When you blog . . . (three cardinal rules):

Your readers will have to become convinced that you know what you’re talking about (or they won’t come back for more).

Your readers will have to become convinced that your motives are pure, that you want to inform (a new tomato sauce recipe, review of a new tech gadget you have tried and like), entertain (make them laugh, or at least smile and nod their heads), and engage (your readers become aware that you truly care about them and want to hear back from them); if your motivation is to sell . . ., you’re losing readers!

Write clearly and with conviction, with proper grammar, spelling, punctuation and syntax and without hype, jargon, self-promotion, clichés or verbosity.

That’s all! See how easy it is?

Who writes for you?

If you don't write for yourself, let's talk about how I can do this for you.

Business people, whether they are corporate executives or international entrepreneurs, like to make a good impression. Who doesn't? They are well-dressed and impeccably groomed, drive nice cars and live in lovely houses with manicured lawns.

Then they've got to write a letter or a proposal, or update their bio, and they don't know where to begin. So, an admin or intern is recruited to do the job. Does that make sense? Not, if you want to maintain that carefully created image!

As a writer, I enjoy working with professionals who are interested in addressing their audiences in clear and concise messages executed in pristine language – without verbosity, clichés, industry jargon or hype AND WITH proper grammar, spelling and punctuation, with syntax that dances across the page and a story that catches the imagination and propels the reader to action. 

Does this appeal to you? If it does, we should talk!

Grammar, spelling - esoteric niceties or compelling necessities?

In on-line communications (e-mail, blogs, tweets certainly!), syntax and punctuation have already fallen by the wayside, but how about grammar and spelling? Do they still matter?

Frankly, when I receive an e-mail that starts with "Hey their", my finger is on the "delete" key in a split second. Am I missing an important business opportunity because I cannot get past that "Hey their"? Or how can I keep from feeling less positive than before about the blogger who habitually writes "it's" instead of "its" -- as in 'the house and its rooms', 'the proposal and its goals' - or uses 'criteria' when it should be 'criterion'?

So, this is my question today: do grammar and spelling still matter or have they become esoteric niceties?

LinkedIn Profile Updated

I updated my LinkedIn profile today, including an edgier explanation of my specialties:

"Clear and concise communications; when a communication is to be written, it deserves to have impeccable grammar, spelling, punctuation and syntax, and verbosity, cliches and hype must be banned. Language, in its pristine form, is a beautiful thing. I write for people who cannot or will not write for themselves."

What's your specialty in the business world?

SelfGrowth - a Powerful On-line Tool

Wow - I am impressed, and it takes a lot to get me to that point, believe me!

It was just yesterday that I became a contributor to SelfGrowth and submitted my first article (my second one was submitted today) and today . . . ., it ("Gardening for Good Health") is rated one of two (the first!) "Top Self Improvement Articles" in the site's Lifestyle section.

Who knew? Well, let me share this with you: Barbara Giamanco knew! She not only encouraged me onto SelfGrowth, but she is also an Expert and Official Guide there. Barb knows her stuff!

Almost every day I encounter people who have stories to tell and contributions to society to make, but they cannot write or don't have the time to write. Well, I can and I have. So, if you need help crafting your written communications, let's talk.