The Writer’s Duty
“A writer has the duty to be good, not lousy; true, not false; lively, not dull; accurate, not full of error. He should tend to lift people up, not lower them down. Writers do not merely reflect and interpret life, …
The Power of the Pen
How powerful are words? Powerful enough to spark — and sustain — a revolution. These were written by Thomas Paine in December 1776: These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in …
When Not To Pull Yourself Up By Your Bootstraps
A long time ago, I heard the term “bootstrapping” described as a journalistic no-no in the newspaper world. It meant inflating the credibility of a source. I haven’t seen the word used that way in years, but I see examples …
Standing Still with the Sun
“Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air’s salubrity.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson
We Don’t Stand For Much
Your typical mission statement is a glowing, intended-to-be inspiring description of everything an enterprise believes in. But the other day I read an article arguing that one way to establish your brand is to proclaim what you stand against. And …
What Fresh Hell Is This
I heard two different versions of a news story the other day. Both were aired by major American broadcasters. One of them bugged me. “British Prime Minister David Cameron has called an emergency cabinet meeting…” “There was a bizarre incident …
Writing Advice from the 18th Century
“True ease in writing comes from art, not chance, As those move easiest who have learn’d to dance.” –Alexander Pope (1688-1744) From “An Essay on Criticism”
An Apostrophe Catastrophe
Mother’s Day. Patriots’ Day. Veterans Day. I’ve had to use all three in recent writings and spent more than a few minutes trying to figure out where–and whether–to use the apostrophe. So I found this piece in The Wall Street Journal especially …
For Attribution: Mother’s Day
“She brought you forth out of the cloud of genetics and fed and clothed you and taught you to wipe yourself and say Please and Thank you and never expected you to pay her back, only that you behave appropriately …
For Attribution: An Injured War Photographer’s Words to Boston Bombing Victims
There are two kinds of reporters in television news. The ones who make themselves the boring, cookie-cutter center of every story. And the ones who know how to step aside and use quotes, sound, images–plus a few choice words of …
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