Write This, Not That
I bet you've mastered the difference between except and accept, than and then, even affect and effect. You take the trouble to learn these things, or you wouldn't be reading my e-letter. The suggestions below [...]
Be Brave. Start Over.
The purpose of a first draft of almost any piece of writing is different from the purpose of the final piece. The first draft gets your ideas out on paper. It helps you figure out what you have to say and how to say it. In revising, you do a 180-degree turn.
Tall = Small?
Starbucks has established its own language with its own dictionary. But Starbucks is an experienced driver on a closed course. Do not try this at home.
5 Ways to Cut Clutter
Getting rid of the clutter in your communications makes your writing more efficient and effective. Readers should not have to sift through a lot of superfluous paragraphs, sentences, or even words in order to get at what you're trying to say.
Pack It Up
Purpose, audiences, and expectations - put them together and you've got conventions: rules about how to write a particular kind of communication.