales campaigns:
1. Personalize the subject line and beware using words that will trigger an alert spam filter: rather than having a subject line that reads: "Hey Mac! Great Products At Great Prices, get a Free Consultation" - write a subject line that reads: "Hi Mac, wanted to let you know that Business B has a product that might interest you."
In the first example, using "Hey" is just rude. Using too many capital letters in a subject line will usually trigger a spam filter as will the word "free." Remember, your recipient has already agreed to receive sales email letters so the second subject line has enough information in it to let him know (a) that the mail is addressed specifically to him - you used his first name; (b) it mentions your business' name; and (c) it says right in the subject line that you have a product he might be interested in. In this case, "Mac" will be more likely to actually open and read the email letter; in the first example, his spam filter may reject it altogether and "Mac" will never have known of it at all.
2. Once the recipient opens the letter, start it politely with either "Hello Mac," or "Hi Mac," then continue with the body of the letter...remember, just because you are utilizing email as the delivery system, your sales letter should still follow the format of a good letter.
3. The body of the letter should begin with you letting the recipient know you won't take much of his valuable time. Write something like, "I won't take but a moment of your time, but wanted you to know that right now..." or "A quick note to tell you just one more thing that is exciting about our new product line...."
With an opening like this the recipient knows at a glance that (a) you value his time, and (b) you have information he doesn't yet know.
4. The main body of the email sales letter should be short and contain only what is necessary: in the case of a new product, for instance, you could have a short paragraph reading something like this:
-"...Business B has launched a new product: New Product. The new product market is huge...especially in the United States. This new product will bring a whole new market segment to Business B retailers...." Add a website address where the letter recipient can find more detailed information.
5. Conclude your email sales letter with the information that you want to be contacted: don't just end it with 'goodbye' and your signature line. Be gracious. You could use:
* -"...Have a great day. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions - I check email multiple times per day as I'm always excited to discuss this business...."
* -"Phone or Email me anytime and let me know a good time to call you and a phone number to reach you. I'd love to talk with you...."
* -Please feel free to contact me anytime via my business email or phone. We might be in different geographical areas, but we certainly can work as a team...." [this works well with network marketing and direct selling independent contractors who sponsor long distance]
6. Use a gracious signature and include all the pertinent phone, email and/or snail mail address and website addresses necessary - you want the letter recipient to have as many ways of reaching you as possible.
* I hope this is a very good day for you.
* Sales Person
* Business B New Product Representative
* Phone: 000-000-0000
* Email: Salesperson at
* National Website: www Businessb
* ______________________
* Business B, New Product Sales
* 1234 Main Street
* Some City, State, 00000
It goes without saying that grammar and spelling would be checked and double-checked before hitting the "send" button on your sales letter.
Doing business utilizing online internet marketing tools is now part of the sales arsenal of every type of business around the world. Competition is fierce. Let your sales letters stand a better chance by writing the very best letters you can.
*The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act) establishes requirements for those who send commercial email, spells out penalties for spammers and companies whose products are advertised in spam if they violate the law, and gives consumers the right to ask emailers to stop spamming them. The law, which became effective January 1, 2004, covers email whose primary purpose is advertising or promoting a commercial product or service, including content on a Web site. For more information visit www.ftc.gov/spam
Linda C Smith, author and owner of a home-based business. I write a business blog at http://intlnat.com/ where you can also find links to my business. My joy in business is sharing my passion for my products as well as showing others how they can enjoy the benefits of a home business.
Hence, the Sales Letter.
On the internet, unsolicited letters of this ilk are called "spam." It is unlawful* to send sales letters without the recipients prior approval to receive. Marketing companies have methods of generating leads - a word for someone who has indicated some level of interest in a business, product or service - and build these leads into databases of people who do want to receive information, or "opt in." These databases are structured around all kinds of demographic information that will help the sales person to target just the right market segment with just the right letter.
