The Modern Wordist Blog

 When people think of writing, they often think about being an author – writing books, poetry, or profound essays. But people often forget the importance of clear communication in everyday life. As part of my work, I regularly help people say exactly what they want to say, whether they're communicating with board members, coworkers, customers, or family (in the case of writing up family histories). But I’ve also been thinking about communication and my fellow Americans. One thing that's been on my mind in recent weeks is creating a sort of vision board of the future for our communities and the country. If you've been paying attention to the news, and general conversation, everyone from federal employees to intuitives have said that we need to begin thinking about what we want our future to look like.   This is one area where those of us with writing skills and talent can help people articulate exactly what they want, and what they want to help create. So, when we come out o...

 Is anyone else tired of software? Specifically — software that doesn't work? It's okay to admit it if you are.  Even as someone who works with words all day, tech is integral to what I do.  Every day, I deal with crummy software. Poorly designed websites. And ads that pop up in front of what I'm reading — or just as awesome, ads that move across the web page and stop right at the point in the text I'm reading 🙄 And as of a few minutes ago while writing this, the dictation software I rely on to prevent typing-related RSI isn't working. Hard sigh. I miss IBM ViaVoice . No internet connection required. Yes, it was slow as molasses. But it was accurate. Let me repeat that — it was accurate. Even with my very quiet, sometimes-mumbly-when-tired voice. And I could train it to recognize vocab from other languages so easily it was a source of joy. I used it until my computer and operating system at the time refused to run it.  That was in the waterfall development years. Y...

  It’s been a busy week, so this week’s blog post is well, random. Intentionally. It’s a sampling of thoughts and observations from over the last couple of weeks, from my little corner of the world. I hope it provides some inspiration for you to create your own journal or notebook of thoughts and observations that can feed your creativity and your writing. ----------------- Sometimes nature smells sweaty.   A butterfly’s shadow on a morning-lit curtain Do people proofread their messages and texts anymore? I get messages from people and it’s like a hallucinating robot typed them right before going bleep-bleep-KAPLEW! Question starting a conversation: “What do grasshoppers taste like?” There’s a fine line between charred and burnt. My dog was feeling claustrophobic at the vet, and he decided to talk to everyone about it. " Uuurrwuuwh … Eeeeeraaaaawr! " When the current regime ends, can we overhaul the internet, too? I’m finally using more multisyllabic words, bubbling up from t...

  It may seem counterintuitive (or just weird) for a writer to watch YouTube videos about writing. But if you're new to writing, or you're struggling with something specific in your current writing project, plenty of published writers and publishing industry professionals offer helpful guidance on YouTube.   Watching YouTube videos on the ins and outs of publishing is a nice break from reading. As someone who looks at words all day as part of my job, I find infotainment YouTube channels refreshing. For this week, I’m recommending a handful of channels from people who know what they're talking about. They can nudge you if you feel like you’re in a wrestling match with an idea in your head. Plus, if you're serious about publishing and you're looking for insights, you’ll find plenty of helpful info. These YouTube channels may spark a little inspiration. Or, if you’ve had a long day, they may also offer a good laugh. Note: Some of the videos within the channels on this ...

 For this week, here are some simple nuggets of advice from Judd Apatow for new writers — or reminders if you've hit an impasse: https://youtube.com/shorts/aRwqT5URE7I?feature=shared Let Me Add ... If you're struggling to write right now, go easy on yourself. Read something enjoyable if you can. Practice self care. Find a few minutes of quiet time each day to give your mind space to rest, and to replenish your creativity. Have a great week — and happy writing, no matter what stage of the process you're in.

Do you ever sit down to write and your brain feels tight? Like it needs a little stretching or yoga practice? There are endless ways to warm up your creative muscles without officially sitting down to work on your current project. Plenty of people swear by Julia Cameron's Morning Pages practice. But what if you don't have that kind of time? Or maybe you’ve found that the Morning Pages approach actually drains some of your energy and focus. That's where a shorter exercise can help. Over the next few weeks, I will periodically share blog posts exploring what I call one word meditations. Today, I'll focus on an acrostic practice you may remember from elementary school that can help you get your juices flowing, and allow for reflection that can strengthen your writing by helping you see from different angles. I'm only going to give you one example I came up with while writing this post. You're welcome to come up with your own take on the word I chose. Or feel free t...