EURSSWritingandEditing

‘Tweet’ becomes an official word

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:30:47 GMT

It’s either a sign of progress or the mark of a decaying society, but “tweet” (as a social media term) is now officially a word.

The Oxford English Dictionary has added tweet as both a noun and a verb. The following meaning has been added to the previous bird-related definitions: “To make a posting on the social networking service Twitter. Also: to use Twitter regularly or habitually.”

John Simpson, chief editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, had this to say about the move in a blog post:

“The noun and verb tweet (in the social-networking sense) has just been added to the OED. This breaks at least one OED rule, namely that a new word needs to be current for ten years before consideration for inclusion. But it seems to be catching on.”

The OED had also added social-media-related entries for the words “follow” and “follower.”

[RELATED: Master the can't-ignore social media tools after Mark Ragan's one day social media boot camp.]

Other words and phrases added to the OED this year include: “flash mob,” “geekery” (in the devotion to pursuits sense), “have a cow,” “big data,” “cludgie,” and “metabolic syndrome.”

Check out the full list at the OED blog.

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The real reason writers write?

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:54:10 GMT

Each week, Evan Peterson rounds up five stories from across the Web that scribes of all stripes should check out.

Professional writers write for money. At least that’s been the case through the ages. The Internet—for all its greatness in opening platforms and making more opportunities available—has limited pros’ ability to make a living. As one article stated this week, most digital writing is not done for attention or money; it’s just a way to talk to someone.

We’ll also explore the use of sense memory in writing, the new creative lexicon, and more:

Writing to talk: One of the worst things about the Internet for professional or aspiring authors, poets, playwrights, and other scribes is that it has made everyone a “writer.” The glut of Facebook posts, tweets, and blog posts has lessened the need for anyone to pay anyone to write. Still, the Internet has been great for those who just want someone to listen—which is basically the stuff that fills up your Facebook wall. Noah Berlatsky writes for The Atlantic about why social media scribes are the modern-day letter writers.

"Letters used to be private—not so much, as it turns out, because the writers wanted privacy as because there simply was not the mechanism to make them more public. "

Fear as a muse: Actors often call upon sense memory to do their job. What about writers? The inspiration for an article or blog post might just be another article or blog post, but novelist Sarah Jio writes in The New York Times about the experience she recalls every time she has to write a frightening scene, and how valuable emotions from personal experience can be:

"I’ve learned that tapping into the hard stuff—whether it’s the fear of loss or a boogeyman lurking in childhood memories—is what ultimately gives a story the power to leap off the page and grab you by the collar."

Storytelling is a skill: Everyone recognizes that people like stories. So much so that "storytelling" is in danger of becoming more of a marketing term than a communication device. Not everyone is good at it, and the ones who are proficient don’t necessarily lead more interesting lives. As Refe Tuma writes in this piece for Medium:

"Interesting people often lead surprisingly ordinary lives, but they are not ordinary. What sets them apart is their ability to tell a good story."

[RELATED: Learn the 7 elements of storytelling with video at this one day video boot camp.]

Creativity from A to Z: Speaking of marketing buzzwords, a group from BBH Labs has published a book called “ABCs of Contemporary Creatives” that taps each letter of the alphabet for a term that is often applied to creative projects. Each letter has an impressive illustration by a well-known artist. It might just be fun to look at, but as writers, you’ll want to speak the language of creatives, right?

How do you write? Biographies and inspirations are things that many readers want to know about their favorite writers. It helps explain why George Orwell’s "Why I Write" is one of his most famous essays. The Dangerous Minds blog examines Orwell’s story, featuring an interesting video montage in which writers from several disciplines discuss the things they’ve learned about writing. Malcolm Gladwell, Joan Didion, and Jonathan Franzen, among others, are featured.

Evan Peterson is a writer based in Chicago, and the editor of OpenMarkets magazine at CME Group. He's on Twitter at @evanmpeterson.

Improve your business blog by reading more

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:46:40 GMT

Whenever I ask someone how to improve my writing, the answer is usually to read more.

I agree with this advice, yet I often wonder how to go about it. How does reading improve your writing? Does it happen at a subconscious level, or are special reading techniques required?

