Archive for February, 2009

Bear with me on this grammar topic, but it’s one that is crucial to improving writing.

One of the biggest pet peeves I have is dead construction.  These sentences are wordy and don’t communicate well.

Dead construction is a passive sentence structure (meaning the subject is not performing the action).  These are sentences that start with phrases like “It is” or “There are” where “it” and “there” have no word they are substituting.

I’m not sure that’s a great explanation, so let’s look at an example.

Dead construction: There are six boys in the room.

Where is “there?”  What noun is it replacing?  We have no answer to either question, and that’s the problem.  The simple fix for this sentence, which makes it active, stronger and more concise is as follows:  Six boys are in the room.

See what I’m saying?  Dead construction is all around us.  I encounter it frequently and it drives me crazy.  Of course, sometimes using dead construction can’t be avoided.  I maybe use it for something two or three times a year in all the writing that I do, but I work hard to avoid it.  Along with being a stronger sentence, fixing dead construction also results in shorter sentences.

Check out some examples of dead construction and how to fix them.

Dead construction: There will be a meeting at 6 p.m. (seven words)

Fixed: A meeting will be at 6 p.m. (six words)

Dead construction: It was a stormy night last night. (seven words)

Fixed: Last night was stormy. (four words)

Next time you are writing or editing, pay attention for this sentence structure.  Dead construction is one of those things that people often don’t know how to identify beyond just knowing it doesn’t sound quite right.

Happy writing!

I’ve been in a few situations recently where I’ve been reminded of simple tips that make a person successful.  Some people employ them, others not so much.  This is far from an all-inclusive list on what it takes to be successful in work, but rather just a few tips and suggestions based on experience.

Be courteous to everyone. This kind of falls into networking in that you never know who might refer business to you.  But, it is also common decency.  We all have people who we are willing to go the extra mile for because they are nice or good to us.

Respect other people’s time. Nothing is more annoying or disrespectful than being in a meeting where the other person continues on with his or her work as if you’re not present.  Don’t forget that other people have schedules to keep as well and should be treated with respect in regards to their time.

Keep your word. Deadlines can creep up on everyone, but if you say you are going to do something, then follow through.  If you are setting a deadline for yourself (as in, “I’ll have that to you by the end of the week”), then meet that deadline.  If you aren’t going to be able to do that, let the person know.

Stay humble.  I don’t mean this as in the person who brags that he or she is good at being humble.  But be humble as in the person who realizes that we are all human and in the same boat — whether someone has multiple college degrees or just a middle school education.  Everyone has something to offer.

Always be professional. This is my last and best tip.  People remember us as we portray ourselves.  You never know when someone is watching or paying attention.  Maintaining an air of professionalism, even when working with long-time clients who have become friends, speaks volumes.  It gives people confidence in you and builds respect.  At the end of the day, you want folks to remember good things about you and your character.  That’s the kind of person clients are likely to call time and again.

What are some of your tips for business (or life) success?

As I wrote on Tuesday, there are definitely benefits to being a freelancer.  But, I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t say there were also drawbacks.

First, it is all up to me.  Whether I make money, whether my business is a success — it’s all on my shoulders.  That adds a bit of pressure for sure.

Second, I can’t get away from my boss.  She follows me on vacation and everywhere I go.  She always sees when I slack off and play a game of Solitaire instead of working like I’m supposed to.

Third, I don’t have coworkers to bring in doughnuts or other treats.  Since my dog is my only coworker, I’m the only one doling out treats.  Of course sometimes he brings in things like mud and leaves, but those aren’t nearly as tasty as doughnuts!

Fourth, I have to keep track of the business side of things.  That means math.  I don’t like math, which is why I’m a writer.  But, with spreadsheets, I am able to stay on top of incoming and outgoing funds without too much work.

Fifth, I don’t get sick days.  Of course there are days when I’m sick, but since I have no one to cover for me, I end up working when I don’t feel like it.  I work ahead, so sometimes I can take some downtime.  But, usually I have to at least check e-mail and maybe make a call or two.

Sixth, I don’t get paid time off.  My mantra to my family when I first started freelancing was that “If I don’t work, I don’t get paid.  And sometimes even if I do work, I still don’t get paid (referring to working on pitching myself and my services).”  That is still true.

And, finally, the biggest drawback to being a freelancer is the uncertainty of it all.  My work has an ebb and flow to it.  For example, at the end of November and beginning of December, work slowed down to a crawl.  Just when I was ready to take time off to start getting ready for Christmas, I got in a few article assignments and a couple of new copywriting projects.  The Christmas cookie baking had to wait until the weekend before Christmas.  It just happens like that.

Being your own boss definitely has some benefits.  True, I work for various editors and clients, but at the end of the day, I am my own boss.  While there are drawbacks to that fact (check back on Thursday for those), there are more positives.

