Monthly Archives: April 2011

The first annual Squirmy awards

Posted on April 27, 2011 by

Everyone’s seen them: sentences, phrases or whole publications so awful they literally made you squirm. In honor of appalling writing–and the people who make it happen–I’ve created this sure-to-be-coveted annual trophy. Early submissions include: “Out to the yard, where fantasy … Continue reading →

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In praise of humane writing

Posted on April 24, 2011 by

Reader and Renaissance man Bob Parker brought my attention to Alfred Kahn, economist and former head of the Civil Aeronautics Board, who was perhaps best known for a memo he circulated in 1977 containing guidelines for the avoidance of “gobbledygook” … Continue reading →

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Fun for the whole office

Posted on April 22, 2011 by

I’ve been enjoying a reader recommendation for a website called Unsuck It, which offers definitions of the “douchiest” corporate words and phrases. They’ve done pretty well with the basics, although I can think of at least 50 annoying terms that … Continue reading →

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A tale told by an idiom, full of sound and fury

Posted on April 18, 2011 by

Ragan.com has given me a bully pulpit once again: Check out 4 rules for using idioms in your writing, including current favorites like “he’s peeing on my leg, but it’s warm and it feels good.”

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When in doubt, leave it out

Posted on April 14, 2011 by

I’ve been reading about cover letter and resume snafus–some of them real doozies. One woman gave the owner of an escort service as a reference. A programmer’s cover letter ended with the line, “I look forward to negotiating my salary, … Continue reading →

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Circle the wagons and bark like a dog

Posted on April 8, 2011 by

It’s been an amazing week for office-speak. Between the hallway, the elevator, the conference room and the copy center, I heard the following: “I’m in concert with the sales team.” “Let’s cascade this memo.” “It pleasures me to inform you….” … Continue reading →

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Now if only we could eliminate gender bias in life

Posted on April 4, 2011 by

My latest Ragan.com rag–on ways to minimize gender bias in your writing–is here. Please read and comment!  

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Unreasonable requests: how do you push back?

Posted on April 3, 2011 by

Some jobs or projects have clearly defined boundaries. But many of us end up taking on  responsibilities that aren’t listed in the job description. This works out fine as long as the redefined job is properly resourced, properly valued, and … Continue reading →

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