Ann Wylie’s blog of writing tips

Don’t mix metaphors — and other metaphor ‘don’ts’

Do sync with the subject, don’t write a groaner

Don’t mix metaphors. Fewer are more persuasive. Choose one concept for comparison and stick with it.… Read the full article

New Year’s Writing Resolutions

8 of my favorite tips for 2023

I’m a poor resolver. For many years, my New Year’s Resolution was “I resolve not to resolve,” which made me a bit of a Grinch at New Year’s Day parties.… Read the full article

Why is the writing process important?

It helps you Write Better, Easier & Faster

When I’m feeling whiny about how hard writing is, I turn to my file of quotes from the pros.… Read the full article

How to overcome writer’s block

Work with, not against, your brain

I don’t believe in writer’s block. Never had time for it. Blank page? I’ll take two, please. I’ve never met the muse.… Read the full article

What is the writing process?

3 steps to Writing Better, Easier & Faster

While we talk a lot about what to write — More stories! Fewer words! Shorter sentences! — we don’t focus so much on how.… Read the full article

Creative templates outperform thinking outside the box

Templates more effective than brainstorming, free association

Can creativity be templated?

Yes it can, according to a team of Israeli researchers.

In 1999, the researchers studied 200 ads that had been award winners or finalists in top advertising competitions.… Read the full article

Create fill-in-the-blanks story writing templates

Save time, effort when you stop reinventing the wheel

What a great assignment I just completed for a technology comms team: I templated their blog posts, intranet announcements, lead generation emails, news releases, speeches, success stories and white papers.… Read the full article

Why use a story structure?

Plus: 18 writing templates to try

People remember information better when stories are organized according to well-known structures. (Mandler and Johnson 1977; Kintsch, Mandel and Kozminsky in 1977; Mandler 1978; Stein 1976; and Thorndyke 1977)

The reason: People have mental frameworks — aka schemata — that they’ve built through experience and instruction.… Read the full article

How to interview a person for an article

‘Get the name of the dog’ and other ways to get creative material

I still remember — more than a decade later — one of the thousand heartbreaking stories about Hurricane Katrina victims, an AP report about the Superdome evacuation:

Many people had dogs, and they could not take them on the bus.

… Read the full article