Content Archives - Page 19 of 28

Arlo Guthrie, a Pickle, and 5 Signs You’re Forcing a Bad Idea to Work

September 12, 2006 by Liz

I Had This Idea about Deadlines

I had this idea Sunday about deadlines and how we sometimes push words and designs out the door to meet them — how schedule beats quality and how that works against us every time.

I wanted a fun example to talk about. So I chose Arlo Guthrie’s “The Motorcycle Song,” and started writing this post. I chose it because the first time I heard someone sing that particular song, I remember thinking that the lyrics are, well, less than inspiring.

I don’t want a pickle.
Just want to write on my motorcyle.
I don’t want a tickle,
I want to write on my motorcyle.
and I don’t wanna die. . .
Just wanna ride my motorcy-cle.
–Arlo Guthrie, The Motorcycle (The Significance of the Pickle) Song

My, wasn’t I smart? Well, no, not even clever. I was in love with my own idea.

Anyone who remembers the song probably already suspects what a truly bad idea that was.

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Bloggy Question 20 — A Significant Other Says “No Blog”

September 10, 2006 by Liz

An Ultimato . . . as My Brother Would Say

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week, I offer this Blogging Question.

A blogger friend, a great writer and thinker, someone who contributes thoughts, insights, and enthusiasm to every blog conversation you seem to be part of, has shared via email a problem at home. His significant other — a girlfriend of six months — has laid down an ultimatum.

He gives up the blog, or it’s the road for her.

She say’s it’s not the time he spends. He’s great about paying attention to his real-life commitments. She doesn’t like the idea that he has conversations that she’s not part of, and she has no interest in finding out why he enjoys blogging so much.

How do you respond?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Love at First Write: 5 +1 Steps to Your Authentic Writing Voice

September 5, 2006 by Liz

One Note and 42 Days Later

My husband and I got married 42 days after we met. He says he fell in love when he read a welcome note I left downstairs when he came to pick me up for a date. He still mentions it now, 23 years later.

We had a small wedding — 12 people in our living room.

My mother-law-in didn’t approve. She wanted us to wait. She also cried showing her husband what I wrote her on our wedding day. She told him I must love her son very much.

Both son and his mother heard what I said and knew I meant every word.

Using your authentic writing voice isn’t hard once you know how. In fact, it’s natural and works with all writing, not just lovey stuff. You only need to remember five things to do. Would you let me show you how?
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10 + 1 Reasons to Write Well, Not Perfect-ley OR Save the World with Realistic Expectations

August 31, 2006 by Liz

You Thought Multitasking Was a Curse

Have you got an inner editor telling you what you write has to be perfect? Perfectionism is a problem that can hurt you. Here are a few light reasons why you should give up trying to create perfect work. — Sometimes fun talk can combat a serious problem.

I don’t write perfectly. You don’t either. No one does. Leonard Cohen hasn’t gotten there — much as I love him. Nope, he hasn’t. Neither has Toni Morrison, nor any other living writer. You can forget Mark Twain, Shakespeare, and the rest of the dead ones too.

There’s no such thing as perfect writing.

Tell the editor in your ear to take a hike on the whole idea. Trying to write perfectly could cause an alien invasion.

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4+6 Things to a Product Review Even James Bond Would Trust

August 29, 2006 by Liz

What You Have Here James Is . . .

Product reviews. We all do them. We love to tell people what we like about stuff. Even more, we love to tell them what’s wrong with stuff. . . .

The President had started a discussion about a product we were prototyping. Our new product was meant to compete with one that had owned the market for 10 years.

“So, what do you think of the product that’s out there?” the President asked the editors.

Each editor was eager to respond and gave in detail the things that she saw in the existing product. The President made sure that every editor had a chance to talk.

“I wonder how it continues to sell 100,000+ units per book per year?” Then he glanced over my way and said, “That’s why no one listens to editors’ opinions. They only talk about the negatives.”

I was the only person in the company who reviewed product for the President.

Where do you get advice about products? Most people trust friends and family first. If friends and family don’t know, research says that 77 percent of online shoppers read consumer product reviews and ratings.

That means you’ve probably done that.

Product review are big business . . .

. . . if folks feel they can trust what the review says.

If you want credibility James Bond would trust, you have to know 4 things before you start and tell 6 things when you write..

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PH3: How Are You — Good or Well? Could You Be Advertising Your Soft Skin?

August 25, 2006 by Liz

Life-Changing Information

I am about to tell you something.

If you don’t already know this, the information will probably change your life.

The change will be a small one — it may not change a thing you do. It will change you nonetheless, because . . .

I’m about to do the grammatical equivalent of sticking a song inside your head.

Every day people ask and answer the question, “How are you?”

The answer I most often hear uses the word, good, in something like “I’m good, and you?”

Good is a tricky word. It’s always an adjective, except when speaking about health. Then it becomes an adverb, which means when speaking of health, good is not the right word to choose. You might instead try well.

Here’s the picture. The conversation is

ME: How are you?
IT Man: I am good.

He could be saying he is good at gaming, good at talking, good at what most husbands are good at, or even saying good for nothing, but he’s not talking about his health.

And oh my, should the conversation be

ME: How are you?
IT Man: I feel good.

Now he’s commenting on the softness of his skin.

That’s a picture, isn’t it?

Know that it is good to say that you feel well and all will be fine in the end.

Of course, if you have soft, smooth skin, I have no problem with you advertising . . .

–ME “Liz” Strauss