The Boring Store–Chicago’s Greatest Window Signage?
Normally, I would cringe at such verbose marketing communication; however, The Boring Store’s window display in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood is fantastic. It reads: The Boring Store is absolutely, positively, unmistakably beyond a shadow of a doubtly, certifiably, fahrenheitally, categorically, conspicuously, trans-fat-freely, quite obviously, prehensilely, indubitably, most certainly NOT A SECRET AGENT STORE. Deliberately coy business copy can be dicey because it can easily be misinterpreted by the intended audience. Yet, I love this sign and think it is a perfect example of breaking the rules with purpose. Once you have read the sign, the urge to actually go in the store is nearly impossible to ignore! Of course, a few of the spelling choices are...
Read MoreJust a Little Bit Off Topic: Battered Employee, the Cure for the Common Business Blog
Whether we operate from a cubical, a corner office, or a table at Starbucks, we can all feel a bit battered by organizational interactions, behaviors, norms, beliefs, and systems–also known as corporate culture. The topic of corporate culture is a favorite talking-point for MBA students, executives, and business journalists. However, the new blog Battered Employee is turning the table on this issue by approaching it from the perspective of a real, live employee! Follow Lisa as she navigates the funny, challenging, satisfying–and occasionally frustrating– world of work. I particularly enjoyed her recent post Einstein, the Shaving Cream and the Performance Chain, which explores business results through influencers. (Don’t worry, she explains...
Read MoreTotally, Absolutely, Completely Off Topic: Take a Romantic, Suspenseful Journey Down Black Creek Burning
POST UPDATED: Book cover image updated February 10, 2013. Buckle your seat belts and stash that red pen, we’re taking a wild ride off topic: Are you a romance novel enthusiast? I have to admit, I am not a fan or even a casual admirer. Now, I enjoy a juicy story just as much as the next girl, but I rarely ever read romance novels because…well…let’s be honest, most of them are not written very well. Hollow dialog, cliché characters, uninspired or unbelievable narratives, and generic landscapes. However (you knew that however was coming, didn’t you?), I can whole-heartedly recommend the new novel by R.T. Wolfe titled Black Creek Burning. Authentic dialog, genuine characters, suspenseful (but still realistic) narrative, and a...
Read MoreEditing Tips for Very Short Documents
In a perfect world, we would have ample time to formally edit everything we write. From lengthy quarterly reports to casual emails, we would ensure that participles never dangle, metaphors never mix, and all misspellings are instantly vaporized. But, that’s not reality–sometimes we just have to get the message out, and fast! So, how do we handle a very short document that needs to be delivered right away? My personal trick is to read the entire piece aloud to make sure I’ve included all of the important information. Then, I say each word twice. Why twice? The majority of my own mistakes are not actually misspellings but incorrect words or word endings (e.g., –s, –ing, –ed), which aren’t flagged by the spellchecker....
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