There are a number of words that are often mixed up in writing: effect vs. affect, compliment vs. complement, and others. Here’s a problem I’ve encountered a lot: the confusion of ensure versus insure. But wait, those two words are the same, right? Well . . . not exactly. Let’s look at some definitions and […]

If you spend any time with managers these days, you’ll notice one theme quite quickly: the post-pandemic work world has them feeling overwhelmed. Many managers are unprepared to communicate about complex and sensitive topics, such as business uncertainty and changing customer needs, remote vs. in-office decisions, changes in strategy, restructures and layoffs, people and workplace […]

If you want to transform from aspiring writer to published author, you might be thinking maybe a few creative writing classes would help. But with so many classes out there, which ones should you take? After all, if you’re like me, you have a limited amount of time and money to invest in your writing. […]

It’s National Poetry Month! I know, I know. You don’t want to write a poem, but what if I could show you a way to tap into a childhood memory to create a poem or scene that you could use in any kind of writing? Will you accept a poetry dare today? Write a Poem […]

Why do people write poetry? Some might believe writing poetry is only for lovers and poets, but that’s not true. Writing poetry (like music!) can capture parts of the human experience in ways that prose can’t. Let’s look at why you should try to write a little poetry today, especially if you don’t consider yourself […]

When you think about the literary devices that poets use, you might think of rhyme scheme or metaphors with double meanings. But poets also use line breaks and punctuation in unusual ways too. Let’s look at one such poetic device called enjambment and then we’ll look at some enjambment examples. Enjambment Definition The word enjambment […]

Happy Poetry Month! My students often scowl when I announce we’ll be reading a poem or covering *heaven forbid* an entire unit on poetry. Reading poetry often bothers people—it certainly bothers me in the best possible way. Sometimes poetry feels lofty and pretentious and seems to say, “I know something you don’t know,” which is […]

Think about the last time you went to a leadership meeting to hear about a new strategy, direction or business plan. Did you leave that meeting feeling optimistic, energized and accountable for what was presented? Or did you come away from the experience feeling apathetic, skeptical and that the new plan was more of the […]

Love stories appear everywhere in the films we watch, books we read, and shows we binge. Sometimes these love stories are the center of the plot, like in Pride and Prejudice or The Notebook. Sometimes they’re a subplot, like in The Hunger Games or Ready Player One. Other times they’re hidden, looking more like a journey of […]

Love stories pop up in all kinds of stories—and not just in romance novels. Let’s review what elements make up a love story and then practice with some story writing prompts.   When you think of a love story, you probably think of the romance genre: a cover with a bodice-ripping hunk and a woman […]