Ema Naito (she/her)’s Post

Using jargon like "bespoke solutions" is lazy writing and "alienates the very people you are looking to attract," says copywriter Katherine Wildman. Besides, "no-one goes to the internet and searches for a 'solution'," says marketing specialist Andy Crestodina. What to do instead? Get into specifics. Think about what you are really offering and express that instead. https://lnkd.in/gRU_GpY9 #Jargon #WritingTips

Thankfully, no one gets shot when we use the word "implementation," but point taken.

"Are you a vampire person or a zombie person?" Not something I expected to be asked ever, and certainly not in an editors' group 😆 But there you go. We were discussing the role of monsters in books (movies and shows too) and having a great time. Clearly, editors love reading, books and, of course, monsters. Books I loved with a monster (broadly defined as a creature with some kind of supernatural powers) in it: - Circe (Madeline Miller) - Nettle and Bone (T. Kingfisher) - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (V.E. Schwab) I'm also eyeing Kaikeyi (Vaishnavi Patel), which Joanne Taylor recommended. Many thanks to coordinators Joanne and Dr Sara Kitaoji AE for hosting yet another fun session for our Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) Cloud East group! As to my answer? I used to be a vampire person and had *no* idea that "zombie person" was a thing! I'm not sure if I'm ready to try the zombie stories/shows that Sara recommended... Which are you?

Freelancers: build systems if you want to be more efficient. Yes, innovation can help us be more efficient, as can prioritizing and better time management and many other often-shared tips. But I think we also need to build our systems. Systems free up our mental space from repetitive tasks. And our systems can be very basic. We can start by identifying and writing down our regular processes. For editors, that may include making checklists. And then we can follow those steps every time (and tweak as necessary). Here's more great advice on how to create your systems as a freelancer. https://lnkd.in/gKJGC6Jk #Solopreneur #Freelancer #Efficiency #Systems

I want so much to share the great things I've learned. But it's actually unrealistic to expect that we can impart our wisdom through words, says writer Adam Mastroianni. Why is that? He breaks it down into four reasons: 1. Words can only capture a fraction of any experience. 2. We don't trust words anyway. 3. We also don't think the wisdom applies to us. 4. And we're not wired to easily change deep-held beliefs (and for good reason). "You cannot dump your bucket into someone else’s bucket. You can only hope to fill their bucket slowly, even imperceptibly, perhaps with an eyedropper, perhaps over years." I loved this insightful article—but you'll have to experience it yourself 😉 https://lnkd.in/g8ZpbMmr #AmNotEditing #FoodForThought

Many of us may think of older tech users as not being tech savvy. But as a Gen Xer beginning to enter the "older adult" range (ahem), I realize this is wrong. Writer Barry Rueger says: "We are the generation that invented and grew up with personal computers. It’s absurd to suggest that we are less capable of using technology." It's just that people have evolving needs with age. There will always be personal differences but his pointers for creating online environments that work well for older users resonated with me: - Favor good text—we prefer it because we grew up with it. And we care how it's written. - Keep good contrast between text and background (again, personal preferences differ but no one can read pale grey on paler grey) - Use a big enough font size - Keep steps simple - "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" - predictability supports ease of use, so don't get overly creative I feel seen ... ! 😆 https://lnkd.in/gNzwwthK #InclusiveDesign #AccessibleDesign

A few more hours left for early-bird! I got my ticket 🌟 See you lovely editors (online)! #AmEditing