Crafting an effective sales letter for use in email sales campaigns:
1. Personalize the subject line and beware using words that will trigger an alert spam filter: rather than having a subject line that reads: "Hey Mac! Great Products At Great Prices, get a Free Consultation" - write a subject line that reads: "Hi Mac, wanted to let you know that Business B has a product that might interest you."
In the first example, using "Hey" is just rude. Using too many capital letters in a subject line will usually trigger a spam filter as will the word "free." Remember, your recipient has already agreed to receive sales email letters so the second subject line has enough information in it to let him know (a) that the mail is addressed specifically to him - you used his first name; (b) it mentions your business' name; and (c) it says right in the subject line that you have a product he might be interested in. In this case, "Mac" will be more likely to actually open and read the email letter; in the first example, his spam filter may reject it altogether and "Mac" will never have known of it at all.
2. Once the recipient opens the letter, start it politely with either "Hello Mac," or "Hi Mac," then continue with the body of the letter...remember, just because you are utilizing email as the delivery system, your sales letter should still follow the format of a good letter.
3. The body of the letter should begin with you letting the recipient know you won't take much of his valuable time. Write something like, "I won't take but a moment of your time, but wanted you to know that right now..." or "A quick note to tell you just one more thing that is exciting about our new product line...."
With an opening like this the recipient knows at a glance that (a) you value his time, and (b) you have information he doesn't yet know.
4. The main body of the email sales letter should be short and contain only what is necessary: in the case of a new product, for instance, you could have a short paragraph reading something like this:
-"...Business B has launched a new product: New Product. The new product market is huge...especially in the United States. This new product will bring a whole new market segment to Business B retailers...." Add a website address where the letter recipient can find more detailed information.
5. Conclude your email sales letter with the information that you want to be contacted: don't just end it with 'goodbye' and your signature line. Be gracious. You could use:
* -"...Have a great day. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions - I check email multiple times per day as I'm always excited to discuss this business...."
* -"Phone or Email me anytime and let me know a good time to call you and a phone number to reach you. I'd love to talk with you...."
* -Please feel free to contact me anytime via my business email or phone. We might be in different geographical areas, but we certainly can work as a team...." [this works well with network marketing and direct selling independent contractors who sponsor long distance]
6. Use a gracious signature and include all the pertinent phone, email and/or snail mail address and website addresses necessary - you want the letter recipient to have as many ways of reaching you as possible.
* I hope this is a very good day for you.
* Sales Person
* Business B New Product Representative
* Phone: 000-000-0000
* Email: Salesperson at
* National Website: www Businessb
* ______________________
* Business B, New Product Sales
* 1234 Main Street
* Some City, State, 00000
It goes without saying that grammar and spelling would be checked and double-checked before hitting the "send" button on your sales letter.
Doing business utilizing online internet marketing tools is now part of the sales arsenal of every type of business around the world. Competition is fierce. Let your sales letters stand a better chance by writing the very best letters you can.
*The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act) establishes requirements for those who send commercial email, spells out penalties for spammers and companies whose products are advertised in spam if they violate the law, and gives consumers the right to ask emailers to stop spamming them. The law, which became effective January 1, 2004, covers email whose primary purpose is advertising or promoting a commercial product or service, including content on a Web site. For more information visit www.ftc.gov/spam
Linda C Smith, author and owner of a home-based business. I write a business blog at http://intlnat.com/ where you can also find links to my business. My joy in business is sharing my passion for my products as well as showing others how they can enjoy the benefits of a home business.
Learning to Write Well For Your Small Business the Benjamin Franklin Way
When it comes to communicating online, many people think that the rules have changed. Shorter attention spans, eye strain and a general overabundance of information online have lead to sloppy writing and poor article construction. If you are a small business owner or are developing an Internet marketing business, you'll need to learn how to write for the web and write well.
If you feel your writing leaves something to be desired, don't worry... you're in good company. In (title of the paper or book this story is from), Benjamin Franklin shares a story of his quest to improve his writing style. Although his father commended him on his spelling and grammar, his style left much to be desired. Even though Franklin lived centuries before the Internet his own experience with learning to write well can help you present yourself better online.
