Jerry Seinfeld was interviewed about what makes a good joke, and a lot of what he said makes sense for all writing. So, kidding aside, here are three elements of a successful joke that make for successful copy, too.
Brevity “You’re always trying to trim everything down to absolute rock,... (Read More)
This edition of Say It Better Say It Right comes from a news article about the benefits of featuring real patients, not actors, in pharmaceutical ads.
A social worker walks into a patient’s hospital room and says to the patient’s wife, “You have to move him tomorrow to an L.T.A.C.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the wife responds. “What’s an L.T.A.C?”
This exchange appeared in a recent New York Times article about health literacy—the... (Read More)
Today’s edition of Say It Better Say It Right comes from a pharmaceutical executive describing conversations with payers and plans about what patients will pay for a new lung cancer treatment.
Writing is hard, even for people like me who make a living doing it, so sometimes it helps to have a writing partner. I’m not talking about an editor who reviews your final drafts for focus and clarity or a proofreader who checks for typos. I’m referring to someone you... (Read More)
This installment of Say It Better Say It Right comes from a corporate press release that announced a new CFO and included highlights of her track record.
Which of the following sentences features a word that’s being used incorrectly?
If you chose the... (Read More)
“In the past, chief executives might have waxed about paradigm shifts and bleeding-edge technology, but ‘journey’ has lately been the go-to word in corporatespeak.”
That line appeared in a recent Wall Street Journal article poking fun at the overuse of journey, which, according to the report, has appeared in the... (Read More)
The holidays are upon us and with them lots of opportunities to wish people well. Putting those wishes to paper correctly, however, can be tricky. Is it, for example, Best wishes for a happy and healthy new year or Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year?
Read these guidelines... (Read More)
