Trafcom News

Remember typewriters?

This lovely story in the BBC News brings back memories of my old typewriter. I wish I could say that I once possessed a vintage Underwood, but my first machine was actually a Smith Corona electric, which my parents delighted me with at Christmas. I guess I was already a nerd in eighth grade, looking forward to handing in neatly composed reports in high school. (Wait a minute, I asked for go-go boots, too, so I wasn’t too much of a geek.)

An expert typist herself, Mom gave me little stickers to cover the letters on the keys, and I dutifully taught myself to touch type. In grad school I owned a Brother electric, but it didn’t have the beautiful feel of the Smith Corona.

Years later, when my kids were little I remember hauling the Brother machine up from the basement before selling it. They looked at it curiously: “But what do you DO with it?” After I explained, they asked: “But where is the SCREEN?”

Some writers still swear by the typewriter as a way to boost creativity, but the Mac has spoiled me, ever since I replaced my electric typewriter with my first Apple in 1984. Do YOU own a typewriter?

NOTE: I am attempting to post this using TypePad’s mobile blogging service, so if it looks funny, that’s why.
UPDATE:  It did post, but the formatting was off and I couldn't add a category, so I've gone into the app to fix it.

Why clear communication is like hand washing

You can’t help notice all the stories in the Canadian media about drug-resistant germs in hospitals, rampant infections, and a low rate of handwashing by healthcare workers. As reported in the Globe and Mail:

With only 40 per cent of health-care providers in Canada properly washing their hands, experts say, infection prevention has become a hot-button issue.

As a consumer of healthcare, I wonder: Geez, I wash my hands before I prepare a ham-and-cheese sandwich, so why aren’t these hospital people scrubbing up before poking and prodding people with sharp instruments?
 
Here’s the answer, again from the Globe:

The problem of poor hand hygiene has confounded some of the best scientific minds in search of a solution. There have been poster campaigns and buttons... Some of the problem has been attributed to a perception deficit: Many health-care workers think they are already doing a good job of washing their hands.

So that’s it: They think they’re already doing it. Just like clear communication. If you were to ask the typical corporate employee if he communicates clearly, I’d bet he’d say: “Of course I do.” Then take a look at his latest email, report or PowerPoint presentation. What do you see? Meaningless subject lines, noun phrases of five words or more, the passive voice, a main point buried in the fourth paragraph of turgid text, run-on sentences, and stunning vagueness.

What’s the answer here? I wish I knew. Just as hospitals are running campaigns to boost handwashing (some with dubious incentives – doughnuts, anyone?), perhaps organizations need to focus on educating employees to communicate clearly, and reward them for doing so. What do you think? What do you see in YOUR company?

Here’s what can happen when you skimp on copy editing

I admit it. I cringe when reading novels or non-fiction riddled with errors. (I find it hard to ignore spelling and grammatical bloopers on menus, too, but that’s another story.)

Well, here’s an example of one publisher who actually recalled a poorly proofed book and reprinted it.

Lesson: allow time and money in your project for editing and proofing!

Book review: How to Write a Non-Fiction Book in 60 Days

In this guide to writing a non-fiction book quickly and painlessly, Paul Lima outlines the entire process step by step, emphasizing that:

• It takes an idea.
• It takes purpose.
• It takes knowledge of your reader.
• It takes time.

But that’s not all. He goes into great detail, with an engaging and highly readable approach, sharing his hard-won advice on how you can get organized, conduct your research, produce an outline, and then start churning out copy. He also shares his successful experience with publishing on demand through Lulu.com.

I wish I’d had Paul’s How to Write a Non-Fiction Book in 60 Days when I wrote a parenting book about 10 years ago. I stumbled my way through the process, and I happened  upon some of the techniques that he describes in the book. However, if you have a book in you – waiting to get out –  I’d advise that you avoid the trip-ups typical of the first-time author, and follow Paul’s guidance instead. You’ll be glad you did.

Paul Lima is a freelance writer, author and writing trainer. You can read more about his books online at www.paullima.com/books. You’ll find this particular title here.

Do you end the interview too soon?

Have you ever experienced premature interview termination? Here’s how it goes: At the end of an interview – whether it’s for a magazine article, corporate newsletter piece or podcast – you thank the subject, snap your notebook shut and switch off your recorder. In the chatter that follows, your interviewee utters the most quotable quote of the last half hour.

I can’t tell you how many times this has happened to me. So, over the years, I’ve learned to not turn off the recorder until the last possible minute – way beyond the thank-yous – and to keep my pen poised to capture every juicy bit.  Half the time, the best material emanates from those last comments.

