Posted by: Gareth on Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The New Year has got off to a good start with another client win from the legal services sector.
We’re working with barristers’ set Henderson Chambers to write a new suite of practice brochures. We were recommended to Hendersons by London design agency Soukias Jones Design, who we’ve worked with on a number of previous professional services projects, including work for Baker & McKenzie, Ince & Co and JP Morgan.
They obviously like what we do – and so do Hendersons. So thanks again guys!
photo credit: Steve Punter
Posted by: Chris on Monday, December 14, 2009
We came across this fantastic website about English grammar recently: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/home.htm
It’s been developed by University College London, but appears to be open to everyone (at least it was when we wrote this). If you need to brush up on the active and passive voice, remind yourself when to use capitals or learn more about the difference between the subject and object of a sentence, check it out.
It is firmly on our Bookmarks list.
Posted by: Gareth on Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Nominalisation is one of our pet hates. It’s also one of the commonest ways in which writing falls down – which is why we bang on about it so much.
Nominalisation means turning a verb into a noun. So instead of using a construction with ‘to terminate’, you use ‘the termination of’; instead of ‘to discuss’, you use ‘discussion’; instead of ‘to negotiate’, you get ‘the negotiation of’, or instead of ‘to implement’, you end up with ‘the implementation of’.
e.g.
- We proceeded to the implementation of the project.
- We had a discussion about the proposals
- We worked with stakeholders on the negotiation of the new contract.
The problem with nominalisation is that is removes the action from the sentence (verbs, after all, are doing words) and replaces it with something static (a noun), which makes for writing that risks being bland, vague and dull.
So try and hold on to your verbs:
- We implemented the project.
- We discussed the proposals.
- We worked with stakeholders to negotiate a new contract.
It makes for livelier, more engaging and more ‘human’ writing.
Posted by: Gareth on Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Hierodule, n.
Meaning: a temple slave.
Example: ‘Be patient, my love. The kitchen is my temple and you my hierodule. So get washing up.’
Posted by: Chris on Sunday, November 29, 2009
You may have heard the tale of how, in the 1920s, Ernest Hemingway bet ten dollars that he could write a complete story in just six words. He wrote: “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn.” He won the bet and often referred to the story as his best work ever.
There are now dozens of websites devoted to six-word stories (just try Googling it). One of the best is from US online magazine Smith, which tweaked the rules by asking its readers to sum up their own lives in just six words.
The results are surprisingly poignant; often funny (“No more kisses, whisker burn lingers.”), sometimes sad (“Two sons. One died; now none.”), sometimes regretful (“Wishing I’d jumped sooner, missed mark.”), even a little scary (“He seemed ok at the time”). You should try it; we did.
As business copywriters, we’re always banging on about conciseness and short sentences. And while we don’t expect you to turn your firm’s client newsletters, your website or your marketing material into heart-wrenching six-word stories (wouldn’t that be fun, though!), it’s a reminder of just how emotional and powerful words can be, even just six of the little blighters.
So think of that, next time you’re trying to explain to your boss why your ten-word sentence is better than his 30-word jargon fest.
