Category Archives: links

Recent work on SmartBlogs

I interview a couple of nice people recently, and despite my questions, they gave some pretty good answers. Please read more over at my work blog, SmartBlog on Leadership: Ryan Estis, on company culture and how to do it right Navigating workplace relationships: A Q-and-A with Emily Bennington

Stories behind the stories — Feb. 9, 2013

Trying something out because I rarely write anymore but read more widely than ever. In my day job, I deliver the news of the day in several industries. But there’s always the story behind the story — the context, the background, the human interest, or just the fun and silly. Each weekend (I hope!?), I’llContinue reading “Stories behind the stories — Feb. 9, 2013”

Dead retail stores of our lives

I read a story today on Forbes’ website arguing that Best Buy, through a combination of the Internet (e.g. Amazon), poor customer service, poor internal inventory and logistics and a general societal shift away from bricks-and-mortar retailers, is slowly headed toward a rapid fall. I’ve thought for a couple of years now that Best BuyContinue reading “Dead retail stores of our lives”

2 resources for learning the language of nuclear

The nuclear industry is like any other: It has its own terminology, with degrees of usefulness. Some terms are more accurate and precise, while others just sound nicer.But amid the unfortunate and continuing problems with Japan’s nuclear reactors, it might be good to double-check what you’re writing or editing. After all, the problems with Japan’sContinue reading “2 resources for learning the language of nuclear”

Necrophilia-inducing typos and other editing links: A roundup

Yeah, that headline had better bring results, or I’m going to be upset. Anyways, what’s happening in the world of copy editing, editing and journalism at large: Word Grrls notes how one missing letter on a book-seller’s site goes from the sassy, if cliche, “Dead Sexy” to the disturbingly niche “Dead Sex.” Unless that meansContinue reading “Necrophilia-inducing typos and other editing links: A roundup”

A roundup of the editing world

Some links about what’s going on in the editing world (with a couple of them found through the unwieldy but still helpful #copyediting hashtag on Twitter): John McIntyre, once and again of The Baltimore Sun, is lending his voice and wisdom to an audio conference next week. More info here — it’s not cheap, butContinue reading “A roundup of the editing world”

Copy-editing’s future and failings: A roundup

It’s not just a roundup of stupid mistakes, though a few are in there. There’s also some discussion of the craft, where it’s headed, and why. The case for education reform, proved in one billboard: In Indiana, the city of South Bend decided, we’ve got some great public schools. Let’s promote them with a bigContinue reading “Copy-editing’s future and failings: A roundup”

Success and failure can hinge on a single word

Headline mistakes are rarely, in my experience, of a deliberate action. They are almost of an oversight, a mistyping or confusion. And most of the time, it’s but one word or phrase that makes the difference — its spelling, its substitution for the correct word, or its placement. All this places added pressure on copyContinue reading “Success and failure can hinge on a single word”

People notice bad editing, Part 1

Slowly, and perhaps, surely, people are noticing what happens when writing and journalism become disconnected from the art of editing. Some of these people are writers and editors, but many others are not. They’re just people who try to use the English language well, and they expect the same from others. If this trend, thisContinue reading “People notice bad editing, Part 1”