In his account of improving his writing Franklin makes it clear that the mechanics of his writing were fine. He just needed improvement in his style. This shows that no matter what type of writing you are doing, style is important. Your blog posts, articles for back links and website text should all have a style all your own.
If you feel like you need to develop your style more completely, you can follow the same steps that Benjamin Franklin did in order to improve his style.
1. Read good writing.
Your mind is like a sponge. It will pick up whatever it is exposed to and store it for future use. Unless you spend a lot of time reading good writing, you'll have no idea how to create writing with great style. Make it a habit to read articles and blog posts from well written people in your niche. Even better yet, start reading articles from trade magazines in your industry. A lot of poor writing gets passed off online, but with a full editorial staff most magazine articles have terrific style. Find a few short articles that inspire you and that you can use to improve your style.
2. Do writing exercises to mimic the style of the articles.
Once you've selected a few articles, try to rewrite them from memory. Read the articles several times and then rewrite them one at a time from memory. This will help you internalize the flow and the style of the writing. Do this several times to see how well you remember the article and mimic the style.
3. Correct your writing as needed.
The most important part of the process is to go back through the original article and see where you made mistakes. Maybe you left out an important point or didn't handle a transition particularly well. The point is not to punish yourself or think badly about your writing. You just need to correct your writing to improve your style.
It may take you some time to develop a style of your own and improve your writing. But it will be well worth it when you can communicate well online.
Dan Higby is the author of eBiz Snap, a free newsletter for online marketers of all experience levels. Fill your mind with business snap (wisdom) work hard work smart with rich rewards receive your own complimentary copy of eBiz Snap News Letter. We use and test what we recommend.
If you feel your writing leaves something to be desired, don't worry... you're in good company. In (title of the paper or book this story is from), Benjamin Franklin shares a story of his quest to improve his writing style. Although his father commended him on his spelling and grammar, his style left much to be desired. Even though Franklin lived centuries before the Internet his own experience with learning to write well can help you present yourself better online.
In his account of improving his writing Franklin makes it clear that the mechanics of his writing were fine. He just needed improvement in his style. This shows that no matter what type of writing you are doing, style is important. Your blog posts, articles for back links and website text should all have a style all your own.
If you feel like you need to develop your style more completely, you can follow the same steps that Benjamin Franklin did in order to improve his style.
1. Read good writing.
Your mind is like a sponge. It will pick up whatever it is exposed to and store it for future use. Unless you spend a lot of time reading good writing, you'll have no idea how to create writing with great style. Make it a habit to read articles and blog posts from well written people in your niche. Even better yet, start reading articles from trade magazines in your industry. A lot of poor writing gets passed off online, but with a full editorial staff most magazine articles have terrific style. Find a few short articles that inspire you and that you can use to improve your style.
2. Do writing exercises to mimic the style of the articles.
Once you've selected a few articles, try to rewrite them from memory. Read the articles several times and then rewrite them one at a time from memory. This will help you internalize the flow and the style of the writing. Do this several times to see how well you remember the article and mimic the style.
3. Correct your writing as needed.
The most important part of the process is to go back through the original article and see where you made mistakes. Maybe you left out an important point or didn't handle a transition particularly well. The point is not to punish yourself or think badly about your writing. You just need to correct your writing to improve your style.
It may take you some time to develop a style of your own and improve your writing. But it will be well worth it when you can communicate well online.
Dan Higby is the author of eBiz Snap, a free newsletter for online marketers of all experience levels. Fill your mind with business snap (wisdom) work hard work smart with rich rewards receive your own complimentary copy of eBiz Snap News Letter. We use and test what we recommend.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Seven Easy Ways to Improve Your Writing--and Gain a Competitive Edge at Work
Today's competitive job market means applicants are working overtime writing their résumés and cover letters; once they get an interview, some candidates are required to take writing tests. And workers who survived downsizing? Many face increased writing tasks--without the confidence or skills to do a good job.
Today, the lack of good writing skills affects businesses of all sizes. Delta Air Lines Chief Executive Richard Anderson stated in an April 26th New York Times interview that he'd like to see more people using cogent, complete sentences--beyond PowerPoint and a bunch of bulleted words.
