September resource: Plain Language: Clear and Simple The discussion group hoped that our next books talked more about tone and consistency. October resource: Oxford Guide to Plain Language Several people… Read More »Fall 2022 Plain Language Book Summaries
“Critics may say you’ll lose accuracy. At times, this is true. … In many cases, however, you’ll improve accuracy. Writing [to include more readers] forces you to be utterly lucid.… Read More »Plain Language: A Service For Ourselves
“Don’t shorten sentences by leaving out words such as that, which or who.” Plain Language: Clear and Simple, page 23 It’s very popular advice to go through your text and… Read More »Link Your Ideas
“Are you trying to change people’s behavior? Make sure you mention how even small changes can bring benefits that are important to your reader.” Plain Language: Clear and Simple, page… Read More »Welcome to Plain Language Book Club
Three Ways to Move Forward First of all, I doubt that your book is terrible. It’s got some of what you know and feel in it, some of who you… Read More »Help, My Book Is Terrible!
Crumbs. Jam it. Holy Canasta! So, I had to unlearn some words when I moved back to Kentucky from Boston (with a detour through Germany). The culture around swearing in… Read More »On Swears and Other Polarizing Language: Building Better Word Habits
It’s academic job application season again, and horror stories are coming in from applicants who are new to the process and missed something important. Typos and other mistakes happen to… Read More »Avoid the Big Oops Feeling When Applying for Academic Jobs
How do you decide what goes in a book or essay? You’ve been writing, but now it’s time to impose some sort of order on your personal stories. Narrative frames… Read More »Six Narrative Frames for Memoir and Personal Essays
Write About Yourself as a Character & Capture Your Voice on Paper When you’re writing about yourself for your family and friends, you step onto the page a fully formed… Read More »Memoir Is Fan Fiction
Writing can be a process of discovery. Explore pivotal moments in your personal story with these writing prompts. Write a list of situations in which your oldest friend would know… Read More »Getting Started: 5 Prompts for Writing About Your Life