Speaking of first impressions, I don't want to present myself as "the Final Authority". Dave Barry readers know that would be "Mr. Language Person". I'm just a guy who's been writing marketing and training materials for a couple of decades and I've picked up a few things. If they are of value to you, I'm glad I could help.

1. Know your audience. Who are you trying to reach and what is the best approach to accomplish your goal? Should you be informal, strictly business or something else?

2. Plan what you want to say before you type the first word. Make a few notes. You will stay on message better and present a more readable piece.

3. No matter how extensive your vocabulary, resist the impulse to dazzle your readers. You may impress some but you'll lose many more. Common, everyday words work just fine - that's how they became common.

4. Avoid jargon whenever possible. Yes, almost every undertaking has its own language, just write at the level most appropriate for the vast majority of your readers. If in doubt, see 3. above.

5. Syntax (sentence structure) matters. When I hear something like, "Me 'n' John went to..." it's like fingernails down the chalkboard! People who speak that way probably write the same way, I figure. If your word processor has a grammar che
   What's In A Domain Name?
   Choosing a domain name can be a real exercise in frustration, but it is one of the most important decisions you will make when getting your business online.Why so difficult you ask? Well, for a start, almost every word in the English language (and I'm willing to bet most other languages too), has been taken in the most common domains. If you make widgets, you'll almost certainly find that 'widget.com' was purchased already back in t
   Speaking of first impressions, I don't want to present myself as "the Final Authority". Dave Barry readers know that would be "Mr. Language Person". I'm just a guy who's been writing marketing and training materials for a couple of decades and I've picked up a few things. If they are of value to you, I'm glad I could help.

   1. Know your audience. Who are you trying to reach and what is the best approach to accomplish your goal? Should you be informal, strictly business or something else?

   2. Plan what you want to say before you type the first word. Make a few notes. You will stay on message better and present a more readable piece.

   3. No matter how extensive your vocabulary, resist the impulse to dazzle your readers. You may impress some but you'll lose many more. Common, everyday words work just fine - that's how they became common.

   4. Avoid jargon whenever possible. Yes, almost every undertaking has its own language, just write at the level most appropriate for the vast majority of your readers. If in doubt, see 3. above.

   5. Syntax (sentence structure) matters. When I hear something like, "Me 'n' John went to..." it's like fingernails down the chalkboard! People who speak that way probably write the same way, I figure. If your word processor has a grammar ch
      Prime Commercial Properties Shuns Lingerie in Downtown Augusta
      Fair warning to you lingerie shop owners, don't even think about leasing a downtown Augusta Georgia location if the sign on the door says Prime Realty! I know, because I tried twice. We have owned our little lingerie shop for about a year now. We have been selling our goods at a local flea market. We are having some moderate success doing so. However, we knew if we wanted to grow, we needed a retail location. We figured the down

      1. Know your audience. Who are you trying to reach and what is the best approach to accomplish your goal? Should you be informal, strictly business or something else?

      2. Plan what you want to say before you type the first word. Make a few notes. You will stay on message better and present a more readable piece.

      3. No matter how extensive your vocabulary, resist the impulse to dazzle your readers. You may impress some but you'll lose many more. Common, everyday words work just fine - that's how they became common.

      4. Avoid jargon whenever possible. Yes, almost every undertaking has its own language, just write at the level most appropriate for the vast majority of your readers. If in doubt, see 3. above.

      5. Syntax (sentence structure) matters. When I hear something like, "Me 'n' John went to..." it's like fingernails down the chalkboard! People who speak that way probably write the same way, I figure. If your word processor has a grammar ch
         How to Survive Getting Hit by a BRIC
         Now I know what it feels like to get hit by a BRIC: Brazil (EWZ) -8.81%, Russia (TRF) -8.2%, India (IFN) -7.5% and China (FXI) -10.7%. It may take a few days or weeks before our bells stop ringing, but it will. Unless Goldman Sachs grossly miscalculated the economic potential of these countries, February 27, 2007 will simply be a blip in a long term profitable cycle. However, hard hats will be standard issue going forward.I believe

      6. No matter how extensive your vocabulary, resist the impulse to dazzle your readers. You may impress some but you'll lose many more. Common, everyday words work just fine - that's how they became common.

      7. Avoid jargon whenever possible. Yes, almost every undertaking has its own language, just write at the level most appropriate for the vast majority of your readers. If in doubt, see 3. above.

      8. Syntax (sentence structure) matters. When I hear something like, "Me 'n' John went to..." it's like fingernails down the chalkboard! People who speak that way probably write the same way, I figure. If your word processor has a grammar ch
         Your First Job Out of College
         Finding your first job out of college is an exciting and sometimes intimidating process. On the one hand, your future depends on it! You may be faced with new expenses such as rent, food, and student loan payments, and feeling the pressure to find the "perfect" job. On the other hand, today's workplace is much different from that of your parents' generation. The average person changes careers multiple times during his or her work history.
         most appropriate for the vast majority of your readers. If in doubt, see 3. above.

      9. Syntax (sentence structure) matters. When I hear something like, "Me 'n' John went to..." it's like fingernails down the chalkboard! People who speak that way probably write the same way, I figure. If your word processor has a grammar checker, use it - the spell checker won't help in this kind of situation.

         The other person always comes first, so it is "John and I went to...". The trick for determining whether to use I or me is to drop the other person and say it. I doubt you'd say "Me went to...". Right?

      10. Short sentences are more powerful than long ones. They are easier to read and hold the reader better. It might just be two words: Janet smiled. Depending on what preceded it, those two little words could be very powerful indeed. Think how important this sentence can be: I do.

      11. If you're writing ads and you'd like them to stand out, avoid using the same approach "everyone else" is using. Look at how many ads use some variation of "Make $16 Million Before Lunch!!!!!!!!!" and then do something else for yours. Nobody really buys that stuff anyway, do they? Use your imagination.

      12. Some words simply cannot be modified, so don't. Among these,for example, are unique and pregnant. Nothing can be "very unique" because unique means something of which there is only one. And a woman is either pregnant or she isn't. She cannot be "somewhat pregnant".

      13. Punctuation is critically important. If you don't think so, study the following sentence. It can be punctuated to create opposite meanings: Woman without her m