Articles about writing, editing and improving content

  • Why a hyphen and a dash are not the same – and why a dash is easier to use than a semicolon

    By Dan Kaufman on March 18, 2018
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    Most people have no idea that a dash is not the same as a hyphen – which is unfortunate, as a dash is an easy and effective way to add a pause into your writing …

  • How to write email preview and preheader text

    By Dan Kaufman on February 16, 2018
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    Email preview text (often called the preheader) is so important it can make the difference between someone opening your email or ignoring it. This article explains what it is and how to write for it.

  • How to use commas correctly

    By Dan Kaufman on January 19, 2018
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    Commas should be easy to use – after all, their purpose is to reflect how we speak – and yet everywhere I look they’re being horribly abused. Sometimes they’re in places they have no business in; other times they’re missing. As such, this is a plain English guide that says everything I wish my school teachers had explained to me:

  • How to write news stories in the inverted pyramid style

    By Dan Kaufman on August 26, 2017
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    The inverted pyramid is the most common way you can structure news stories, press releases, web pages and anything else that needs to immediately tell the reader what they need to know …

  • How to make your writing positive

    By Dan Kaufman on May 30, 2017
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    Using positive language is a great way to make sentences short and snappy.

    At the risk of sounding like a Grinch, using the positive form isn’t about being happy and upbeat. Instead, it’s about saying what something is – not what something isn’t …