SmithWriting Blog

When it comes to using exclamation points, people have very strong opinions. I suppose that’s not surprising, considering the fact that the purpose of an exclamation point is to imply very strong feelings.

On one side of the argument, there are the pro-pointers. Take Elaine from Seinfeld: She likes exclamation points so much that she actually broke up with a boyfriend because he didn’t put an exclamation point on a note that she thought deserved one.

Then there are the anti-pointers: A good example of these folks is the band formerly known as Panic! At The Disco. For those of you who haven’t heard the news, they recently dropped the exclamation point from their name. Guess they got tired of justifying it to grammar-obsessed fans.

According to the AP Stylebook, exclamation points should really only be used to convey such intense feelings as astonishment, fear, and rage—in other words, genuine exclamations. Other uses include: emphatic commands (like this post’s title), irony (Anyone can get into Harvard (!)), and ambiguity (“Get out of here!” means something very different than “Get out of here.”).

Personally, I’m an anti-pointer. Sure, I believe that exclamation points have their place, but when they’re overused, they lose their emphasis and the content suffers. I’m sure Elaine’s ex-boyfriend would agree with me.

Which side do you fall on?

Filed by rebecca at 7:36 am under Grammar guide
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Have you read your favorite poem recently?

Well, today’s the day to do it!

Established in 1999 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, World Poetry Day exists to promote the reading, writing, publishing, and teaching of poetry throughout the world.

In honor of this special day, I’d like to share an excerpt from the poem Days by my favorite poet, Billy Collins, former Poet Laureate of the United States:

Each one is a gift, no doubt
mysteriously placed in your waking hand
or set upon your forehead
moments before you open your eyes.

Treat today like the gift it is and celebrate World Poetry Day!

Filed by rebecca at 5:09 am under For the love of words
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Over the years I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing a wide range of subjects, from MIT astronomers and Hollywood producers to cancer survivors and city mayors. Although each person was unique, they all had fascinating stories to tell—and I had the lucky job of evoking them.

Next time you’re conducting an interview, consider following these guidelines and your conversation is sure to be a success.

Be informed.

And I don’t just mean Google your subject 10 minutes before you’re scheduled to meet. When I prepare for an interview, I spend a significant amount of time getting to know my subject. Sure, I Google them. But I also read their blogs or watch their movies. And I always read what other people have written about them. Only then can I formulate intelligent questions and conduct a productive, meaningful interview.

Be logical.

Ask questions in a manner that makes sense to both you and your subject. I always outline my story ahead of time and then pose questions in the order I’d like my piece to take. Then, when an interview is done, I’m left with information and quotes that I can easily mold into a first draft. Likewise, be logical with your tone and word choice. You wouldn’t ask the same questions of a schoolchild as you would of a CEO. Well, maybe you would, but you’d certainly phrase them differently. Interviews are definitely not one-size-fits-all.

Be considerate.

I like to let an interviewee know ahead of time how long I think our conversation will take. That way, we both clear our calendars and can avoid interruptions. You don’t want to be rolling along with a great interview and have to walk away because you or your subject has another appointment. Also, be considerate of your subject’s comfort level. It’s pretty easy for us to sit there and shoot probing questions at someone; I can’t imagine it’s easy to spout sensible answers off the top of your head.

Be smart.

Unfortunately, you never know when you’re going to have to defend something you’ve written. The last thing you want is to be accused of misquoting someone: It could lead to bad blood, loss of a job, or worse. Depending on the context, I usually tape record my interviews (with my subject’s permission, of course). That way, I have a clear record of what an interviewee said—and an equally clear conscience.

Be flexible.

I used to get frustrated when an interviewee would go off on a tangent and veer away from my pre-established list of questions. But I’ve found that I sometimes get my best material when I just sit back and let the interviewee take the lead. The more comfortable a person is, the more information they’re apt to share with you. Learn to go with the flow of conversation.

Be thorough.

At the end of every interview, I give my subject a chance to tell me anything I may not have asked about. A lot of folks prepare for interviews ahead of time, so it’s nice to give them an opportunity to share what they think is most important—on the off-chance you didn’t lead them there already.

For some more fabulous insights on interviewing, click on over to Words on the Page and Rogue Ink. These ladies really know what they’re talking about!

Filed by rebecca at 11:58 am under Copywriting
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At some point in our lives, we all encounter that one teacher who inspires us.

For me, it was the fourth grade and he was Mr. Donahue. He taught me to love words.

Mr. Donahue was witty, smart, and quick-tempered. He had a thick mustache and a deep voice. And he had the driest sense of humor of anyone I ever met. Who knows how many of his jokes were lost on us, his preadolescent audience.

He was a week-long champion on Jeopardy!, and he always quizzed us kids with fun trivia. I owe my lifelong obsession with that show to Mr. Donahue. At the time I remember thinking that he must be the smartest man in the world (in comparison, I was averaging about one correct answer per game).

Mr. Donahue had us do the newspaper Jumble every morning. Not the Junior Jumble, either. I mean the real deal. He’d print the puzzle on the board and have whoever finished it first walk up to solve it. I made it my 9-year-old life’s mission to get to that board as often as possible.

I’ll never forget the morning he walked in—very dramatically—and proceeded to the leftmost point on the board, where he slowly wrote the lowercase letter “a.” Then, in complete silence, he walked to the far right side of the board and wrote the word “lot.” I don’t think he ever actually said, “‘A lot’ is two words, not one.” But he didn’t have to. It was the best grammar lesson I’ve ever received.

Mr. Donahue passed away two years ago. After he retired from teaching, he spent his time volunteering at the local hospital, putting a smile on the faces of people who really needed one.

Why he devoted the bulk of his life to teaching fourth graders, I’ll never know, but there are hundreds of graduates of George J. Peters Elementary School who are glad he did. I know I’m one of them. Thanks, Mr. Donahue. Thanks a lot.

Filed by rebecca at 8:34 am under For the love of words
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Be warned: Working from home requires a significant amount of self-discipline. If you’re easily tempted by The Young and the Restless or the early-bird sales at your local department store, then maybe you’re better suited to office life.

For those of you brave enough to work from home, here are some helpful tips I’ve learned along the way:

Have a designated home office with a door.
I find that shutting myself in (and my distractions out) helps me to concentrate on my writing. In my mind, my office is associated with work: When I’m in my office, I work. When I’m not, I don’t.

Set a schedule for yourself.
Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, make a work schedule and stick to it. Thanks to my set schedule, it’s easy to plan phone calls, meetings, and coffee breaks. Plus, my clients always know when they can reach me—and my friends and family know when they can’t.

Set guidelines with your spouse, partner, or roommate.
If you share your home with anyone else, it’s important that you talk with them about your requirements for working from home. For example, you may not want your roommate running on her treadmill and blasting OK Go during your weekly conference call.

Hire a savvy accountant.
A smart financial adviser will save you lots of money and hassle as you manage your home business. Case in point: Did you know that you can deduct a portion of your utility bills when you work from home?

Plan regular social get-togethers.
Because let’s be honest: If you spend all day, every day alone, you’ll be pretty miserable. For instance, I meet a writer friend for lunch at a local diner once a month. It’s therapeutic to talk about writing, work, and life in general—and the omelets are great, too!

Filed by rebecca at 7:26 am under The freelancing life
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