"More and more, the ability to speak well and write is important…writing is not something that is taught as strongly as it should be in the educational curriculum," Anderson said. "…People really have to be able to handle the written and spoken word."
According to Lynda McDaniel, director of the Association for Creative Business Writing, writers in the workplace can take some easy steps to improve their writing immediately.
"In today's economy, people need to set themselves apart from the pack. Good writing is one of the best and easiest ways to achieve that," she says. "They may not have the time or resources to go back to school, but everyone can start writing better today."
Better than school
McDaniel's latest book, "Words @ Work: Powerful business writing delivers increased sales, improved results, and even a promotion or two," helps fill the gaps between what we learned in school--or didn't learn--and what we need on the job. She often hears her students say, "They sure don't teach this in school!" when they learn tools and techniques, such as:
Seven Easy Ways to Start Writing Better Today!
1. Let it rip.
Brainstorm with yourself. Jot down everything you can think of about the topic: your audience, what they need, what you can offer them, what's in it for them, etc. Then organize those thoughts into a rough outline, most important information first, and so on.
2. Write first drafts fast.
Now start writing--fast. This is a great way to overcome the fear of writing. Just do it. Don't worry about typos and verb tenses--yet. Besides, if you edit as you go, you slow yourself down and even block some creative thinking.
3. Cut, catch, and correct.
Now spend the time you saved in Step #2 to edit several times. With each run-through, you'll spot more writing mistakes. Good writing is really good editing.
4. To be or not to be?
Change 50 percent of your to-be verbs (is, are, were) to vivid verbs. It wakes up your writing--and your readers. "The deadline looms" grabs more attention than "The deadline is today."
5. Break it up.
Use headlines, subheads, white spaces, bullets, and numbers to break up your writing. This works especially well in e-mail. If it looks too dense or boring, people just delete it.
6. Write to your readers.
Speaking of readers, be sure to write to them, not at them. Instead of dumping information on them, craft your message so it solves a problem, offers advantages, or explains how they'll be better off.
7. Sleep on it.
Rest and let your writing rest. Then edit and proof again with fresh insights. If you can't wait that long, at least take a break--grab lunch, sip coffee, or walk around the block. Then print it out and proof again. (For some reason we catch more goofs and gaffs in hard copy.)
Website: http://www.lyndamcdaniel.com/afcbw.asp
Today, the lack of good writing skills affects businesses of all sizes. Delta Air Lines Chief Executive Richard Anderson stated in an April 26th New York Times interview that he'd like to see more people using cogent, complete sentences--beyond PowerPoint and a bunch of bulleted words.
"More and more, the ability to speak well and write is important…writing is not something that is taught as strongly as it should be in the educational curriculum," Anderson said. "…People really have to be able to handle the written and spoken word."
According to Lynda McDaniel, director of the Association for Creative Business Writing, writers in the workplace can take some easy steps to improve their writing immediately.
"In today's economy, people need to set themselves apart from the pack. Good writing is one of the best and easiest ways to achieve that," she says. "They may not have the time or resources to go back to school, but everyone can start writing better today."
Better than school
McDaniel's latest book, "Words @ Work: Powerful business writing delivers increased sales, improved results, and even a promotion or two," helps fill the gaps between what we learned in school--or didn't learn--and what we need on the job. She often hears her students say, "They sure don't teach this in school!" when they learn tools and techniques, such as:
Seven Easy Ways to Start Writing Better Today!
1. Let it rip.
Brainstorm with yourself. Jot down everything you can think of about the topic: your audience, what they need, what you can offer them, what's in it for them, etc. Then organize those thoughts into a rough outline, most important information first, and so on.
2. Write first drafts fast.
Now start writing--fast. This is a great way to overcome the fear of writing. Just do it. Don't worry about typos and verb tenses--yet. Besides, if you edit as you go, you slow yourself down and even block some creative thinking.
3. Cut, catch, and correct.
Now spend the time you saved in Step #2 to edit several times. With each run-through, you'll spot more writing mistakes. Good writing is really good editing.
