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Are You Writing in Passive Voice? 3 Ways to Know
“Mistakes were made.” Perhaps my all-time favorite politician quote, made famous by good ol’ Richard Nixon. Mistakes were made all right. Mistake number one, Nixon boy: DON’T COMMUNICATE IN PASSIVE VOICE. Passive voice is boring. It’s what we reporters call “politician talk.” It can avoid responsibility, it will hypnotize readers to sleep, and it confuses…
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Magic of the Magazine Staff Box: An Old Professor’s Secret to Pitching
*This is an older post. Much of the information is still useful, but for more updated writing and pitching tips, please see the note at the end of this post! Ever wonder HOW to find the right editor at a magazine to whom you should pitch that amazing story idea? You may or may…
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Enticing Magazine Editors and Media–Successfully Pitch Your Story!
Whether you’re a PR professional selling your company’s story, or a freelancer enticing a magazine editor, understanding how to pitch well is vital. I’ve enjoyed success as a journalist and media relations professional for a reason. 1. Keep your pitches to 5 sentences or less. As a freelancer trying to get published in a magazine, I…
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5 Tips for Engaging Content–Captivate Your Audience!
I might be no Dan Brown, but I do work for a big company as a corporate communications writer, and have been published regionally as well as nationally. I’m also a former newspaper reporter who’s won two Associated Press awards. Therefore, here are my top 5 writing tips when drafting content for the general public.…