I found the answer in Daphne Gray-Grant's book “8-1/2 Steps to Writing Faster, Better.” The book is an excellent primer that teaches you how to write. Gray-Grant is the publication coach who adapts journalism and time-management techniques to help clients improve their writing.

A former journalist, Gray-Grant asserts that the problem is that no one ever taught us how to write. Sure, we wrote essays at university, received grades, and feedback. However, no one ever showed us how to tackle our writing using an effective plan. Gray-Grant goes on to outline an approach every writer can use, whether you want to write a better business blog or you’re drafting a complex nonfiction book.

The keys to successful writing, Gray-Grant says, include planning, research, thinking, determining the “lede” or "angle" for your story, research, writing, revising, and editing. I learned a lot from the book and keep it by my side as I plan my weekly blog posts.

Read passionately and mindfully

One of the most interesting parts of the book is Gray-Grant's suggestion for using reading to be a better writer. She doesn't just advocate what she calls "regular reading." Nope, if you want to write a better business blog you need to "read mindfully and passionately."

Gray-Grant recommends you read like a passionate artist, caring about what the author is saying and how she says it. She offers some specific suggestions for mindful reading. First, ask yourself what it is that makes you like a particular piece of writing. Conversely, examine writing you dislike. Identifying what not to do is as important as identifying what you want to do. By reading writing you don't like, you'll discover flaws to avoid in your own.

[RELATED: Ragan's new distance-learning site houses the most comprehensive video training library for corporate communicators.]

Read widely to be a better writer

Gray-Grant also advises writers to read widely. Business people should not restrict themselves to the newspaper or books on leadership. Branch out into areas such as fiction, short stories, essays, and even self-help books. It's also important to read outside your field in order to encourage your mind to work in a different way.

Questions to ask when reading

Once you've figured out what you like about a piece of writing, dig deeper by asking yourself these 5 questions:

1. What is the basic architecture of the piece?

Does the author present information chronologically? Or in the order of importance? Or in some other way?

2. What kinds of words does the author use?

Are the words short, long, obscure, common, formal, or casual?

3. How is description handled?

Is description based on metaphors or description? If the former, what kinds of metaphors? Do they have a common theme? Do they invoke your sense of sight, sound, taste, smell or touch?

4. How long are the sentences?

Count the number of words in a typical sentence. Are sentences structured in a straightforward fashion? Or do they tend to be more complex?

5. How are transitions handled?

How does the writer lead you from one paragraph to the next? What transitional words—and, therefore, but—are used?

You can ask many more questions about a piece of writing. If you love reading as much as I do, you won't want to spoil all the fun by asking too many. Gray-Grant suggests analyzing and focusing on one chapter in a work you particularly enjoy.

Of course, there are many other ways to improve your writing, but I certainly can’t think of a more enjoyable way than reading.

A version of this story originally appeared on Polaris Public Relations' blog, Polaris B.

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8 guidelines for a great blog

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:47:25 GMT

If you're not confident in your writing skills, can you still be a great blogger?

Let's be honest. Good writing matters. But there are a few simple ideas any one can learn to dramatically improve the quality of their blog posts.

Let's take a look at a few tricks of the trade that are explored in detail in a new book I've co-authored with Stanford Smith called "Born to Blog":

Read it out loud

"I feel like you're talking to me."

That's common feedback I receive about my books and blog posts. If you can't write, you can still talk, right? I suggest that you literally read your blog posts aloud before publishing. If something does not roll off the tongue in a natural and conversational way, change it.

Cut, cut, cut

The biggest problem I see in the guest posts I receive is that they are far too wordy. Eliminate every word and sentence that does not move the story along. If your post is more than 1,000 words that is a sure danger sign.

[RELATED: Master the can't-ignore social media tools after Mark Ragan's one day social media boot camp.]

Write upside down

In school and at work, we are taught to write linearly—with a beginning, a middle, and an end. That usually does not work in the blogging world, because people don't have the patience to wait for your conclusion. Start with the conclusion, and then explain it. I see too many posts that do not get to the guts of the issue until you are one-third down the page.

