In the first Tomb Raider film, Lara Croft finds a clock that contains a clue. Her butler decides to dismantle the clock piece by piece, screw by screw. He creates a diagram and numbers each piece. He wants to put the clock back together after he finds the clue.
Archives for October 2012
Write Right: Commas, Adjectives, and Mashed Potatoes
I thought if I were to address a tricky adjective question, I might as well address a tricky comma question, too. The question goes something like this: Is garlic (or chipotle) mashed potatoes the correct phrasing? At first glance, the question seems simple. The phrase “garlic mashed potatoes” sounds correct. Is it, though? I thought so until I read a convincing argument at Joshua Merritt’s blog that pondered if “mashed garlic potatoes” made more sense. Suddenly, I wasn’t quite as sure which phrasing was correct, and I found myself digging through my grammar handbook.
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Death to Busy Work
I’m not sure I can adequately describe my feelings regarding busy work. Hatred? Disgust? Loathing? Yes, perhaps loathing is the word I seek. I loathe busy work.
First, a definition of busy work. Busy work does not equal mundane task. Mundane tasks, such as balancing the checkbook or analyzing the number of visitors to a site or the number of new e-letter subscribers (Are you a Write Right subscriber?), serve a purpose. They may not be the most fun of tasks, but they do have a goal.
Five Reasons You Need a Band of Merry Men
I tend to be a lone ranger. Part of it’s my preferred work method; I work best when left to my own devices. Tell me where I’m supposed to go, then let me find my own way there. The other part is that I’m an introvert, and, as an introvert, I protect my space, be it mental, spiritual, emotional, or physical.
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How to Write a Summary
I tend to avoid questions related to creative writing since I’m a business writing coach and not a creative writing coach; however, one of my readers asked if I could give any insight into writing summaries for fiction works. I’m not sure I’ll have much insight as I’m not a fiction writer nor do I write summaries of my poems – they’re usually too short to require a summation. I also hope that what insights I do have will be of use to people who write for their businesses. Summaries, after all, are not solely the realm of fiction writers.
Money is Not a Vision
When I first meet with potential clients, I don’t focus on their writing. I focus on their story. I ask questions. I found out what they do. I discover what they would like to do. I ask why they do what they do or why they want to move in a different direction. I ask them how they will communicate what they do and why they do it to their audience. I ask them for, in a word, a vision.