In conversation you can get away with all kinds of vagueness and nonsense, often without even realizing it. But there's something about putting your thoughts on paper that forces you to get down to specifics. —Lee Iacocca I've always been impressed by people who can speak in paragraphs. You know, the person who can reel … Continue reading You can’t get away with vagueness and nonsense in writing
Author: T Coe
Getting tired of “times like these”
In the past several weeks, I've had to do quite a bit of what I think of as "big picture" writing. "Big picture" writing is writing—usually in someone else's voice—where you step back from the everyday, take the pulse of things, and then attempt to say something about it all that is general but also … Continue reading Getting tired of “times like these”
Using the simplest language possible
Use the simplest possible language. Above all, remember how it was before you yourself grasped whatever it is you're explaining. —Carl Sagan Do you remember? I rarely do, and it's often one of the biggest problems I face in writing. What Sagan observes here is essentially the practice of empathy for our reader in writing. … Continue reading Using the simplest language possible
Thinking about “through lines”
When plotting out the bigger pieces of content in my job, I love talking about through lines—the strands that weave through a proposal or an interview presentation, the recurring motifs or differentiators that draw readers or attendants from start to finish. Looking up through line in the OED, I discovered that the origin of the … Continue reading Thinking about “through lines”
When was the last time you admitted you were wrong about something?
As someone who leads way too many meetings for work, I'm always on the look-out for good icebreaker questions. This one popped into my head the other day: When was the last time you were wrong about something? Too hard, of course, for a casual icebreaker. And—potentially—with answers a little too revealing for the workplace... … Continue reading When was the last time you admitted you were wrong about something?
Have I been using weasel words?
"Some people say...""I have heard that...""It's well known...""In most respects...""It's somewhat true...""I've seen research..." At one time or another, I have said all of the above—and they're all examples of "weasel words." "Weasel words" are words and phrases that "are aimed at creating an impression that something specific and meaningful has been said, when in … Continue reading Have I been using weasel words?
Orienting myself out in the world
Having recently read through two of Tristan Gooley's "how to read" books—How to Read Nature and How to Read Water—I have spent the past couple of weeks in awe of how little I notice about the natural world around me. (A few months ago, after reading Rob Walker's The Art of Noticing, I felt similarly … Continue reading Orienting myself out in the world
The slippery slope of asking too many “why” questions
As someone who took to learning more about the sciences later in my life—really, meaning after my collegiate career had concluded and I was off on my own—I have run into a consistent problem in the course of my learning: my inability to simply accept a scientific fact as such and then move on. Like … Continue reading The slippery slope of asking too many “why” questions
How many people does it take to “make a tiger”?
I came across a wonderful Chinese proverb recently—one of those proverbs mysterious enough to demand an explanation and, even better, deliver with an excellent historical parable. From Wikipedia: "Three men make a tiger" refers to an individual's tendency to accept absurd information as long as it is repeated by enough people. It refers to the … Continue reading How many people does it take to “make a tiger”?
Proof that you should pick a legible typeface
Picking a legible typeface is just plain common sense, right? If you want a client to earnestly read, word for word, a two-page cover letter, then you're going to make sure that the chosen typeface is getting out of the way, doing nothing to impair your client's ability to grasp your finely honed pitch. While … Continue reading Proof that you should pick a legible typeface
Taylor Coe 