The beginning matters

Spend time creating an accurate, interesting headline. If your headline does not compel people to "click," they will never even get to the blog post. Create an opening sentence that grabs people by the throat and makes them read what you have to say.

Get another view

Do you have a close friend or family member who can write? Why not at least run posts by them for a few weeks to help you improve?

Don't just write; rewrite

Here's a simple but magical trick I've learned to be a better writer. Let it sit a few days.

I don't know how or why, but I might think something is really great, yet when I return to it after a few days I see so many obvious ways it can be improved.

I rarely "crank out" a blog post. They usually gestate a few days, sometimes even a few weeks.

This a gentle art, though. You can't let it sit there until it is "perfect," because that will never happen. At the end of the day, the most important characteristic of a successful blogger is having the courage to push that publish button.

Get help

I do not enjoy auto mechanics. So, I hire a professional who can get the job done right at a fraction of the cost and time compared with my trying to hack through a repair.

If you don't enjoy writing, you're going to suck at blogging. But maybe you still have a desire or a legitimate business reason to blog. I think it is a perfectly viable option to hire a professional writer to help you. Provide a purpose statement for a blog post and three or four key bullet points, and let a professional work his or her magic.

Start

You cannot become a great blog writer in one day, in one week, or one month. It takes experience and practice. You will get better, faster, and more effective over time as you find "your voice," get feedback from your community, and figure out your own system. Starting is the hardest part, but to become a competent writer, there is no choice.

I'm 100 percent convinced that almost anybody can be a successful blogger with the right framework, dedication and attitude. I hope these insider tricks help and that you take the leap.

What tips and tricks would you add to help a beginner blogger?

A version of this article first appeared on Mark Schaefer's {grow}.

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Peculiar practices of prominent writers

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:46:56 GMT

Agatha Christie did it in the tub. James Joyce wore a white coat while he did it. And Edgar Allan Poe did it as his cat looked on.

Minds out of the gutter, people—we’re talking writing habits here.

Celia Blue Johnson’s new book, “Odd Type Writers,” explores the “obsessive habits and quirky techniques of great authors.”

Blue recently highlighted a few writers and their habits for the Huffington Post.

[RELATED: Ragan's new distance-learning site houses the most comprehensive video training library for corporate communicators.]

Some of those habits—like Friedrich Schiller’s penchant for rotting apple stench—are downright gross.

Blue writes:

“… some of the greatest literary minds of all time came up with techniques that were as inventive as their own fiction. There's clearly no formula for composing masterpieces. Rather, it seems that the path to literary fame is paved with one's own eccentricities.”

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Hey, communicators, let’s play, ‘Would you rather…’

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:46:00 GMT

Last week my kids were playing “would you rather” in the back seat of the car. For those who’ve never played, it’s a party game that poses a question beginning with, “Would you rather…”

It can be a choice between two good options or a true dilemma—one involving two equally unattractive options. Answering “neither” or “both” is against the rules.

With my kids, their questions mostly involved superpowers (Would you rather be able to fly or breathe under water?); eating things (Would you rather eat a rotten egg or stinky cheese?); and school activities (Would you rather go to phys-ed all day, or have recess all day?).

[RELATED: Link creative communications to the goals of your organization with this one-day workshop.]

Listening to their game got me thinking about “would you rather” questions for corporate communications professionals. So, PR Daily readers, would you rather …

• … go to that late-afternoon meeting on 401K investment options, or go to the dentist and have a cavity filled?

• … listen to a presentation filled with words such as “synergize,” “leverage,” and “implement,” or clean out the company refrigerator?

• … read a blog laden with clichés such as “kick it up a notch,” or “leverage cutting-edge technologies,” ask the IT department for help with your computer?

• … submit to big-brotherish health assessments at the office, or have your health insurance premiums increase?

• … write the CEO’s message for the annual report, or edit the annual report message that the CEO wrote?

• … explain Google Analytics data to your CEO, or edit an article written that the corporate attorney wrote?

• … write the in-house company style guide, or be responsible for enforcing the in-house company style guide?

