The Right Way to Write.

Write when you want to. Or when you don't.

Write quickly. Or slowly.

Write in longhand. Or on a device.

Write inside. Or outside.

Write to surprise yourself.

Write in short sentences. Or write in long sentences.

Write when you are sick. Or when you are well.

Write when it is chaotic. Or when all is serene.

Write lying down. Or propped up in bed.

Read what you write. Or don't.

There's no right way to write.

Whole Lotta Words.

My cool word pix of the week include some old, but underused gems, and some more arcane choices. Happy weekend!
Mulish
Conurbation
Midden
Petulant

Imprecation

Debased
Leviathan
Middens 

Developing the Perfect Pitch.

Pitching is a part of all our professional lives, even if our title isn't sales representative. 

Whether you are selling your services, a VC, a new hire or your boss, effective pitching is a critical business skill.  It's the art of putting your ideas across.

And there are so many ways a pitch can go wrong.

Here's what NOT to do:

* Don't assume everyone knows what you do. Introduce yourself--without jargon. Make sure your mom understands your job.

* Don't be too familiar. A little small talk goes a long way.

* Don't be rigid. You may have spent days on your PowerPoint presentation, but when peppered with questions, you need to be nimble. Forgo the slide for a conversation.
* Don't pass the buck. The people in your audience assume you understand how you derived your data. Resist the urge to use the all-purpose "I'll get back to you" retort.

* Don't be afriad to show concern. Yes, you're large and in charge, but owning up to your challenges or areas of concern makes you more believable. Control the conversation before your competitors do.

The 80% Idea.

Speaking to Fast Company, Cofounder and Creative Director Masashi Kawamura of the ad agency Party, observed that a "great idea to pitch is one that's only 80% there. We love to have that 20 extra space. It's a good space."

Kawamura says the 100% idea in your head "only gets smaller from there."

That's a liberating way to think about creativity: that it doesn't have to arrive fully formed.

How NOT to Design a Logo.

Although I am best known for my writing skills, I have also honed a critical design eye over the years.

I regularly receive compliments for my own logo, Writesquared, which was designed by the talented Stephen Walker. Check it out: http://writesquared.com/.

If you need to develop a logo, I have three easy-to-follow pieces of advice which can streamline the process, saving you time and money and yielding a better result:

* Don't go with your gut.  Hire--and then trust--a qualified design professional.

* Don't over assess.  When it comes to design, everyone and their brother is a so-called expert. Don't try to include all this input in the decision-making process or you end up with schlock.

*  Don't be a copycat. Nike, GM and Apple all have memorable logos. You are not any of those companies. Create your own editorial and design footprint.

Creativity & Drudgery Are Not Mutually Exclusive.

Do creatives balk at rules?  Does it matter?

http://www.inc.com/magazine/201111/stan-richards-unique-management-style_pagen_2.html 

Big Mouthing.

On a recent episode of the ABC TV show Cougar Town, Courtney Cox's character Jules admonished one of her friends not to "big mouth her."

Big mouthing in her world means using an obscure word when a familiar one will do.

On a recnet hike at Pinnacle Peak, I big mouthed a ranger. He and his colleague needled me about "talking fancy."

I've written before about the danger of using $10 words when $5 ones will suffice.

So, let this serve as a reminder: in life as in art, the lesson is to check your big fancy mouth--most of the time.