There has been plenty of discussion of verbal tics: such as standpoint modifiers, fillers, endpoint modifiers, softeners, up talk, fast talk and vocal fry. The funny thing about that kind of discussion is that it normally assumes the speaker is not aware of what they are doing and/or it reflects the speaker's internal emotional state. … Continue reading PSA: Tics, lol
Tag: writing
Working Backwards
"The two-page (or one-page) mock press release format is also a writing genre common to Amazon, although it’s less often discussed than the six-page memo. What’s interesting to me about Limp’s invocation of the six-page memo in this Decoder interview is that 1) he describes how the two writing forms are, at least for his … Continue reading Working Backwards
Write: More Frequently, Less Long
"I don’t care what it is. Blog posts. Novels. Google docs. Articles. Wiki pages. Write more of them, but make them shorter."-Mike Crittenden, "Write 5x more but write 5x less." critter.blog. October 2, 2020. This is probably the best writing advice I've heard. Maybe you've noticed. I tend to write long. I'll try to make … Continue reading Write: More Frequently, Less Long
Interactive Fiction: ink & inklewriter, et al.
"* inklewriter is an easy-to-use online tool to write basic interactive stories.* ink by comparison is a more powerful narrative scripting language that is primarily designed for professional game development, though it can also be used to write and share choice-based interactive fiction. It is also surprisingly easy to learn, though for ease of use … Continue reading Interactive Fiction: ink & inklewriter, et al.
Newsletters & The Web
"My friend Lucy once told me that she falls in love with the way that someone thinks…and that’s what newsletters make possible for me; they’re a record of how strangers see the world...[But] I guess there’s something about newsletters that bugs me, and I can’t put my finger on it...[proceeds to put finger on it, … Continue reading Newsletters & The Web
Twine
"Twine is an open-source tool for telling interactive, nonlinear stories."-https://twinery.org/
Karst Stone Paper
"Made from 100% sustainably recycled stone, and without any bleaches or acids, Karst Stone Paper™ is rebuilt from first principles to be better than wood-pulp paper: more durable, more sustainable, and infinitely smoother to write, scribble, doodle or draw on. If there’s a better way to make paper, we haven’t found it."—https://www.karststonepaper.com/
Why We Will Lowercase white
"There was clear desire and reason to capitalize Black. Most notably, people who are Black have strong historical and cultural commonalities, even if they are from different parts of the world and even if they now live in different parts of the world. That includes the shared experience of discrimination due solely to the color … Continue reading Why We Will Lowercase white
How to Write Great Microcopy
Be clear, concise, and usefulUse consistent wordingCreate a microcopy frameworkBe conversationalUse humors and idioms carefullyHighlight your brand's characterBe wary of word translations(Almost) always use active voiceUse the passive voice (sometimes)Provide contextAssume your user is smartKeep it scannableWrite short paragraphs an sentencesDon't overuse contractionsWhen to use sentence caseWhen to use title caseCapitalize proper names & termsWhen … Continue reading How to Write Great Microcopy
English Split Composition
"English is a language built mostly out of two others. Much of it was created out of the language of invaders who came to Britain around 450 ad from Anglia and Saxony (in what we'd now call northern Germany). About 600 years later the French invaded and brought their language with them, too; it was … Continue reading English Split Composition
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