• … have your mom read everything you write, or have your favorite J-school professor read everything you write?

• … work with a client who refuses to use social media, or work with a client who only wants to use social media?

• … debate a co-worker about the serial comma, or debate a co-worker about the proper use of hyphens?

• … write your next article with a pen or a typewriter?

• … be without Google Search for one day, or be without Facebook for one day?

• … dance in front of your co-workers at the company holiday party, or play softball in front of your co-workers at the company picnic?

• … teach spelling to first-graders, or teach spelling to accountants?

• … take the three-hour tour, or be stuck on the island?

PR Daily readers, any other “would you rather” scenarios you’d like to share?

Laura Hale Brockway is from Austin, Texas. She is the author of the writing/editing/random thoughts blog, Impertinent Remarks. And she would rather be stuck on the island!

Is it ever too late to become a writer?

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:47:10 GMT

Each week, Evan Peterson rounds up five stories from across the Web that scribes of all stripes should check out.

There are lessons to be learned from reading all kinds of writing. This week there were a few stories that focused on this idea, including how reading can turn a person into a writer at any stage of life and what we can learn from a 90-year-old novel.

Also, the proper use of "blog," well-crafted TV characters, and suicide notes as literature.

Changing careers to write: This piece from The Huffington Post is from a 54-year-old former accountant who recently decided to become a writer. It's a nice chronicle of how reading can inspire people to become writers, but it might also be an illustration of the few times in life where we have the right mix of inspiration and possible lack of regard for financial security that are necessary to becoming a writer.

The best writing lesson from “The Great Gatsby”: Between the recent movie version out and it being one of the top-selling books in America again, now is a good time to review what writers can learn from F. Scott Fitzgerald's popular story. Roy Peter Clark at Poynter.org concludes that, for any kind of writer, story construction and sticking to a strategy helped Fitzgerald complete his Great American Novel. The lesson he extracts can be adapted, whether you're writing novels or blog posts.

RELATED: What ‘The Great Gatsby’ can teach us about PR

Writing blogs: Ben Yagoda writes about why it makes no sense to call a blog post a “blog.” It's something people do now, but that doesn't mean it has to stay. Yagoda mentions a few other phrases that either are used incorrectly or need revision. The term “post” might even need an update because, as Yagoda writes, blogs have morphed to become more like online magazines, and there's no longer a stark difference between the two.

Tweaking TV characters: I found this story because the headline references “Breaking Bad” and its creator Vince Gilligan. But the lesson from it is buried deeper. On a recent panel of TV show runners, several, including Gilligan, talked about changing the way major characters are viewed and how it determined success for the show. The same ideas about television could be applied to nonfiction writing. Your audience sees a subject through the words, phrasing, and story construction you choose. It's worth tweaking the central idea to make sure they see it the way you want them to. Good examples in this piece from “The Office,” “Parks and Recreation,” and “The New Girl.”

RELATED: 8 PR lessons from ‘The Office’

A class on suicide notes: A pop-up school in New York decided to examine a different kind of writing workshop in which students considered why suicide notes are written, and they even practiced writing their final farewells. The teacher called the notes "moving, strange, harrowing, and peculiar literature.” It seems an odd way to practice writing, but as you'll see, there are many forms writing can take and, above all, authors have to find their voice.

RELATED: Learn the 7 elements of storytelling with video at this one day video boot camp.

Evan Peterson is a writer based in Chicago, and the editor of OpenMarkets magazine at CME Group. He's on Twitter at @evanmpeterson.

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Lessons from a one-line press release

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:52:12 GMT

A few months back, the popular rock band Stone Temple Pilots made a major splash in the news when it announced it was firing lead singer Scott Weiland. The group announced the shocking news in a one-sentence press release that read:

“Stone Temple Pilots have announced they have officially terminated Scott Weiland.”

Now, we’ve debated the topic of press release length on my blog, and though I’ve always believed that short and sweet press releases work best, I’ve never tried to argue that press releases should be just one sentence long.

But the truth is that this single-sentence press release was incredibly powerful, and there are a few valuable lessons we all can learn from it.

