“Few appreciate brilliance, but everyone appreciates clarity.”
I came up with that line on Twitter, and thought . . .
Why waste it there?
Here’s the quick and clear guide to clarity in writing:
Short
Short words are the rule that makes your exceptional words sing.
Short sentences make powerful points faster.
Talk
Write like you talk, except better. Better words, better arrangement, better flow.
Know the rules of grammar, then break them like you do. But better.
Care
Clarity comes from deeply caring if people truly understand.
Do you?
About the Author: Brian Clark is founder of Copyblogger and co-founder of DIY Themes, creator of the innovative Thesis Theme for WordPress. Get more from Brian on Twitter.
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Three Quick Steps to Clear Writing
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I’m flying to New York City today for the Audience Conference, so I thought I’d share a quotation about the relationship between writers (or any content creator) and the people they hope to connect with.
When talented people write badly it’s generally for one of two reasons:
Either they’re blinded by an idea they feel compelled to prove or they’re driven by an emotion they must express.
When talented people write well, it is generally for this reason:
They’re moved by a desire to touch the audience.
~Robert McKee
Let’s discuss. What do McKee’s words mean to you?
About the Author: Brian Clark is founder of Copyblogger and co-founder of DIY Themes, creator of the innovative Thesis Theme for WordPress. Get more from Brian on Twitter.
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Here’s Something to Think (and Talk) About
Next week, we’re launching a free email newsletter called “Internet Marketing for Smart People.”
At BlogWorld in Las Vegas on the 15th of October (that’s Thursday of next week folks, but you can still get 20% off with the code COPYBLGRVIP), Sonia will be conducting a panel with me, Chris Brogan, and Darren Rowse.
It’s also called “Internet Marketing for Smart People.”
Coincidence?
I think not.
Stay tuned, and follow @copyblogger on Twitter for real-time updates that won’t appear here.
And thank you for everything… we (literally) can’t do a damn thing without you.
About the Author: Brian Clark is founder of Copyblogger and co-founder of DIY Themes, creator of the innovative Thesis Theme for WordPress. Get more from Brian on Twitter.
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Don’t Tell Anyone
An elderly man stormed into his doctor’s office steaming mad.
“Doc, my new 22-year-old wife is expecting a baby. You performed my vasectomy 30 years ago, and I’m very upset right now.”
“Let me tell you a story,” the doctor calmly replied.
“A hunter once accidentally left the house with an umbrella instead of his rifle. Out of nowhere, a bear surprised him in the woods… so the hunter grabbed the umbrella, fired, and killed the bear.”
“Impossible, ” the old man said. “Someone else must have shot that bear.”
“You got it,” the doctor replied.
About the Author: Brian Clark is founder of Copyblogger and co-founder of DIY Themes, creator of the innovative Thesis Theme for WordPress. Get more from Brian on Twitter.
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The Power of Analogy
1. I’ll be releasing a free report this week, most likely on Wednesday. There’s no product launch or pitch tied to this… it’s just something I’ve wanted to do for a while, because it ties together what we’ve been talking about here for the last several years. Watch for it, because I think you’ll like it.
2. We’ve been getting a lot of mail asking when Teaching Sells is opening back up for enrollment. Never fear, the Fall semester is almost here. We’ll be accepting new members early September, with the course information process starting late August.
3. For freelance copywriters looking for more (and better) business, the Freelance “X” Factor live Q&A calls start this week, so the cut off for getting the course with the calls included is pretty much right away. More info here.
4. The Buy Thesis / Get SEO School Free promotion is still going strong. Why not get more with your Thesis purchase?
5. I never said I could count.
About the Author: Brian Clark is founder of Copyblogger and co-founder of DIY Themes, creator of the innovative Thesis Theme for WordPress. Get more from Brian on Twitter.
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Three Quick Things You Should Know
I got this email today :
I’m writing to thank you for registering and using Microsoft Popfly. I’ve been fortunate enough to see all the innovative mashups, Web pages, and games created by the Popfly community since we launched Popfly two years ago. It has truly been a pleasure to watch the spirit of creativity flow through a growing Popfly community over the life of the product.
It’s with a heavy heart that I share some news with you today: on August 24, 2009, the Popfly service will be discontinued and all sites, references, and resources will be taken down.
After August 24th, your access to your Popfly account, including any games and mashups that you’ve created, will be discontinued. However, Microsoft is still very much dedicated to helping you express your creativity and pursuing a path to software development. If you’re interested in refining your skills in Web applications, please visit Microsoft Web Platform Installer. For those interested in programming on the Xbox, then please visit Microsoft XNA or Microsoft Kodu. And for those who are interested in Windows programming, please visit Microsoft Express.
Thanks again for your support and please don’t hesitate to contact us at popfly@microsoft.com if you have any questions.
Regards,
John Montgomery
for the Popfly Team
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Microsoft to close popfly
