Talking Fashion—With a Clear Voice
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- On June 23, 2020
In this edition of Say It Better Say It Right, the president of Hearst Magazines comments on the new editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar magazine.
Striking the Right Tone—During a Pandemic
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- On May 26, 2020
A while ago I wrote a post about not starting emails with I hope you are well.
In everyday business writing, I counseled, there’s generally no reason to open with a reference to your reader’s well-being, particularly if you don’t know the person to whom you’re writing.
But coronavirus has... (Read More)
If Anything, COVID-19 Is Insidious, Not Insipid
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- On April 28, 2020
Insidious and insipid share the same page in the dictionary, but their meanings have nothing in common. Insidious means proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects, while insipid means lacking flavor. Yet on account of their physical similarity—all those i’s, n’s and s’s make them look and... (Read More)
I’ll Take the Mac and Cheese—at Table Level, Please
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- On April 14, 2020
I got an email from the restaurant down the street offering me elevated comfort food in this time of crisis. I know, they were trying to make me feel better: If I order from them, I’ll feel as though I’m dining out and not standing at the kitchen counter in... (Read More)
You Before Me—The Other Person Always Goes First
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- On March 31, 2020
I recently received an out-of-office reply that read, I and the whole team are at an off-site meeting this week, so checking email is going to be a little difficult.
The writer should have written, The team and I are at an off-site meeting, because you always put yourself last... (Read More)
Collective Nouns—Sometimes Singular, Sometimes Plural
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- On March 17, 2020
I saw an ad for a health plan the other day that read, Our large selection of doctors is there for you.
If that doesn’t sound right to your ear, it’s because it’s not. The verb is should be are, as in, Our large selection of doctors are there for... (Read More)
“Affected,” “Influenced”—Sometimes Even “Improved”—Are Better Choices Than “Impacted”
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- On March 3, 2020
Ivanka Trump was talking recently about the success of the Administration’s worker retraining program. “15 million lives impacted, 15 million families impacted,” she said.
Ouch.
Impact, traditionally a noun, as in have an impact on, has turned into a verb (one shunned by stylists everywhere), pushing aside more human-sounding verbs,... (Read More)
Why Say “Velocity” When You Can Say “Speed”?
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- On February 18, 2020
The velocity at which data is created means that traditional methods of analyzing it are not sufficient.
Eighty one percent of youth who use tobacco products initiate with a flavored product.
These two sentences crossed my desk recently and gave me pause. Both include multi-syllable words that could be... (Read More)
Skip the Clichés
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- On February 4, 2020
In this edition of Say It Better Say It Right, an expert opines on all the conversation at the World Economic Forum about climate change and what to do about it.
Keep Your Sentences to an Average of 20 – 25 Words
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- On January 21, 2020
The head of our Health and Human Services department recently clocked in with a 61-word sentence about the Administration’s decision to ban certain e-cigarette flavors while keeping others. Here’s what he said. See if you can fully grasp it in one quick read:
By prioritizing enforcement against the products that... (Read More)