Leave reporters wanting more. The point of a press release is to get reporters interested in your story. You want your press release to pique their interest so they contact you to learn more about your story. That means you don’t need to include every detail of your story in your press release. You want to include just enough to give them the main story while leaving them asking for more.

Stone Temple Pilots certainly left reporters and fans wanting more. Everyone was speculating about why the band had fired the lead singer, what it meant for their future, and a host of other questions. How many reporters do you think have tried to reach out to the band since this press release was issued? I’d say quite a lot.

Timing is everything. This press release, issued on a Wednesday morning, was perfectly timed in two ways. Issuing it in the morning gave people all day to talk about the story, and releasing it mid-week helped ensure it would have a few days of life before the weekend arrived.

RELATED: Hear powerful case studies from The Coca-Cola Company, Walmart and Whole Foods Market in October at Microsoft's HQ.

Another interesting thing to note is that this story was announced just as Weiland was preparing to head out on a solo tour. Think this is getting fans interested and driving ticket sales? You bet it is, and though that might just be a coincidence (conspiracy theorists would say otherwise), the timing certainly couldn’t have been better.

Your news should get people talking. Even though you might never have news that gets as much attention as the recent Stone Temple Pilots announcement, the idea is that you should always strive to issue stories that get tongues wagging. If no one outside your company cares about your story, you probably don’t need to issue a press release about it. What lessons have you learned from this one-sentence press release?

A version of this story originally appeared on PR Fuel.

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18 obsolete words worth rediscovering

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:47:39 GMT

Untitled Document Just like facts and flies, English words have life spans.

Some are thousands of years old, from before English officially existed; others change or are replaced or get ditched entirely.

Here are 18 uncommon or obsolete words that we think may have died early. We found them in two places: a book called “The Word Museum: The Most Remarkable English Words Ever Forgotten” by Jeffrey Kacirk, and on a blog called Obsolete Word of The Day that’s been out of service since 2010. Both are fantastic—you should check them out.

Snoutfair: A person with a handsome countenance—“The Word Museum: The Most Remarkable English Words Ever Forgotten” by Jeffrey Kacirk

Pussyvan: A flurry, temper—“The Word Museum” (Kacirk)

Wonder-wench: A sweetheart—“The Word Museum” (Kacirk)

Lunting: Walking while smoking a pipe—John Mactaggart’s “Scottish Gallovidian Encyclopedia,” 1824

California widow: A married woman whose husband is away from her for any extended period—John Farmer’s “Americanisms Old and New,” 1889

Groak: To silently watch someone while they are eating, hoping to be invited to join them— www.ObsoleteWord.Blogspot.com

Jirble: To pour out (a liquid) with an unsteady hand: as, he jirbles out a dram—www.Wordnik.com

Curglaff: The shock felt in bathing when one first plunges into the cold water—John Jamieson’s Etymological Scottish Dictionary, 1808

Spermologer: A picker-up of trivia, of current news, a gossip monger, what we would today call a columnist—“The Word Museum” (Kacirk)

Tyromancy: Divining by the coagulation of cheese—“The Word Museum” (Kacirk)

Beef-witted: Having an inactive brain, thought to be from eating too much beef.—John Phin’s “Shakespeare Cyclopaedia and Glossary,” 1902

Queerplungers: Cheats who throw themselves into the water in order that they may be taken up by their accomplices, who carry them to one of the houses appointed by the Humane Society for the recovery of drowned persons, where they are rewarded by the society with a guinea each, and the supposed drowned person, pretending he was driven to that extremity by great necessity, is also frequently sent away with a contribution in his pocket.—“The Word Museum” (Kacirk)

Englishable: That which may be rendered into English—John Ogilvie’s “Comprehensive English Dictionary,” 1865

Resistentialism: The seemingly spiteful behavior shown by inanimate objects—www.ObsoleteWord.Blogspot.com

Bookwright: A writer of books; an author; a term of slight contempt—Daniel Lyons’s “Dictionary of the English Language,” 1897

Soda-squirt: One who works at a soda fountain in New Mexico—Elsie Warnock’s “Dialect Speech in California and New Mexico,” 1919

With squirrel: Pregnant—Vance Randolph’s “Down in the Holler: A Gallery of Ozark Folk Speech,” 1953

Zafty: A person very easily imposed upon—Maj. B. Lowsley’s “A Glossary of Berkshire Words and Phrases,” 1888

RELATED: Become a more efficient writer and editor after one day of training.

