Welcome to the latest issue of Write for You News & Notes with some words of wisdom on writing, business, and life. If you'd like to share any books or favorite links with our readers, send us an email. And remember -- on paper or on-line, when you need words that work for you, I can write for you! Nancy Passow
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Spring? Summer?
| The weather is continuing to be odd -- cool (almost cold) one week, followed by a hot and humid week that could be August, followed by cool, etc. For some people, the weather has truly been disastrous, and thoughts and prayers go to the people in Texas and Oklahoma.
The gardens are doing well. In the front of the house there are hanging baskets, rose bushes, hostas of various colors, and many other fun plants. In the back, the vegetable garden is back -- plants include tomatoes, peppers, basil (regular, globe, and Thai), cilantro, dill, sage, lavender, parsley, horseradish, various mints, and some more hanging baskets and new bushes (my Blue Princess holly bush has berries, thanks to the Blue Prince holly bush). I hope you're enjoying spring as much as I am!
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15 Words You Shouldn't Use
| In an amusingly written article from Mashable, "15 Words You Should Eliminate from Your Vocabulary to Sound Smarter", Jennie Haskamp, for The Muse, tells us which words aren't needed in what we write. (See the article for full explanations, I've summarized below.)
- that -- usually superfluous, as in, you can leave it out. And never refer to people as "that", people are "who".
- went -- use a descriptive verb instead.
- honestly -- can imply the rest of what you said is false.
- absolutely -- usually redundant.
- very -- use a more descriptive adverb or adjective.
- really -- only used by Valley Girls visiting from 1985.
- amazing -- "if everything is amazing, nothing is."
- always -- an absolute that is rarely true (exception would be for written commands or instructions).
- never -- "see always".
- literally -- does not mean figuratively, it means is actually happening.
- just -- "it's a filler word and makes your sentence weaker, not stronger."
- maybe -- makes you sound unsure.
- stuff -- too casual and generic.
- things -- "see stuff".
- irregardless -- actually means regardless.
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Words Working for You
|  How's your website content? Have you updated your brochure recently? Do you need help telling the story of your business? There are many ways I can help words work for you! Constant Contact is changing, LinkedIn is changing. Let me help you navigate these changes and make these services work for you!!
E-mail marketing is a great way to stay in touch with your clients and colleagues. I can help you get started -- whether it's set-up, writing the content, or managing the entire process. I'll even remember to pay the monthly bill for you. I can set up your contact lists, help you choose a template (and customize it with your logo and website colors), and develop your e-mail schedule. To learn more, click here. LinkedIn is still making changes. Need help figuring out where things went? Trying to hide some of your endorsements? Wishing your profile was more descriptive of who you really are? Let me help you! Even with all of the changes, LinkedIn is still a great way to be found on the web and to network. |
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phone: 201-541-9702 (o)
phone: 201-362-3404 (m)
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Book of the Month ... Between You & Me Confessions of a Comma Queen
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