Comments on: 5 Reasons To Take Care Of Your Words http://confidentwriting.com/2008/03/5-reasons-to-ta/ Kindness, clarity, confidence, compassion. Watchwords for writing on the web. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:25:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Joanna Young http://confidentwriting.com/2008/03/5-reasons-to-ta/#comment-1683 Joanna Young Sat, 08 Mar 2008 09:20:27 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=344#comment-1683 Thanks Jeanne It was a fun competition - got us all thinking :-) Joanna Thanks Jeanne

It was a fun competition – got us all thinking :-)

Joanna

]]> By: Jeanne Dininni http://confidentwriting.com/2008/03/5-reasons-to-ta/#comment-1682 Jeanne Dininni Sat, 08 Mar 2008 01:23:55 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=344#comment-1682 Joanna, Enjoyed your contest post/podcast very much! Great points--and very insightfully expressed! Excellent entry! Jeanne Joanna,

Enjoyed your contest post/podcast very much! Great points–and very insightfully expressed!

Excellent entry!
Jeanne

]]> By: Joanna Young http://confidentwriting.com/2008/03/5-reasons-to-ta/#comment-1681 Joanna Young Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:53:55 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=344#comment-1681 Brad, yes you couldn't wash a car with our "gas"! I think perhaps we discount the power of our words to lead to actions in the real world. In any event we should be willing to take responsibility for the consequences - the results we want, and fixing things if it goes the other way. Your cartoon and challenge really got me (and others I can see!) thinking about how we clarify our message, and thanks for the opportunity to take part. Now I just need to win the iPod! Joanna Brad, yes you couldn’t wash a car with our “gas”!

I think perhaps we discount the power of our words to lead to actions in the real world. In any event we should be willing to take responsibility for the consequences – the results we want, and fixing things if it goes the other way.

Your cartoon and challenge really got me (and others I can see!) thinking about how we clarify our message, and thanks for the opportunity to take part.

Now I just need to win the iPod!

Joanna

]]> By: Brad Shorr http://confidentwriting.com/2008/03/5-reasons-to-ta/#comment-1680 Brad Shorr Fri, 07 Mar 2008 12:31:34 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=344#comment-1680 Joanna, finally had a chance to listen to your podcast. Your first point about words leading to action is an idea near and dear to my heart. As a matter of fact, my company's tagline is "It's all about action", precisely for the reason you give. In business, clear, connecting words leads to profitable actions, while fuzzy, disconnected words lead to unprofitable ones. That's the problem for our gas station owner ... or should I call it petrol? :) Thanks for joining in my contest! Joanna, finally had a chance to listen to your podcast. Your first point about words leading to action is an idea near and dear to my heart. As a matter of fact, my company’s tagline is “It’s all about action”, precisely for the reason you give. In business, clear, connecting words leads to profitable actions, while fuzzy, disconnected words lead to unprofitable ones. That’s the problem for our gas station owner … or should I call it petrol? :)

Thanks for joining in my contest!

]]> By: Joanna Young http://confidentwriting.com/2008/03/5-reasons-to-ta/#comment-1679 Joanna Young Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:56:45 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=344#comment-1679 Karen, your example makes me smile. Peanut butter & jelly translates into something totally bizarre in the UK! Another reminder that we need to take good care with our words. We might *think* they mean the same to someone else - but depending on the context might be read another way entirely. Thanks for stopping by on your day off :-) Joanna Karen, your example makes me smile.

Peanut butter & jelly translates into something totally bizarre in the UK!

Another reminder that we need to take good care with our words. We might *think* they mean the same to someone else – but depending on the context might be read another way entirely.

