Articles on writing, editing, improving content and more
writing for the web
June 2, 2026
Confused about how to write with AI search in mind? Here are some tips:
Google recently released new guidelines on how to optimise content for AI search. Some people agree with them: others don't. Here's my take:
grammar
punctuation
editing
writing
There are three ways you can use a comma – but only one is recommended
Oh, commas. They 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.
AI
editing
journalism
PR and marketing
writing
Using clichés will suck the life out of your writing
Have you got the word “passionate” in your LinkedIn profile? The odds are you do – almost everyone does.
PR and marketing
writing
Don’t sell the steak (or sausage), sell the sizzle
If you work in marketing, you may have heard the saying: don’t sell the steak, sell the sizzle (though some people, especially in Australia, New Zealand and the UK, say sausage instead of steak.
media
PR and marketing
Why transparency is crucial when managing a crisis
We’ve all been there. Your flight gets delayed, your banking app won’t work, your internet connection drops – and you have no idea what’s going on.
writing
Why curiosity will make you a better writer
Whether you’re writing a feature story or a business report, there’s one key characteristic that will make you stand out from other people: curiosity.
AI
journalism
PR and marketing
writing
Why you should never, ever use AI to write your content. Ever.
There are two reasons why using AI to write anything is a bad idea: writing needs to be new and unique – for your audience, your brand and SEO communication is a human activity.
editing
formatting
usability / UX
writing
Why less is more when it comes to word counts, column widths, paragraph sizes and article lengths
Limitations usually improve, rather than hinder, whatever you create. I learnt this when I first became an editor, back in the days of print.
editing
writing
The problem with using elegant variation to avoid repetition
Most writers have a fear of repeating words – and so they’ll strive, in often ludicrous ways, to come up with synonyms and alternate descriptions. For example, they might write: “Dan’s cat was evil.