First, I have no dress code.  True on days that I have in-person interviews or meetings I dress professionally, but on in-office days, I can wear whatever I feel like.  I did learn a while ago that I have to get dressed and all as soon as I finish breakfast or I’ll get busy and realize I’m still in my PJs come lunchtime.  And, honestly, some days that still happens!

Second, I can work wherever I want or need to.  Most days I’m in my home office at my desk, but I’ve worked from a blanket in the backyard in the summer.  I’ve also worked from Byrdstown, Tenn., Atlanta, Chicago and even a small town in Ohio when needed.  Unfortunately, I’ve worked out of the ICU waiting room at the hospital as well.

Third, I don’t have pesky co-workers.  Now I’ve had great co-workers through the years, but you know when you’re in the middle of something great and get interupted?  That doesn’t happen so much when you’re only co-worker is your dog.  He barks sometimes to be let out, but otherwise, he’s a great co-worker.

Fourth, I can set my own hours.  Most of the time I work office hours from about 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but sometimes things come up and I can shift that around.  Or during slower times I can take some downtime.  Of course, just the opposite can be true.

Fifth, I can do a few household chores during the work day.  This doesn’t sound like a great benefit, but my washer and dryer are maybe 10 steps from my desk.  Sometimes a short break to transfer laundry to the dryer or hang it up is just what I need.  Too often my rear end gets glued to my chair, so it’s good to have a reason to get up!

Sixth, I can listen to my own music.  When I get in, I turn on my iTunes and it plays all day.  When I need to really concentrate or get a lot of writing done, I can crank the soundtrack from “Riverdance,” which inspires me.  No one is here to complain.

And, finally, the best benefit and biggest benefit is that I get to do work that I love.  Even if the rest of it was horrible, being able to do what I’m passionate about and what I feel is my God-given calling is definitely the best part of my work.

Once your press release is well written and ready to go, it’s time to disperse it to your chosen media outlets.  Here are a few tips to ensure your release gets published and not filed in the trash pile.

• Pick publications that make the most sense for your release and its target audience.  For example, if you’re launching a new women’s clothing store, don’t send the release to a dog lovers’ magazine.
• Find out the contact information for each publication.  Many newspapers, magazines, radio stations and television stations have this information on their Web sites.  Some even have forms online for you to fill in.  Others, though, keep this information under wraps.  When you can’t find it or are in doubt, call and ask.  Tell them what kind of press release you have (new business, community event, concert, etc.) and ask to whom you should send the release.  Be sure to get the preferred method whether that’s e-mail, postal mail or fax.  Most outlets are fine with e-mail these days.
• Most press releases will be sent e-mail.  Make sure that you write a grammatically correct message that includes your main point and contact information.
• Unless instructed to do so, don’t attach the press release to the message.  Instead copy and paste the text into the body of your e-mail.  Most editors are wary of viruses in attachments.
• If you’re sending it to numerous media outlets, don’t obviously send them in the same message.  You can either do a mail merge with a contact list in a spreadsheet or database program or you can do a blind carbon copy (BCC).  This allows you to send the same message to numerous people at once without revealing their e-mail addresses to anyone else.  If you’re sending it to 10 or fewer media outlets, I’d suggest individual and personalized messages (mail merge lets you go this route, too, but the time isn’t worth it for fewer outlets).
• Don’t forget about online community calendars.  This doesn’t work for all press releases, but for event-oriented ones, these are helpful.
• Send it to your contacts.  Don’t go crazy and send the release to everyone you’ve ever e-mailed, but don’t be afraid to send it to your friends and family or colleagues who would be interested.  Just like with other e-mail messages use you own discretion so as not to pester or offend anyone.
• And, finally, don’t forget that your can tailor your message to the media outlet.  For one client, I wrote two versions of the same press release.  One went to traditional media nationwide while the other went to alternative media nationwide.  If you are doing a national press release, don’t forget to do a more specific local one that highlights you or your service to your local newspaper.  They may just write a feature story about you with that local connection.

Whether you’re launching a new business, planning a community event or organizing a church play, a successful press release can make your endeavor even more successful.

Press releases don’t take long to write.  The payoff of free publicity makes the effort worth it.  While big business launches can call for an entire press packet, most items don’t.  Generally speaking you’re looking for about 300 words — sometimes less and sometimes more.

Make sure you include the vital information in the beginning: who, what, when and where.  Be specific in giving the name of event, the time it starts, the address, etc.

Some press releases lend themselves well to being short and to the point.  Check out this one that I recently wrote for a local church and sent to the local newspaper: fpurelease.  It is short and concise.  The text lends itself well to copying and pasting into various community calendars.  I use the online community calendars for newspapers, radio stations and sometimes television stations in the area.

Other press releases work better as a longer format as a kind of article that a publication can pick up and run.  These can have a bit more creative lead, but still need to get to the main point right away in order to draw in the reader and the publication’s editor.  Check out this release I wrote a couple of months ago: danrelease.  This one went out nationally and got picked up by numerous media outlets.  It ran verbatim in a couple.

Whether you’re going with a short, factual release or a longer article-type release, make sure it is as print ready as possible.  The less work editors have to do, the more likely they’ll run the text.  Remember the following:

• Edit for grammar and spelling mistakes (remember that spellcheck doesn’t catch all misspellings)
• Read it out loud to make sure it flows well
• Read it from an outsider’s perspective to make sure you’ve included enough information for others to know what’s going on
• Make sure you’ve included contact information

Once it’s written, you’re ready to starts sending it out!  Check back tomorrow for tips on how to effectively submit press releases.

In a week filled with interviews, I’m compelled to continue sharing some interview tips that I’ve learned through the years.

Always ask if he/she has anything else to add. I save this question for the end and always ask it.  Sometimes I get totally new information on this question.  Most of the time, the person sums up the main points of what they said when I ask this.  It helps me understand their focus and viewpoint even better.

Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification. If your source tells you something that you don’t understand, don’t be afraid to speak up.  While you should do enough background research to be familiar with key terms and topics, you don’t know everything.  Never pretend to understand something you don’t.  It only leads to trouble.

Always take notes. Recording interviews is fine, but never rely completely on the recorder.  I don’t record often these days, but when I do, I take notes like I’m not.  Recently I conducted two phone interviews where my recorder had such bad electronic interference I couldn’t tell what was being said later on.  Without my notes, I would have been in big trouble.

Ask for suggestions of other sources. I don’t always do this, but if you’re covering a topic that you aren’t as familiar with or are having trouble finding people to interview, then don’t be afraid to ask who else the source suggests you talk with.  They may not have suggestions or they may have great suggestions.  I’ve never had anyone be offended by this question.  Most sources know that they aren’t the only person you’re going to talk with for the article.

This is one of those weeks where I have a lot of interviews for articles.  It ebbs and flows, but it made me think about what makes for a good interview.  I’ve shared these tips with students, but haven’t posted them before.

Do your background research. While the point of doing an interview is to find out more about your topic and the person you’re interviewing, you need to have done enough previous research to ask intelligent questions.  Asking basic questions you could easily find answers to will turn the person off right away and waste both your time and theirs.

Be professional. Some chitchat is OK to put people at ease and remind them that this is just a focused conversation, but keep on topic and don’t share information that’s not relevant.  For example, if you’re talking to someone for information on yoga, then don’t go into a story about how your dog got all muddy over the weekend.  Be sure also to use titles when appropriate.  Definitely do research to know whether the person has an academic title to use, such as “doctor.”  And, of course, speak with proper grammar.  Be sure to keep background noise to a minimum as well.

Have questions prepared. You need to know what you’re going to ask.  I always type my questions up in a Word document.  I bold the question, then type the responses in plain text beneath the question.  For in-person interviews, I write the question number in my notebook for each response.

Don’t be afraid to ask additional questions. While being prepared is important and keeps you from stumbling over yourself (and keeps you on topic!), make sure you are listening to the person enough so that you can ask additional questions relating to the topic.  Some of my best information from sources has come from when I asked a followup question.

I often marvel at the power of the Internet and ponder what my life was like before it.  In my writing and research, I use the Internet daily.  In my personal life, I use the Internet daily.

Many of us are so used to this tool that we don’t realize how much we do online.  I decided to make a list.  Here goes:

1. Check e-mail
2. Connect with friends through social networking
3. Connect with colleagues through social networking
4. Find new freelance opportunities
5. Research article ideas
6. Research article sources
7. Research issues my family encounters
8. Look up recipes
9. Read daily devotionals
10. Purchase photos
11. Purchase other items (gifts, books, photo books, clothing, etc.)
12. Sell items (hello, eBay!)
13. Download clip art
14. Chat with my husband
15. Check the weather
16. Check the traffic report
17. Look up directions to and from places
18. Calculate mileage for my business expenses
19. Write in my blog
20. Update my Web site

I’m sure I’m forgetting some things, but it’s still much more than I expected.  What do you do online?

I confess: I have a few grammar pet peeves.  Perhaps I am a bit of a grammar stickler, but poor grammar hurts communication, even when you are just sending an e-mail.  Here are  couple of my pet peeves to watch out for:

• Misusing the word “literally.”  A television commercial is on regularly that tells me how money is literally flying out my door.  In fact, my money is in my wallet.  It’s no where near the door.
• Confusing idea with ideal.  An idea is a thought or plan of action.  An ideal is “a conception of perfection,” according to dictionary.com.
• Interchanging affect and effect.  Affect is a verb (The change is affecting her greatly) while effect is a noun (The effect of the change impacted her life).