People on the outside often assume we “creatives” are all just like Don Draper. That we can walk into a meeting and spitball award-winning ideas that bring everyone to tears or knee-slapping laughter in a matter of minutes. And, yes, some creative geniuses can nail creative concepts with little to no preparation. But [...]
Are you more artsy or analytical? Strategic or inspirational? See which creative type best describes you. 1. HR announces an upcoming gingerbread house decorating contest. You: A. Run right out to the bulk candy store to stock up on supplies. B. Start drawing up a schematic for how you’ll execute your design. C. Email [...]
Create a company style guide. It’s been there, on your to-do list since you assumed your role. And yet, every week, there it remains. It seems like such a daunting task and, really, why bother? You only have two people on your team and you’re all on the same page when it comes to content [...]
By Shelley Flannery In honor of Active Voice Communications’ 10th anniversary this month, we’re sharing our 10 favorite blog posts from over the years. We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we enjoyed writing them. 10. 5 Ways to Get a Blog Post Out Quickly We’re all about having a plan, but sometimes [...]
By Stephanie Conner Ten years. That’s a lot of brochures, newsletters, feature articles, websites, annual reports, blog posts and other materials. Active Voice Communications made its official debut in March 2009. And in the past decade, I’ve been fortunate to work with clients in various industries — healthcare, technology, higher education, real estate, banking, [...]
Words matter. Words educate, inform, entertain and uplift us. They can also confuse, irritate or depress us. Writers carefully select the words they choose — whether for a headline, book dialogue, tagline or product name. Yes, words matter. But so do the rules of grammar that surround them. Many writers excel at research, interviewing [...]
Every writer knows that sometimes you struggle. You get writer's block. You feel uninspired. You're drained. So, where do the pros go when they need to fuel their creative fire? Our team pondered the question: Which magazine or book do you turn to for inspiration? Where are your favorite places to find good writing? Here's [...]
How many words should it be? This is a question I often ask editors and content managers. For writers, a word count is a useful gauge to estimate how long a project will take and what the cost will be. Writers need to understand your vision so they can fulfill it. But as an [...]
There are two important things you need to do in order to become a better writer. First, you need to write a lot. And second: read. Read as much as you can and with as much variety as you can ... fiction, nonfiction, prose, poetry, humor, recipes, technology, blogs, books, short stories. Read it all. [...]
Over the summer, I took two weeks off for vacation. Two glorious weeks! Before I left, it had occurred to me that I hadn’t taken time off from work in about 14 months. When my clients keep me busy with such great work, I end up not taking the time. Yes, it’s hard to [...]
