I worked for 9 years at a university, and for much of that time, I edited a lot of content written by academics. One of the habits rampant in academic writing is the tendency to write in the passive voice. The passive voice isn’t bad grammar per se, but it is often a sign of… Continue reading 9 reasons to avoid the passive voice
Author: Kim Siever
I am a copywriter and copyeditor. I blog on writing and social media tips mostly, but I sometimes throw in my thoughts about running a small business.
Follow me on Twitter at @hotpepper.
How to change your Twitter email notifications (VIDEO)
Follow this quick and easy tutorial to update the email notifications you receive from Twitter. Don’t forget to check out our LinkedIn video, too!
8 businesses I failed at, and why your business will fail, too
From time to time, I blog about something other than writing or social media. In fact, before this site became my business site last year, it was my personal site, so there are quite a few personal musings in the archives. Today, I want to talk about entrepreneurship. Last month, I was a guest lecturer… Continue reading 8 businesses I failed at, and why your business will fail, too
Industries best warranty
I recently had a client ask me about a phrase their company wanted to start using: Industries best warranty. The company wasn’t sure where to put an apostrophe, or for that matter, whether to use one at all. In this case, the warranty is regarding a single industry not multiple industries. “Industries” would refer to multiple… Continue reading Industries best warranty
5 things your business must do to succeed on Twitter
It seems like every company is joining Twitter these days. I can’t blame them; it’s a great tool for engaging with people. If you’re thinking about jumping on the Twitter train, however, here are 5 tips to keep in mind before taking the leap. It’s give and take Respond Follow people Join conversations Don’t talk about… Continue reading 5 things your business must do to succeed on Twitter
Difference between seen and saw
Another common error I see English speakers sometimes make is misusing seen and saw. Here’s the difference: “Saw” is the simple past tense form of “to see.” “Seen” is also a past tense form of “to see,” but it the past participle. You can’t use past participles on their own in a sentence like you can… Continue reading Difference between seen and saw
Ignore these 3 steps, and your Twitter followers will ignore you
I’ve been using Twitter since 2007. In the last 6.5 years, I have managed several accounts with thousands of followers and which receive dozens of mentions and retweets every day. I’ve learned a few key practices that help the most in improving engagement on Twitter. 1. Use hashtags One of the great things about hashtags… Continue reading Ignore these 3 steps, and your Twitter followers will ignore you
7 words that keep confusing the Internet
Seven little words seem to be the most difficult to understand among English speakers online. It seems pointless to even write this blog post because countless others already have. As I thought about it, however, I realized my difference between series would remain incomplete without them. Here are the 7 words that keep confusing the Internet:… Continue reading 7 words that keep confusing the Internet
4 easy steps to take each day to build Google+ engagement
A common issue I hear from (potential) clients is the difficulty in building engagement in Google+. I want to share with you 4 easy tips to implement each day to build engagement. Search for people you want to engage with. Add them to your circles. Comment on, share, or +1 their content. When people follow… Continue reading 4 easy steps to take each day to build Google+ engagement
Difference between hanged and hung
I had someone ask me on Facebook what the difference is between hanged and hung. It can be confusing, so I hope I can set the record straight. Grammarists generally recommend using hanged to refer to the process of killing by rope and hung for everything else. That being said hung and hanged are technically… Continue reading Difference between hanged and hung