Use better words than “excited” in your writing
Fake news! Many press releases over-excitedly announce information that has no real news value - it is in effect fake news. No wonder journalists delete… Read More
Writing and layout
Serif typefaces best for body copy of printed publications
The key aim with printed material is to maximize reader comprehension and recall. We can then build on that foundation to influence attitudes, opinions and… Read More
69 alternatives to the word “disaster”
A wildly misused word is “disaster.” (“Crisis” is another similarly misused word, but that’s the subject of other discussions.) “Disaster” is used in the public… Read More
Best headline fonts for printed publications
The headline is the most important part of any piece of writing. It tells you immediately whether the content is of interest to you. Advertising… Read More
Use numbers to make your writing more persuasive
Has a colleague ever said to you: “I started a writing career because I’m hopeless with numbers.”? Many communicators find it difficult to understand, use… Read More
Headlines in printed publications – use any color as long as it’s black!
Innovative design features like colored headlines make printed publications more attractive visually. But do such features improve reader comprehension and recall - which are the… Read More
Lost in translation: communicators too often overlook the importance of good translation
As a young PR consultant, I helped my colleagues develop promotional material in support of a client who was planning to set up a joint… Read More
Is text printed on a tinted background acceptable?
From a design perspective, it makes sense to vary the traditional black print on a white page to create more visual interest. But what about… Read More
Using reverse type dramatically reduces reader comprehension
Reverse type is used by graphic designers to improve the design of a printed page. They love using it for expanses of text in glossy… Read More
Best body type alignment in printed publications
Best body type alignment - Is it more effective to use justified typesetting or ranged left (ragged right) typesetting for text (body type) in a… Read More
