Monthly Archives: October 2015

Scary emails

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Norm Friedman

Let’s do some ghostbusting today and identify common email failings that can spook our readers. Identify lack of courtesy or efficiency in the following exchange. Hazel Witch                           … Continue reading →

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Whiskers II

Posted on October 22, 2015 by Norm Friedman

Two weeks ago (http://www.normfriedman.com/blog/the-whisker-metaphor/), I introduced a cat’s whiskers as another metaphor for the warning system each of us should continually be expanding to refine our writing. This time, instead of focusing on correctness, let’s concentrate on conciseness. As you … Continue reading →

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The A-List

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Norm Friedman

See if you can avoid stumbling on any of these word choices. An A grade awaits. 1. I’m sure you will (appraise/apprise) me if anything changes. 2. A three-person panel (administers/administrates) the review process. 3. We’ve used the same financial … Continue reading →

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The Whisker Metaphor

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Norm Friedman

No, I’m not above pandering, so this week – in addition to targeting folks who care about perfecting their writing – I’m going after the Internet’s cat-crazy crowd. The word that pertains to both groups? “Whiskers.” In my workshops I … Continue reading →

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Paper Cuts II

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Norm Friedman

As noted last week, observing what newspaper and magazine writers are doing to inform and entertain us can be quite instructive … while catching their occasional errors can bolster our confidence. I know I felt pretty smug when I read … Continue reading →

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