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Something You Should Know about Business Writing

Where Your Best Ideas Come From

January 22, 2010

 

Interview with Frans Johansson, author of the book Medici Effect: What Elephants and Epidemics Can Teach Us About Innovation

 

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Mike Carruthers:
People who come up with great ideas typically have something in common.

 

Frans Johansson:
If there's one thing that characterizes breakthrough artists, scientists, entrepreneurs - it is that they generate and try out many ideas.

 
Frans Johansson

Frans Johansson, author of the book Medici Effect, says Pablo Picasso for example…

 

Why People Read (Or Don't Read) Your Email

October 5, 2009

Interview with Ron Cates Spokesperson for Constant Contact

 

www.roncates.com

 

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Mike Carruthers:
If you want to get a hold of someone, email is a good bet.

 

Ron Cates:
America Online did a survey last year and more than half the respondents check their email more than five times a day.


Ron Cates

 

Why People Read (Or Don't Read) Your Email - Part 2

October 6, 2009

Interview with Ron Cates Spokesperson for Constant Contact

 

www.roncates.com

 

_________________

 

Mike Carruthers:
People don’t read email the same way they read a letter on a piece of paper. When you send someone an email…

 

Ron Cates:
They spend two to two and a half minutes and they scan it. They look at the upper left of the screen the most, that gets the most view "heat." Then they look at headlines and a couple of sentences below.

Ron Cates

 

Be A Better Writer

September 18, 2009

Interview with Fred Lybrand creator of The Writing Course

 

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Mike Carruthers:
What is good writing?

 

Fred Lybrand:
There are two pieces to good writing; one is just getting it correct. And when it's correct, it means people can understand what you actually said.
Fred Lybrand

 

The Power Of Social Networking

 June 22, 2009
Interview with Lon Safko, author of The Social Media Bible: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies for Business Success

 

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Mike Carruthers:
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Myspace - these are incredibly popular social networking websites. So what's all the fuss about?

 

 Lon Safko:
Social networks just means that like-minded people - people that you have something in common with - can all aggregate in the same place and exchange these ideas and by doing that build this trusted network. 

 

Common Language Mistakes

 January 1, 2009
Interview with Joannie Feierman author of Action Grammar: Fast, No-Hassle Answers on Everyday Usage and Punctuation

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Mike Carruthers:
Whether we're writing to someone or speaking to them, there are some common grammar mistakes people often make.

 

Joannie Feierman:
Most of the problems stem from one issue and that is whether the word to use is me, myself or I.

 

Ways To Write Better

May 13, 2009
Interview with Ken O'Quinn, author of Perfect Phrases for Business Letters (Perfect Phrases Series)

 

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Mike Carruthers:
In business writing today we often use too many buzzwords -  and buzzwords are usually vague.

 

Ken O'Quinn:
For example initiative - something that is thrown around all the time - if you asked people what is an "initiative" you'll get eight or nine different answers.
Ken O'Quinn

 

Myths About The English Language - Part 2

May 27, 2009
Interview with Patricia T. O'Connor, author of Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language

www.grammarphobia.com  

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Mike Carruthers:
Do you remember hearing in school that it's not correct English to end a sentence with a preposition?

 

Patricia T. O'Connor:
As in "I'm all tied up, I can't come today I'm all tied up" - it's a ridiculous myth that we have to sometimes stand sentences on their heads to avoid it.


Patricia O'Connor & 
Stewart Kellerman

Myths About The English Language

May 26, 2009

Interview with Patricia T. O'Connor, co-author of Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language


www.grammarphobia.com
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Mike Carruthers:
Did you know that English people didn't use to have an English accent; they used to talk like us. For instance we say "vase", the British say "vaaase."

 

Patricia T. O'Connor:
The pronunciation "vaaase" developed in the 19th Century - they used to say "vase." We know this because of poetry.


Patricia O'Connor &
Stewart Kellerman

Secrets Of Good Email Writing

 August 7, 2009

Interview with Steven Griffith, author of Email Power
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Mike Carruthers:
Email has become a primary tool for communicating and it can get you in trouble if you're not careful.

 

Steven Griffith:
If there's a topic that requires dialogue or it's a sensitive topic - avoid email. If you find that when you receive an email there's any emotion that comes up - any stress, anxiety, anger or frustration - take a step back, wait twenty-four hours and then respond.

 

 Steve Griffith

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