Carmel Lobello is the business editor at TheWeek.com. Previously, she was style editor at Death + Taxes Magazine and an editor at DeathandTaxesMag.com, where a version of this story originally ran. Follow her on Twitter @carmellobello.

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5 ways to humanize your writing

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 13:52:10 GMT

As a medical writer, it is sometimes difficult to apply the style guidelines and rules of medical writing to a general audience of writers. But recently, I was combing through the "American Medical Association Manual of Style" and I found a guideline that can apply to corporate communicators, marketers, and PR folks:

“Avoid language that is confusing, depersonalizing, informal, or vague. Words and phrases that can be understood in conversation may not always translate to formal written English. Avoid language that trivializes or de-humanizes patients or diseases.”

More generally, I think “Avoid language that dehumanizes people” is great advice for any writer. Given our sense of urgency to get our messages out there (on social media, in press releases, and in blog posts) and our need to prove our worth to executives and clients, we often forget that we are writing for human beings.

RELATED: Become a more efficient writer and editor after one day of training.

Here are a few tips from the "AMA Manual of Style" to help you avoid writing that “de-humanizes.” Although the examples are taken from health care, they can be applied more broadly.

1. Avoid euphemisms. “Euphemisms are indirect terms to express something unpleasant. Although such language is often necessary in social situations, directness is better in scientific writing.” To paraphrase, directness is better in any kind of writing. Avoid “expired,” “passed away,” or “succumbed” when referring to a patient’s death.

Avoid: The patient passed away.
Better: The patient died.

2. Use caution with “normal” and “abnormal.” Exams and tests are not, themselves, “normal” or “abnormal.” The results or findings of tests or exams are normal or abnormal, negative or positive.

Avoid: The physical examination was normal.
Better: The findings from the physical examination were normal.

Do not use “normal” or “abnormal” to describe a person’s health status.

Avoid: The infant was normal.
Better: The infant was healthy.

3. Man or woman versus male or female. Because the terms “male” or “female” could be perceived as depersonalizing, a patient should be referred to as a man, woman, boy, or girl.

Avoid: A 35-year-old female came to the emergency department.
Better: A 35-year-old woman came to the emergency department.

4. Use of “diagnose.” The term “diagnose” applies to conditions, syndromes, and diseases. “Patients themselves are not diagnosed, but their conditions are diagnosed.”

Avoid: The patient was diagnosed as schizophrenic 10 years ago.
Better: The patient’s schizophrenia was diagnosed 10 years ago.

Avoid: The patient was diabetic.
Better: The patient had been diagnosed with diabetes.

5. Disabilities. “Avoid labeling (and thus equating) people with their disabilities or diseases (e.g., the blind, schizophrenics, epileptics). Instead, put the person first. Avoid describing persons as victims or with other emotional terms that suggest helplessness (afflicted with, suffering from, stricken with, maimed). Avoid euphemistic descriptors such as ‘physically challenged’ or ‘special.’”

Avoid: The patient was a stroke victim.
Better: The patient has had a stroke.

PR Daily readers, care to comment on other ways to humanize your copy?

Laura Hale Brockway is a medical writer and editor from Austin, Texas. She is also the author of the writing/editing/random thoughts blog, impertinentremarks.com.

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30 most overused buzzwords in digital marketing

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 13:49:07 GMT

As much as we all despise jargon and hate ourselves a little bit when we drop words like “ideation,” “synergy” and “thought leader” in meetings, we’ve all been guilty of it.

RELATED: Become a more efficient writer and editor after one day of training.

Digital marketing has its share of buzzwords, and Mashable has done us all a solid by compiling them into a nifty infographic.