There’s a lesson here for the interview subject too: Don’t assume that what you believe to be an off-hand comment won’t actually be on the record. (Of course, in the corporate world, endless rounds of approvals will ensure that the final product won’t violate anyone’s sensibilities; for external publications, it’s a different matter.)

What do you think?

Reprise: The Bible in 50 words

I ran this in my blog a few years ago, but decided to revisit it. I hope you like it.

As communicators, we’re often asked to edit material for clarity or to fit a certain space. Well, imagine distilling the Bible down to 50 words. In this Easter season, I though I’d share this with you as an example of the brilliance of brevity. (Note, I have no affiliation with the denomination or the church cited as the source; this was emailed to me long ago and I’ve kept it in my files ever since.)

The Bible in 50 Words 

God made 
Adam bit 
Noah arked 
Abraham split 
Jacob fooled 
Joseph ruled 
Bush talked 
Moses balked 
Pharaoh plagued 
People walked 
Sea divided 
Tablets guided 
Promise landed 
Saul freaked 
David peeked 
Prophets warned 
Jesus born 
God walked 
Love talked 
Anger crucified 
Hope died 
Love rose 
Spirit flamed 
Word spread 
God remained 

Source: LIFE, newsletter of St. Philip's Lutheran Church, Etobicoke, Ontario 

I ran this in my blog a few years ago, but decided to revisit it. I hope you like it.

As communicators, we’re often asked to edit material for clarity or to fit a certain space. Well, imagine distilling the Bible down to 50 words. In this Easter season, I though I’d share this with you as an example of the brilliance of brevity. (Note, I have no affiliation with the denomination or the church cited as the source; this was emailed to me long ago and I’ve kept it in my files ever since.)

The Bible in 50 Words 

God made 
Adam bit 
Noah arked 
Abraham split 
Jacob fooled 
Joseph ruled 
Bush talked 
Moses balked 
Pharaoh plagued 
People walked 
Sea divided 
Tablets guided 
Promise landed 
Saul freaked 
David peeked 
Prophets warned 
Jesus born 
God walked 
Love talked 
Anger crucified 
Hope died 
Love rose 
Spirit flamed 
Word spread 
God remained 

Source: LIFE, newsletter of St. Philip's Lutheran Church, Etobicoke, Ontario 

Top 10 grammar myths

Grammar Girl (a.k.a. Mignon Fogarty) has put together a nice list of what she considers the top 10 grammar myths. I think she’s spot on! (Well, except for irregardless as a bona fide word. Yikes! How can it be so???)

Her list transports me back to sixth grade, when Sister Grace Agnes lorded over us with her hard-and-fast English-language rules – rules I break almost daily. Ha!

10. A run-on sentence is a really long sentence.
9. You shouldn't start a sentence with the word however.
8. Irregardless is not a word.
7. There is only one way to write the possessive form of a word that ends in s.
6. Passive voice is always wrong.
5. I.e. and e.g. mean the same thing.
4. You use a before words that start with consonants and an before words that start with vowels.
3. It's incorrect to answer the question "How are you?" with the statement "I'm good."
2. You shouldn't split infinitives.
1. You shouldn't end a sentence with a preposition.

Read her post to get the full skinny.

YES WE CAN: Like music to their ears

My colleague John Watkis is a gifted speaker and speechwriter who delivers a great talk on “Writing a Speech that’s Like Music to their Ears.”  This morning, John alerted me to a video made by will.I.am of Black Eyed Peas, setting to music a speech by U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama.

In John’s words: “This is the literal translation of making a speech sound like music to their ears. It’s an amazing video! Take five minutes to watch it.”

I agree. No matter what your political stripe, you have to admire Senator Obama’s powerful ability to inspire people through his words.

Matthew Stibbe on “When copywriting is not the answer”

Matthew Stibbe describes something that many writers have experienced  – that rather sick feeling of much responsibility falling on the copywriter’s head, with no genuine strategy or support in place.

Here are some of the warning signs of trouble:

• The absence of any coherent marketing plan or strategy, just “we need to sort out marketing.”
• Vague, non-specific briefs. Even if I draft a brief for them, there is sometimes an expectation that I’ll do “more” somehow.
• Being asked to attend lots of meetings that don’t actually produce decisions or confirm briefs but just help them think through their troubles.
• When I’m asked to comment on or contribute to areas that aren’t really my primary expertise.
• They want me to be a kind of surrogate marketing director.

Does this ring familiar for YOU?

Bryan’s social-media résumé makeover

Take a look at Bryan Person’s social-media résumé. I like its clarity of language,  organization and refreshing overall appearance. Do read the comments on Bryan's blog for insights from others.

In some industries, you may still need a traditional résumé. But if you’re entrenched in the social-media space and have a broad online presence, this type of CV might be right for you.

Nice work, Bryan.