Comments on: Book excerpt: How to write so people pay attention http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Wed, 20 Aug 2008 23:36:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Z-lot http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-140244 Z-lot Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:15:19 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-140244 I'm sorry to say that these tips will most likely rob anyone of his/her style of writing. I don't think that abstracting one's writing is something everyone should pay attention to at all times.... I'm sorry to say that these tips will most likely rob anyone of his/her style of writing.

I don't think that abstracting one's writing is something everyone should pay attention to at all times….

]]> By: Church Voices » Blog Archive » How to preach so people pay attention http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-83720 Church Voices » Blog Archive » How to preach so people pay attention Tue, 05 Jun 2007 22:40:21 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-83720 [...] This is a post that’s actually about writing so people pay attention. However most of them apply to preaching as well. [...] […] This is a post that's actually about writing so people pay attention. However most of them apply to preaching as well. […]

]]> By: Jenn http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-76838 Jenn Sat, 26 May 2007 17:50:42 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-76838 Great tips. I would add Talk What You Write (aloud). Nothing like trying to wrap your lips around your words to find mistakes, or find things that are too wordy. Great tips. I would add Talk What You Write (aloud).
Nothing like trying to wrap your lips around your words to find mistakes, or find things that are too wordy.

]]> By: Ted Bailey http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-76357 Ted Bailey Fri, 25 May 2007 13:04:16 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-76357 I remember when my high school English teachers used to criticize my writing style for being to abrupt. So for years I tried to write more "beautifully". Now that I am in the business world, as this post accurately points out, short concise writing is the way to go. Damn you, 5 paragraph essay! I remember when my high school English teachers used to criticize my writing style for being to abrupt. So for years I tried to write more "beautifully". Now that I am in the business world, as this post accurately points out, short concise writing is the way to go. Damn you, 5 paragraph essay!

]]> By: suba http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-75879 suba Thu, 24 May 2007 13:45:07 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-75879 I will try to answer though I didn't get the "who you you sound like when you write and talk" part. It's mostly because of the type of person I am and the situation I am in. Professionally I am a consultant in a IT biggie and have to fake a lot - selling things I don't believe in and pleasing people with ignorance. Guess then I usually talk like I write - or rather how a business book will read. In other life or even a few years before when I was a software developer I talked as I write and vice-versa. I know, I have to try getting a job in google or thoughtworks or believe in reincarnation. I will try to answer though I didn't get the "who you you sound like when you write and talk" part. It's mostly because of the type of person I am and the situation I am in. Professionally I am a consultant in a IT biggie and have to fake a lot - selling things I don't believe in and pleasing people with ignorance. Guess then I usually talk like I write - or rather how a business book will read. In other life or even a few years before when I was a software developer I talked as I write and vice-versa. I know, I have to try getting a job in google or thoughtworks or believe in reincarnation.

]]> By: Barb http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-75661 Barb Thu, 24 May 2007 01:22:00 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-75661 Those are helpful tips. We know that it's hard to pay attention to boring things. People have different tastes and it's important to identify the factors that doesn't need to be specific. It should be the basics that we must always consider. Those are helpful tips.
We know that it's hard to pay attention to boring things. People have different tastes and it's important to identify the factors that doesn't need to be specific. It should be the basics that we must always consider.

]]> By: Stephanie West Allen http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-75645 Stephanie West Allen Thu, 24 May 2007 00:52:49 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-75645 Nice column, Penelope. For a different opinion on the use of the passive voice, and on the advice to write like you talk and to keep it short, here are a couple of interviews with Dr. George Gopen: http://westallen.typepad.com/idealawg/2007/01/not_on_the_same.html http://westallen.typepad.com/idealawg/2007/01/interview_of_dr.html Nice column, Penelope. For a different opinion on the use of the passive voice, and on the advice to write like you talk and to keep it short, here are a couple of interviews with Dr. George Gopen:

http://westallen.typepad.com/idealawg/2007/01/not_on_the_same.html

http://westallen.typepad.com/idealawg/2007/01/interview_of_dr.html

]]> By: suba http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-75452 suba Wed, 23 May 2007 13:41:00 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-75452 Nice words, can complement strunk. By the way, what about people who talk as they write? I do and I am trying to change it. <strong>* * * * * *</strong> <I>This is such an interesting question of authenticity. Because if you talk how you write, then who you you sound like when you write and talk? Where is the real you and what does it sound like? --Penelope</I> Nice words, can complement strunk. By the way, what about people who talk as they write? I do and I am trying to change it.

* * * * * *
This is such an interesting question of authenticity. Because if you talk how you write, then who you you sound like when you write and talk? Where is the real you and what does it sound like?

–Penelope

]]> By: Ellen http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-75314 Ellen Wed, 23 May 2007 06:14:24 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-75314 Very nice tips. I agree that it doesn't need to be long. As long as it's concise, I think it's enough for people to understand the main idea and be interested. No matter how short it is if the reader isn't interested, it's still useless. Very nice tips.
I agree that it doesn't need to be long. As long as it's concise, I think it's enough for people to understand the main idea and be interested. No matter how short it is if the reader isn't interested, it's still useless.

]]> By: AlmostGotIt http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-75277 AlmostGotIt Wed, 23 May 2007 04:43:01 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/05/22/book-excerpt-how-to-write-so-people-pay-attention/#comment-75277 Thank you, Penelope. I always appreciate it when people talk about good writing. Short is good. Yes. And Email is a form of writing with its own set of rules which we are only now beginning to codify. Including shortness. And codify is *too* a necessary word sometimes, and sometimes I even use it when I talk. And fortunately for those of us who think language is beautiful, there are other forms of writing too, besides email, so that we don't really have to banish whole categories of words. Editors may well approve what college professors (or, alternatively, poets) definitely will not. Thank you, Penelope. I always appreciate it when people talk about good writing. Short is good. Yes. And Email is a form of writing with its own set of rules which we are only now beginning to codify. Including shortness. And codify is *too* a necessary word sometimes, and sometimes I even use it when I talk. And fortunately for those of us who think language is beautiful, there are other forms of writing too, besides email, so that we don't really have to banish whole categories of words. Editors may well approve what college professors (or, alternatively, poets) definitely will not.

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