It includes such favorites as:

• Clickability
• ROI
• Engagement
• Big data
• Viral
• KPI
• Advertainment
• 360 campaign

Check out the full list of 30 in the infographic below, and let us know what words or phrases you would add:

RELATED: Junk the jargon! 10 phrases you should never say aloud

Storytelling isn’t going anywhere

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 13:47:35 GMT

“We’re entering the golden age of journalism.”

This was said by Henry Blodget, editor and CEO of Business Insider, at a recent Future of Media event, hosted by I Want Media and in conjunction with Internet Week New York.

That line really resonated with me, and not just because it was the closing comment. You see, for the last few years the PR industry has been bombarded with blog posts and happy hour conversations about how journalism is dead: “Newspapers are dying; the old media guard missed the boat on digital; no one wants to pay for content; we’re all journalists now; and so on.”

This is all true. Everyone and their grandmother know that newspapers have had a difficult time adapting to the rapidly changing times. People have opted not to pay for content because there’s so much free news available at their fingertips. Social media and mobile gadgets have turned all of us into glorified correspondents.

RELATED: Chicago Sun-Times lays off its entire photo staff

You only need to look at how the recent Boston bombings unfolded online to see that the news cycle is vastly different (and better) today. But if you think The New York Times or CNN is going out of business, you’re out of your mind.

Before I go further, it’s worth pointing out that the only “traditional” media presence on the panel was Mark Thompson, president and CEO of The New York Times, so it’s not as if this was a roundtable full of old print folks crying about their declining ad dollars. (For the record, the Times is doing some really cool multimedia stuff, and its iPad app is as good as any).

The rest of the panelists were all from the new wave of media outlets, including HuffPost Live, Buzzfeed, Salon.com, and Business Insider. These companies are all using technology to deliver a level of news that didn’t exist a few years ago, and they’re now household names in the media world. I expected everyone to talk about the demise of journalism and gang up on Mark (which occasionally they did, though it was all in good fun and he more than capably answered their jabs).

Much to my surprise, though, they did the opposite. They all had a slightly different view of the industry, naturally, and everyone agreed that the way we consume news has changed forever, as has the type of news we consume. But at the core of the entire discussion was the value of good reporting.

RELATED: Become a more efficient writer and editor after one day of training.

Yes, minute-by-minute Twitter updates gives consumers a news experience they’ve never had before, and it can be compelling, exciting, and eye-opening in a way that most media outlets can’t compete with. (Almost everyone agreed that Twitter is the first place that news breaks.) The fact remains that consumers still want good content, and good content is produced by good journalists working for good media organizations.

My friend’s Instagram photo of a TED event might be cool, but it doesn’t summarize who was there, what was said, or why I should care. Yes, I want to see his picture, but I also want to see a video of the event, glance at its hashtag stream on Twitter, and have access to an article written by a credible reporter. The photo filters and hashtags tell part of the story, but not the whole thing.

Blodget offered a great word, something I haven’t heard in years and something that exemplifies what I’m trying to say: “storytelling.” How great is that word? How many fond memories does it stir inside you?

Do you remember being in kindergarten and listening in awe as your teacher told you the greatest story ever, and then running home to your parents to tell them? Can you visualize that schoolroom from 25+ years ago with the painted hands on the wall and the frayed carpet?

The communications field has been so focused on adapting to “disruptions” the past few years that many of us have forgotten how important storytelling is. After all, isn’t that what we want, a great story? Whether you’re watching a video on your iPhone, catching up on Twitter in the elevator, or sitting down at your computer, we just want to see, hear, and experience a great story, just as we did as children.

I didn’t expect to attend an event about the future of media and walk away feeling optimistic about the journalism industry, but I did. So think of this the next time someone tells you journalism is dead. It’s evolving, as it always has, and it’s stronger today than ever.

A version of this story originally appeared on the Water & Wall Group blog.

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Texting hurts your grammar

Wed, 29 May 2013 13:48:10 GMT

Does texting hurt your ability to properly use grammar?

Many communicators around the world insist that it does. If you're in this camp, there are now facts that can back you up. How gr8!

OnlineCollege.org created an infographic based on survey findings that say techspeak, the shortened language people use to quickly communicate via text or digital technology, affects one's ability to properly use grammar.