Thanks for stopping by on your day off :-)

Joanna

]]> By: Karen Swim http://confidentwriting.com/2008/03/5-reasons-to-ta/#comment-1678 Karen Swim Thu, 06 Mar 2008 17:35:22 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=344#comment-1678 Joanna, this was so thought provoking. I have never forgotten an assignment an English teacher has us do in class. We were to write the instructions for making a peanut butter& jelly sandwich for someone who was from another country. I remember the impact of being clear in your writing and how simple concepts can be perceived differently. Admittedly I too fail at this task at times. You make really good points and as always have helped me to seek ways to improve. Thank you Joanna! 5 ideas in under 5 minutes that will keep on giving for many years to come. ;-) Karen Joanna, this was so thought provoking. I have never forgotten an assignment an English teacher has us do in class. We were to write the instructions for making a peanut butter& jelly sandwich for someone who was from another country. I remember the impact of being clear in your writing and how simple concepts can be perceived differently. Admittedly I too fail at this task at times. You make really good points and as always have helped me to seek ways to improve. Thank you Joanna! 5 ideas in under 5 minutes that will keep on giving for many years to come. ;-)

Karen

]]> By: Joanna Young http://confidentwriting.com/2008/03/5-reasons-to-ta/#comment-1677 Joanna Young Thu, 06 Mar 2008 10:53:28 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=344#comment-1677 Cath, I think you're right. That might be a picture, or an impression of someone's voice, or a 'feeling' we get about someone - could we do business with them? trust them? - but it's often vivid. I'm frequently surprised when people say to me 'oh but writing skills don't matter any more because we're all just communicating online...' It's as if they've discounted the lasting impact of their words - or the fact that in many places the words will stay there forever, as a permanent record. More web literacy needed I think! Joanna Cath, I think you’re right. That might be a picture, or an impression of someone’s voice, or a ‘feeling’ we get about someone – could we do business with them? trust them? – but it’s often vivid.

I’m frequently surprised when people say to me ‘oh but writing skills don’t matter any more because we’re all just communicating online…’ It’s as if they’ve discounted the lasting impact of their words – or the fact that in many places the words will stay there forever, as a permanent record.

More web literacy needed I think!

Joanna

]]> By: Cath Lawson http://confidentwriting.com/2008/03/5-reasons-to-ta/#comment-1676 Cath Lawson Thu, 06 Mar 2008 09:13:10 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=344#comment-1676 Hi Joanna - interesting question. I think that words are like a picture of us online, because we can't be seen. So we have to be careful of the words we choose, as people will form an impression of us based on what we write. Hi Joanna – interesting question. I think that words are like a picture of us online, because we can’t be seen. So we have to be careful of the words we choose, as people will form an impression of us based on what we write.

]]> By: Joanna Young http://confidentwriting.com/2008/03/5-reasons-to-ta/#comment-1675 Joanna Young Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:04:22 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=344#comment-1675 Amy, I don't think that can be avoided in the real world, especially given the speed we communicate at just now. All we can do is take responsibility for fixing things if we can see that someone has taken something a different way, and focus on our positive intention. I really believe a positive intention will keep us right most of the time. It's also more useful than trying to attain perfection, which is impossible! And perfectionism can get in the way of the intention to... share, inspire, encourage, connect and stop us writing anything at all :-) Joanna Amy, I don’t think that can be avoided in the real world, especially given the speed we communicate at just now.

All we can do is take responsibility for fixing things if we can see that someone has taken something a different way, and focus on our positive intention.

I really believe a positive intention will keep us right most of the time. It’s also more useful than trying to attain perfection, which is impossible! And perfectionism can get in the way of the intention to… share, inspire, encourage, connect and stop us writing anything at all :-)

Joanna

]]> By: amypalko http://confidentwriting.com/2008/03/5-reasons-to-ta/#comment-1674 amypalko Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:09:59 +0000 http://confidentwriting.com/?p=344#comment-1674 I think you make some great points here, Joanna. I particularly agree that the words that we publish on the internet are often hastily written but have a permanency that is, perhaps, ultimately unappreciated. I try with my internet writing to be as careful as I can, but inevitably some errors which affect meaning sneak in. I suppose it's impossible to attain perfection, but we can but strive towards it :-) I think you make some great points here, Joanna. I particularly agree that the words that we publish on the internet are often hastily written but have a permanency that is, perhaps, ultimately unappreciated. I try with my internet writing to be as careful as I can, but inevitably some errors which affect meaning sneak in. I suppose it’s impossible to attain perfection, but we can but strive towards it :-)

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