4. To be or not to be?
Change 50 percent of your to-be verbs (is, are, were) to vivid verbs. It wakes up your writing--and your readers. "The deadline looms" grabs more attention than "The deadline is today."
5. Break it up.
Use headlines, subheads, white spaces, bullets, and numbers to break up your writing. This works especially well in e-mail. If it looks too dense or boring, people just delete it.
6. Write to your readers.
Speaking of readers, be sure to write to them, not at them. Instead of dumping information on them, craft your message so it solves a problem, offers advantages, or explains how they'll be better off.
7. Sleep on it.
Rest and let your writing rest. Then edit and proof again with fresh insights. If you can't wait that long, at least take a break--grab lunch, sip coffee, or walk around the block. Then print it out and proof again. (For some reason we catch more goofs and gaffs in hard copy.)
Website: http://www.lyndamcdaniel.com/afcbw.asp
Rapid-fire Conversation About English Language Instruction
The rapid-fire conversation about English language instruction is diverse and far-reaching so Ballard & Tighe, Publishers (www.ballard-tighe.com) has launched social networking sites to encourage the discourse.
Ballard & Tighe has set up a blog as well as a corporate presence on Facebook and LinkedIn so that educators and administrators can join the conversation about pedagogy, policy, and progress with English learners. The Ballard & Tighe blog is a diverse collection of commentary and reference materials, and it includes links to informative articles and other blogs that can inspire fresh dialog about English language learners.
"As we build our social media presence, these sites will allow educators to get to know us better while we focus on providing valuable content," said Mark Espinola, CEO of Ballard & Tighe. "We have over 33 years of experience in this industry and access to thousands of teachers who live and breathe this topic. We hope to give educators serving English language learners a distinctive voice and a source to find information."
LinkedIn profile: Ballard & Tighe
Facebook profile: Ballard & Tighe
Blog: http://www.ballardtighe.blogspot.com/
Ballard & Tighe has set up a blog as well as a corporate presence on Facebook and LinkedIn so that educators and administrators can join the conversation about pedagogy, policy, and progress with English learners. The Ballard & Tighe blog is a diverse collection of commentary and reference materials, and it includes links to informative articles and other blogs that can inspire fresh dialog about English language learners.
"As we build our social media presence, these sites will allow educators to get to know us better while we focus on providing valuable content," said Mark Espinola, CEO of Ballard & Tighe. "We have over 33 years of experience in this industry and access to thousands of teachers who live and breathe this topic. We hope to give educators serving English language learners a distinctive voice and a source to find information."
LinkedIn profile: Ballard & Tighe
Facebook profile: Ballard & Tighe
Blog: http://www.ballardtighe.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Who Or Whom? One Tip to Help You Use Proper Grammar by Elizabeth O'brien
Using proper grammar when it comes to choosing who or whom can be tricky. Or, it seems tricky. That's probably because you were never taught how to tell when to use each of these.
There is a clear distinction between the two words and knowing this little difference will help you to confidently choose the right word in the right context.
"Who" is always a subject, and "whom" is always an object.
That's it! That means that any time you want to use a subject, choose "who."
Who ate my cookie?
Who is coming to my concert?
Anytime that you want to use an object, choose "whom."
Whom did you call?
"Whom" is the direct object of the verb "did call."
With whom are you going to the movies?
"Whom" is the object of the preposition "with."
Just knowing that will help you to use proper grammar in your speech and writing.
If you feel like this information has not been the least bit useful, it is probably because you are still learning to tell the difference between subjects and objects. If that is so, you are in luck. There is an easy way out of this whole who/whom business.
You can use the trusty "him test."
While you may not know when to use "who" and "whom", I'll bet that you know when to use "he" and "him."
You simply insert the word "he" or "him" into your sentence and see which one sounds right. If "he" sounds right, use "who." If "him" sounds right, use "whom."
He/Him ate my cookie?
Who/Whom ate my cookie?
