Don’t.
No punctuation transgression amuses me quite as much as the extraneous quotation mark. Because, “really,” when you inexplicably put “quotes” around a word or phrase, what is it that you’re “trying” to “say”?… Read the full article
Ann Wylie’s blog of writing tips
What is the rule about splitting infinitives?
Is this approach still a grammar don’t?
It may be the most famous split infinitive of all time — Star Trek’s opening-sequence voice over:
“To boldly go where no man has gone before”
That’s a split infinitive, because the adverb “boldly” separates, or splits, the verb “to go.”… Read the full article
How to proofread like a pro
Rest, reformat, read aloud and review common errors
By Chris Smith
You spell-checked it, but that story still appeared with a grammar fail or typo. D’oh!… Read the full article
Should you use emojis in email subject lines?
What about special characters, all caps?
Oh, those darling emojis: red heart, face with tears of joy, naughty eggplant. Surely they have a use in subject lines for marketing emails.… Read the full article
Create a sense of urgency in email subject lines
It may be the most effective approach
Nobody wants to miss out: Adding a sense of urgency to your subject lines is one of the best ways to get recipients to read your email.… Read the full article
Tips for writing email subject lines
Make them clear, easy to understand
What makes one email campaign generate an amazing 93% open rate, while another languishes at a dismal 0.5%?
Ask the researchers at MailChimp, an email service provider.… Read the full article
How to write clever email subject lines
Try wordplay, humor, creative techniques
Among the most popular subject lines for my e-zine Wylie’s Writing Tips:
Now you see it
The Awwww Factor
Paint the schnauzer
One-sentence stories
Can you read me now?
… Read the full articleHow to write email subject lines that get opened
Target the recipient to boost email analytics
Useful information is among the top three reasons people share information via email or social media, according to research by Chadwick Martin Bailey:
- Because I find it interesting/entertaining (72%)
- Because I think it will be helpful to recipients (58%)
- To get a laugh (58%)
Those findings echo research by three professors at Carnegie Mellon University.… Read the full article
How to write an email preview pane
Give readers a peek at your contents
Eight out of 10 businesspeople and more than half of consumers use preview panes to decide whether to open an email, according to Lyris Technologies.… Read the full article
Use a conversational writing style in press releases
Run the ‘Hey, did you hear?’ test
Having trouble nailing that “business casual” tone you’re aiming for? Try reading your message aloud — after a friendly greeting or phrase: