A New Year Wish: Clarity
A New Year Wish: Clarity At the start of every new year, we talk about resolutions, new initiatives, new tools, new ways of working. But after years of working…
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Category: Writing
Plain Language Guide, Style Guide, or Both?
Plain Language Guide, Style Guide, or Both? Where Does Plain Language End and Editorial Style Begin? And Why Your Organization Needs Two Separate Guides A…
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A Stronger Plain Language Framework: Why My Five Principles Strengthen ISO 24495-1
Plain Language Framework: Why RAISE™ Five Principles Go Beyond ISO 24495-1 Different frameworks inevitably reflect the emphasis placed on different aspects of…
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A Visual Plain Language Guide Comes to Life: visualizing the RAISE™ Framework in 10 Steps
The Visual Plain Language Guide began as a doodle. I sketched a triangle between a reader, the form we were trying to improve, and the cumbersome process…
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AI in Writing Summit: Free Event to 3X your Creativity, Impact, and Income
Press Release: AI in Writing Summit AI in Writing Summit: Empowering Plain Language Professionals with Cutting-Edge Technology FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monterey,…
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Announcing the Plain Language Podcast! Elementary: Let’s Make it Crystal Clear.
Today, we’re thrilled to announce the imminent launch of our new Podcast “Elementary: Let’s Make it Crystal Clear. The Podcast about Plain Language.” Each…
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A Brief History of the Spanish Language
(¿Lo quieres leer en español? Aquí está.) The word “grammar” refers both to the rules that govern language production and comprehension and to the study of…
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Debunking the Myth that Science Communication and Plain Language are Opposites
In 2014, the EU approved a regulation for the mandatory provision of plain language summaries of all clinical trials with ties to the EU. Five years later, the…
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Pizza, Wine and… Manhole Covers? The Importance of a Human in the Loop to Keep Words in Context and Context in Words
In a recent series of edits and translations, I found myself repeatedly fixing “isotopic breaks” that AI or inexperienced writers and translators had missed.…
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Is Plain Language Worth It?
I was asked this question by a group of non-fiction writers. The bottom line: all content developers, even marketers and advertisers, can learn a huge deal…
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How to make the most of your business trip?
I am a Plain Language Expert who travels the world teaching, speaking, and consulting on better written communication. I am also a busy mother of three kids in…
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Plain Language Principles
How do we promote successful written communication? “Plain language is clear language. It is simple and direct but not simplistic or patronizing.” Nick Wright…
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New Plain Language 2.0 and Health Literacy Course at Plain Language Academy
I am so excited to announce that I have partnered with Plain Language academy to teach my new course Plain Language 2.0 and Health Literacy. In case you didn’t…
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3 Things No One Ever Taught You About Subjects in Grammar
If you grunt at the sight of the word “grammar,” you are not alone. But, I’m here to tell you it is a conditioned response to utterly bad English teachers. If…
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3 Decluttering Mistakes You’re Making When Revising Your Text
So you have a first draft. And it feels great, doesn’t it? It just needs revising. And you have the best intentions. You set out to tighten the text and…
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Beyond Readability Formulas
Why beyond readability formulas? Because they are simply a temperature reading of text, one of many diagnostic strategies. During ACES 2019, the annual…
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Passives are Peaceful, not Limp
In my latest article on the ATA Chronicle, the flagship publication of the American Translators Association, I explore passive voice. The title of the article…
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