It's a little funny when it comes to questions. In order to perform this test on questions, it is helpful to turn them into statements.
He/Him did you send the card to? =
You did send the card to he/him.
You did send the card to who/whom.
And there you have it. Now, you'll be able to choose the right word every time and choose it with confidence!
Elizabeth O'Brien invites you to learn more about English grammar at her website http://www.english-grammar-revolution.com.
You'll find lists of the English parts of speech as well as lessons and exercises to help you learn or teach proper grammar.
There is a clear distinction between the two words and knowing this little difference will help you to confidently choose the right word in the right context.
"Who" is always a subject, and "whom" is always an object.
That's it! That means that any time you want to use a subject, choose "who."
Who ate my cookie?
Who is coming to my concert?
Anytime that you want to use an object, choose "whom."
Whom did you call?
"Whom" is the direct object of the verb "did call."
With whom are you going to the movies?
"Whom" is the object of the preposition "with."
Just knowing that will help you to use proper grammar in your speech and writing.
If you feel like this information has not been the least bit useful, it is probably because you are still learning to tell the difference between subjects and objects. If that is so, you are in luck. There is an easy way out of this whole who/whom business.
You can use the trusty "him test."
While you may not know when to use "who" and "whom", I'll bet that you know when to use "he" and "him."
You simply insert the word "he" or "him" into your sentence and see which one sounds right. If "he" sounds right, use "who." If "him" sounds right, use "whom."
He/Him ate my cookie?
Who/Whom ate my cookie?
It's a little funny when it comes to questions. In order to perform this test on questions, it is helpful to turn them into statements.
He/Him did you send the card to? =
You did send the card to he/him.
You did send the card to who/whom.
And there you have it. Now, you'll be able to choose the right word every time and choose it with confidence!
Elizabeth O'Brien invites you to learn more about English grammar at her website http://www.english-grammar-revolution.com.
You'll find lists of the English parts of speech as well as lessons and exercises to help you learn or teach proper grammar.
Website Offers The Future of Storytelling
RolePages.com (http://RolePages.com) was launched as a fairly simple idea, to create a social networking community, like myspace, facebook, or linkedin, except with one major difference. On this website, you would be encouraged to sign up as someone other than yourself, a fictional character that you create.
The process was similar to other popular social communities. Users create a profile, upload a picture, fill out some information, and fabricate a life around whatever character they have imagined.
Then the site itself consists of a variety of ways to create stories and interact with other members stories. There are basic elements such as a chat room, a forum, and a blog system, that makes up the basic skeleton of the communities features. These applications are enhanced through the use of worlds, a group feature that allows members to create a mini site based around a storyline of their choosing.
Other features such as profile walls and individual activity feeds give members the ability to keep up with one another’s storylines, and to interact with them on a regular basis. This allows stories to take on an endless number of characters, as new members shift roles in order to further plot.
The plot can be further enhanced through the submission of videos, music, and pictures, which allow members to flesh out their plot lines across a variety of media.
The site launched with a small core membership of writers, which is already starting to balloon, and initial activity has resulted in the creation of dozens of storylines across all of the different media outlets on the site. This has the potential of changing the way stories are written on into the future.
The process was similar to other popular social communities. Users create a profile, upload a picture, fill out some information, and fabricate a life around whatever character they have imagined.
Then the site itself consists of a variety of ways to create stories and interact with other members stories. There are basic elements such as a chat room, a forum, and a blog system, that makes up the basic skeleton of the communities features. These applications are enhanced through the use of worlds, a group feature that allows members to create a mini site based around a storyline of their choosing.
Other features such as profile walls and individual activity feeds give members the ability to keep up with one another’s storylines, and to interact with them on a regular basis. This allows stories to take on an endless number of characters, as new members shift roles in order to further plot.
The plot can be further enhanced through the submission of videos, music, and pictures, which allow members to flesh out their plot lines across a variety of media.
The site launched with a small core membership of writers, which is already starting to balloon, and initial activity has resulted in the creation of dozens of storylines across all of the different media outlets on the site. This has the potential of changing the way stories are written on into the future.
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