From the Archives: reflections on writing
The world has changed somewhat since 2008 but the basics of effective communication endure. Here’s a selection of writing from our archives on the art and logic of explaining.
Boil it down
Thanks Edward for putting us on to this old-school newspaper editors’ mantra for writers. All sing along now…
How to write short, shortened
Last year Roy Peter Clark gave us How to Write Short: Word Craft for Fast Times. It’s a fantastic book … but not that short.
Older people write better digital content
I’ve just turned 41. I played football on my Birthday, ruptured my Achilles tendon and now I’m here with my leg in plaster. So I thought I’d mention one benefit of getting older.
Be positive, not negative!
Failure. While writing a tender application, I read the instructing letter – it stated “Failure to submit in the correct format will mean rejection”. Well I panicked!
How to explain first time
‘If you’re explaining you’re losing.’ That phrase recently came out to bite President Obama, after he gave a 17-minute answer to a short question about healthcare and taxes.
How computer code can improve your writing
The more I work with web developers and designers, the more I see of the dark arts of coding. And do you know what? Writing code is just the same as writing words.
Unusual advice on how to begin a proposal
Decision makers love to say ‘I only ever read the executive summary’. And the way you start your proposal tends to seal its fate. It’s your Dragon’s Den moment: 45 seconds to convince a tough audience. Better make it good.
Don’t blame the messenger
Text message culture is widely accused of dumbing us down, but telegrams never made us stupid. What matters is not the medium but the writer’s intent.