Ann Wylie’s blog of writing tips

How to write puns: List, rhyme and twist

Choose fluent words for wordplay

When the Federal Trade Commission needed to explain why the agency has decided not to develop a do-not-spam registry — officials feared that spammers would target people on the list — a spokesperson said:

“You’ll be spammed if we do — and spammed if we don’t.”

… Read the full article

How to write a pun

Four steps to crafting a twist of phrase

Some people are natural-born phrase twisters. The rest of us will likely need some help.

Want to write twists of phrase that are as clever as puns in literature?… Read the full article

How to write serialized storytelling

Take a tip from Norm Macdonald

What can you learn from Norm Macdonald’s Twitter tribute to Robin Williams?

Here’s how to serialize your story, how to get the word out in 144 (or 288) characters or less — and when to stop typing.… Read the full article

How to write short-form storytelling

Cut a long story short

In The Emperor of All Maladies, Siddhartha Mukherjee shares this tiny tale:

In 2005, a man diagnosed with multiple myeloma asked me if he would be alive to watch his daughter graduate from high school in a few months.

… Read the full article

How to write funny content

3 ways to incorporate humor into your writing

Humor is one of the Top 3 reasons people share information, according to a study by Chadwick Martin Bailey:

Because I find it interesting/entertaining (72%)
To get a laugh (58%)
Because I think it will be helpful to recipients (58%)

So how can content writers and others add humor to your content marketing, blog posts and other communication campaigns?… Read the full article

Press release boilerplate best practices

Boil your company down with boilerplates

Boilerplates: Can’t live with ’em, can’t get a decent one through approvals.

What is a boilerplate in a press release?

… Read the full article

Every business has a story to tell

Find yours with an RFS (Request for Stories)

How do you find awe-inspiring stories like these?

… and they flew us to Rome by helicopter.

I walked past all the other stranded passengers and used my Platinum Card.

… Read the full article

What is your brand story?

Share your subject matter expert’s own experiences

When Thomas Reardon, M.D., president of the American Medical Association, spoke to the Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States, he used a personal story to make his key point:

When I was out in Iowa during an AMA National House Call trip, I met a man who had just turned 62.

… Read the full article