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WebProNews: New Wikipedia Editing System Being Weighed

Andy — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:39:59 GMT

WebProNews: New Wikipedia Editing System Being Weighed

Read article.

Head Ingredients: Powerful Noun. Powerful Adjective. Powerful Verb.

Andy — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 06:08:30 GMT

Readers may glance at it for a few seconds or not even notice at all. Headlines are fun to write -- the key is to get it right. It's a tease. Besides an interactive photo that helps "tell" the story, the headline can help make a difference between an article being read or passed over.

Just take a look at the home page for NYTimes.com or washingtonpost.com. With the exception of graphics and photos, it's full of headlines. What grabs your attention? Not every story has a photo flush left or right of the headline. Will the lack of a sexy graphic make the difference between a user clicking on the head or does the head alone inspire him to read the story?

In Writing Headlines for Print: Poetry in Notion, Sara Quinn opines about Web and print headlines.

Perhaps the most interesting and useful portion of Quinn's blog posting is Chris Wienandt's advice on head writing. Wienandt, president of the American Copy Editors Society, says it boils down to what the story is about. He recommends against obsessing about the head count.

"Find the nut graph and begin to craft it in headline-ese. Then focus on making it more and more succinct," he says.

What's the Deal With Vague, Unclear and Ambiguous?

Andy — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:30:21 GMT

The 3 words you never want a prospective employer to use to describe your resume is vague, unclear and/or ambiguous, writes Max Messmer at ScrippsNews.com.

Help Your Bundle of Joy Master English

Andy — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:14:01 GMT

"So how does writing begin? It begins with the alphabet," writes a blogger on ProudParenting.com.

"Teach your child the traditional alphabet song or just have her recite the alphabet. Always treat this as a game. Reciting the alphabet should be as fun as singing a song or reciting a favorite nursery rhyme." <snip>

If you're a parent, plan on having kids or simply enjoy expanding your horizons, you may be interested in reading the entire posting.

It's Here and it's ...

Andy — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:22:46 GMT

... the AP stylebook's latest edition.

Considering the new words that are now commonly used in both the blogosphere and print, those of us who adhere to AP style have patiently waited for the new edition. Obviously, so have the folks at one of the local papers -- The Frederick News Post.

Ask the Editor — Bullied and buoyed by AP style

PS: AP's Web site includes an Ask the Editor area -- light reading that may interest you too. Check it out at http://www.apstylebook.com/ask_editor.php.

Vocabulary Matters

Andy — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 18:20:52 GMT

Ever think about the number of words you know or use in your writing or daily conversations?

Read article at StarTribune.com.

Language is Evolving, Not Decaying

Andy — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:38:40 GMT

Is instant messaging a threat to language as we know it? Not a chance. While many of us are typing "LOL" and "IOW" into our cell phones and PDAs, we're also doing something that's good for us all -- we're writing.

"Contrary to the view that abbreviations and cute emoticons are at the radical edge of English language, the researchers found that the hybrid of written and spoken language is actually more conservative than speech alone," writes the Boston Globe's Carolyn Y. Johnson in a recent opinion piece, "Is instant messaging killing off the language? LOL."

Still, there's some reason to worry. Johnson writes that, "People are doing less proofreading and putting more emphasis on getting a message out than crafting it well," when instant messaging.

Johnson provides several studies that have shown the increased popularity of instant messaging. One such study, "Linguistic Ruin? LOL! Instant Messaging and Teen Language,” tracked more than 70 teens in Canada, one million instant message words and 250,000 spoken words throughout a three-year period. What did they discover? Researchers "found that the hybrid of written and spoken language is actually more conservative than speech alone."

Of course, the next time you craft an instant message, you can always spend the few extra precious moments to include a period at the end of your sentence and apostrophe toward the end of your contractions. Oh, and don't forget to proofread it too.

Online Ad $$ Expected $106 Billion by 2011

Andy — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 07:14:00 GMT

"Come 2011, the U.S. will continue to hold the lead in online ad spending. Central and Eastern Europe are expected to achieve the biggest objective increases." <snip>

Read article at WebProNews.

WSJ Reports on New Google Tools

Andy — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:17:16 GMT

Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports that Google is positioned to soon unveil two new tools.

First, a way for advertisers to determine which Web sites their target audiences visit most (e.g. measure Internet use). Second, a tool that gives advertisers the data to know how Web users respond to ads. What does that mean to consumers and advertisers?

"Marketers are hungry for research that helps them compare the results of offline and online ads so that they can allocate their marketing budgets more intelligently," writes WSJ's Emily Steel. "Google could be positioned to serve this one-stop-shopping role."

Read article.

What's Your Top 10 Writer Blogs?

Andy — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 18:35:16 GMT

Recently, I came across a decent listing of writer blogs and figured others might find interesting.

My favorites? Tom Chandler's blog, Copywriter Underground. Another is Brian Clark's Copyblogger, with loads of excellent advice and helpful tips.

Good stuff.

PS: Do you dig bloggers and crave more information on pop, culture, gadgets, politics and more? The 50 "most influential" are listed here.

Applying for a Job? Here's Tips From an Expert.

Andy — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 06:10:49 GMT

Before you apply for a job or even browse the classifieds, read what Lily Whiteman has to share.

Best known for outstanding career advice and her book Get Hired!, Whiteman offers several valuable tips how to get the most from a job application.

Whiteman covers everything from what to emphasize in an application to how to best pitch your skills and talents.

Check it out at the FederalTimes.com's career section. While you're there, bookmark the site and visit often for new articles.

Slow Landing Pages Now Cost (Even) More

Andy — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:09:22 GMT

Everyone knows that a Web site cluttered with ads is bad news. Well, Google is bringing that message home. And that's a good thing.

Read all about it.

And, while you're there, read up on Google's corporate philosophy. Ten things that really do make sense. (BTW, number 3 is the rationale behind the landing page business.)

AP to Set Guidelines for Using Its Articles in Blogs

Andy — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:54:01 GMT

... The A.P.’s effort to impose some guidelines on the free-wheeling blogosphere, where extensive quoting and even copying of entire news articles is common, may offer a prominent definition of the important but vague doctrine of “fair use,” which holds that copyright owners cannot ban others from using small bits of their works under some circumstances. ...

Read entire article (NYTimes, 16 June 2008).

Pitching Bloggers -- Writing it Just Right

Andy — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:42:31 GMT

Online Marketer's key elements for pitching bloggers:

Short
Introduction
Description
Seduction
Help
Transparency
Tone

Read more, including a brief description of each key element.

'The Trap'

Andy — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:28:15 GMT

Avoiding The Trap
By Roy Peter Clark, Poynter Online's Writing Tools

My errors in grammar and usage are more embarrassing than yours. Like the preacher caught with the prostitute, like the dentist with bad teeth, like the insane psychiatrist, the language expert who stumbles risks becoming a laughingstock.

My mistakes come from inattention, haste, or careless proofreading, but some come from ignorance. ...

<snip>

Strategies to avoid The Trap:

1. During revision and proofreading, pay special attention to sentences in which subject and verb are separated.

2. If you fall into the trap, save the sentence in a notebook as a reminder of your vulnerability.

3. Even if separated subject and verb agree, try to rewrite the sentence in a way that brings them closer together on behalf of the reader.

4. Try to get away from a draft of your story for a few minutes, even when on deadline. Your proofreading eye will sharpen with some distance from the text.

<snip>

Read more.

Proofreading Job Application Materials Remains Crucial

Andy — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 08:35:42 GMT

Read article.

Added value: Read about the Canadian Coast Guard in the same issue. Great accompanying photo too.

Word-of-Mouse

Andy — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 21:30:29 GMT

Considering an e-book? Interested in learning more about viral marketing? Or, want to read about how word-of-mouse works?

Check out David Meerman Scott's free download.

Loads of excellent tips on writing and promoting both copy and video (pages 8-9; 14; 15; and 23-25).

The 'SMART' Model Looks Good

Andy — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 05:59:10 GMT

A recent Google alert included a link to an article in the Statesman Journal. Toward the end, the writer mentions the "SMART" model.

S = Specific

M = Measurable

A = Agreed

R = Realistic

T = Time Lined

Try it out. Write it in your daily notepad or scribble it on to your magic marker board. Next time you're outlining goals, see if SMART helps you define goal objectives and milestones.

Read article. More on SMART.

PS: If you're in business or just want to stay on top of issues the interest you, we highly recommend Google Alerts.

Writing Mistakes Can 'Undermine Credibility'

Andy — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:44:13 GMT

You may be an expert in your field, however, if you make errors in your writing, you will loose credibility. Although the number and complexity of grammatical rules is daunting, flaunting them will make you seem uneducated, careless and a poor proofreader. That said, people shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. To do so would be poor judgement which is all too common these days.

There are errors in the above paragraph. Can you identify the writing mistakes?

Read the Star Tribune article by Stephen Wilbers and find out.

And, check out the author's Web site for more about writing.

Over Here, We Found Two

Andy — Sat, 31 May 2008 20:43:52 GMT

Last year, Technorati was tracking over 70 million blogs. Today, there are many more. Seems like just about everyone trolling the Web has a blog. And that's a good thing. Lots of writing practice.

Every so often there's a blog that seems fun and interesting -- and maybe a bit different. It could be the content, design or style. Here are two finds.

blog.metrolingua.com

www.blogherald.com

The first one is well written, with interesting commentary and a relaxed tone. The second has lots of information, interviews, tips and opinion.

Check 'em out.