Language plays a crucial part in politics. For instance, a Spare Room Subsidy might not sound like much to get bothered about - but a Bedroom Tax certainly won't make you any friends. Lately, there's been a curious phenomenon in political writing: politicians are keen...
Copy Chat
Learning from literature
There are loads of style guides out there, all designed to turn you into the next Pulitzer prizewinner. Some of the good ones - like Strunk and White's much-loved Elements of Style - offer some really useful advice about things like grammar. But, for me, there's one...
WEP: Whose equality party?
When it comes to politics - what's in a name? How do you show that a party about women's rights isn't just for women, but for everyone? This week I went to a networking event run by the Women's Equality Party. If you don't know it yet, it's a new political party that...
Lessons in creme pat, cream horns – and creativity
Before we start: this post contains spoilers about the finale of the Great British Bake Off. So, for those of you haven’t seen it yet, for the love of god DO IT NOW. And for everyone else... I hope you were as thrilled as I was to see Nadiya crowned champion of the...
airbnb: changing the world with a word
Last week I went to the School of Life's Business Wise conference: a day where some scarily brainy speakers explored how business can help us to lead more fulfilling lives. It was just brilliant. We heard how startups like BlaBlaCar and TransferWise are contributing...
You can build a business – but what about a voice?
A couple of guys I know have just started their own business. I've been chatting to them about their customer comms. These guys are great. As well as having a brilliant business idea, they've got bags of personality. They're articulate, funny, and seriously know their...
Don’t take it from me – take it from a brain surgeon
When I run writing workshops , I encourage people to spot – and avoid – the kind of heavy, corporate prose that turns readers off. I explain why it’s a good idea to ditch long words and business-speak, and instead choose simple words that strike a chord.