Middle schoolers are the most likely to use techspeak—they send more than twice the amount of text messages than any other age group. It's also the most detrimental to them, as the middle school years are the most formative learning years in a person's life. The study concluded that middle schoolers who use techspeak may have trouble switching back to traditional grammar when they need to.

Here are a few telling statistics:

Fifty percent of surveyed teens said they don't use proper punctuation or grammatical marks when they write text or instant messages.

Almost 90 percent (86 percent) of teens think having good writing skills is important for success in life.

Eleven percent of teens think electronic communication has a negative impact on their writing skills.

And here's a doozy: 64 percent of teens admit they've used techspeak in classroom writing assignments.

Check out the graphic for more:

(View a larger image.)

RELATED: Become a more efficient writer and editor after one day of training.

Kristin Piombino is an editorial assistant for Ragan.com.

Emoticons for brands: The dos and don'ts

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:53:59 GMT

Are you a serial emoticon user?

I’ve been known to include a smiley face or two in my tweets and Facebook posts. It’s a sign of humor, a signal to my recipients that I may be stating something a little tongue in cheek.

Emoticons have become part of the online lexicon. Whether it’s on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, you name it, emoticons show up in some way, shape, or form. As more people have used emoticons online, the trend has spilled over into business communications.

We’ve all seen it—an email or note from a colleague with a smiley face at the end. But does that mean it’s acceptable, or should be?

That depends. Let me lay out a few scenarios and when I think it is and isn’t appropriate in business.

Appropriate uses

Scenario 1: I’m sending a private message on Facebook to a partner I work with closely on a project. I want to share a funny anecdote as part of the note and include a smiley face.

Scenario 2: I write a tweet that is lighthearted and pokes fun at a mainstream trend for a fun-loving client I work with; it includes a smiley face with a wink at the end.

Scenario 3: I’m sending a text to a business colleague I know well, asking him about a potential partner I’m considering. I add a quick joke at the tail end of the note with a smiley face.

In my view, appropriate uses fall into two big camps: When you’re emailing/texting/private-messaging someone you know very well in business, or when it makes sense for a playful brand or company you represent.

Inappropriate uses

Scenario 1: You’re sending an email to your manager discussing client work and you throw a smiley face in as you make a joke about the client.

Scenario 2: You’re writing a short article for your company’s intranet, and you decide to insert a smiley face in the post to convey some humor, even though it’s a serious topic.

Scenario 3: You’re penning a short email to your client wishing a great Memorial Day weekend, and you add a smiley face to the end simply out of habit.

In general, I would probably refrain from using the emoticons anytime you’re communicating with your manager or boss, communicating with your client (unless you know them very well), or communicating with a mass audience, internally or externally, about a serious topic. The same goes for a brand that is generally more serious in its tone.

So, what do you think? When is it appropriate or inappropriate to use emoticons in work situations?

Arik Hanson is principal of ACH Communications. A version of this article originally ran on his blog, Communications Conversations.

14 elements of a personality profile

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:45:42 GMT

I am very fortunate to have access to writing resources such as PR Daily and Ragan workshops and conferences. But this year, I’ve also learned about writing and editing from an unlikely source—my son’s fourth-grade teacher.

Helping him with his assignments and reading his handouts has taught me about the eight parts of speech, traits of good writing, and how to defeat writer’s block.

This week, his assignment is to write a three-paragraph biography about a family member. The handout lists the elements he should include. Though this list is very basic, I find it helpful and will keep it in mind next time I write a brief personality profile or bio. (These types of articles are my least favorite to write. I would never make it as a biographer.)

• full name
• year of birth
• place of birth
• information about the person’s family
• childhood and school life
• early achievements
• hobbies, interests, and activities
• anecdotes/events that affected the person later in life
• career
• physical appearance (including at least two similes)
• describe how the person looks in full detail
• could I pick the person out of a crowd by your description
• describe something they like to do
• describe a goal the person has

PR Daily readers, do you have any other elements to include in a personality profile or short biography?

Laura Hale Brockway is an Austin-based writer and editor. She writes about writing at www.impertinentremarks.com.