The Writing Guy
By Scott Keyser
A daily exploration of the written word from a seasoned writer and writing skills trainer, to help you improve your English writing skills. The pod covers persuasive writing, therapeutic writing, rhythm, poetry and poetic meter, grammar, punctuation and voice.
The Writing GuySep 21, 2022
00:00
07:36
Episode 225, the true meaning of Commitment
The world recently lost a special woman whose lifelong commitment to duty gives the lie to this much-abused, over-used word.
Sep 21, 202207:36
Episode 224. A mother's death
A piece of beautiful writing by Thich Nhat Hanh about his mother's death.
Mar 30, 202206:21
Episode 223, Strictly Come Dancing, Strictly Come Writing
Moved and inspired by the final of the BBC 'Strictly Come Dancing' show, Scott draws parallels between writing and dance.
Dec 19, 202109:20
Episode 222, 17 things James is gonna change about his writing
I'm buzzing after a wildly successful coaching session with a client. In this episode you get to hear the 17 things James is gonna change about his writing (SDK - Spelling Doesn't Kount). Ta-daa!
Dec 17, 202109:23
Episode 221, writing and mindset
Inspired by a successful session coaching a client in persuasive writing, Scott shares how together they turned a sow's ear of an email into a silk purse.
Dec 16, 202108:08
Episode 220, the origin of 'protest'
On the day that he celebrated a life lost and took to the streets to help preserve hard won freedoms, Scott looks at the origins of 'protest'.
Dec 09, 202107:24
Episode 219, switching mindset
Want a safe, legal way to shift your mindset fast? Plus the Word of the Day, courtesy of Susie Dent.
Dec 02, 202108:29
Episode 218, client feedback on my rhetorica writing techniques
Having whittled rhetorica down to 15 simple techniques (from 21), I've just had further endorsement from a client of their power.
Nov 25, 202104:35
Episode 217, the four readability stats
These are the four readability ratios that bid writers et al should track religiously to improve their writing.
Nov 23, 202107:46
Episode 216, how multi-coloured is your writing?
Inspired by James Knight's iMA colour-based language system, Scott invites you to write in a way that appeals to all four colours.
Nov 22, 202107:06
Episode 215, The Myth of Professionalism
Explode the Myth by writing plain English and using its five benefits.
Nov 19, 202105:21
Episode 214, curing 'technical noise' in your bids
3 quick and easy ways to humanise factual, technical text in your bid responses. (The evaluator will love you forever.)
Nov 18, 202106:04
Episode 213, what a bid client took away from a day's coaching with me
Besides a lovely testimonial, Scott shares what his coachee will change about her bid writing.
Nov 02, 202107:40
Episode 212, George Monbiot's brilliance on how capitalism is killing the planet
A leading light on the climate crisis, Monbiot espouses a new approach for living within planetary boundaries.
Oct 31, 202111:15
Episode 211, three dimensions of world-class bids
Inspired by a great coaching day with a client, Scott shares three vital aspects of a well written bid.
Oct 28, 202109:08
Episode 210, Agincourt 1415
Scott indulges his love of history and poetry to recite his own poem, 606 years and one day after Henry V's famous victory.
Oct 26, 202109:16
Episode 209, on St Crispin's Day, celebrating Agincourt (1415) and Chaucer (1400)
Indulging his love of Shakespeare, Scott recites the famous St Crispin's Day speech from 'Henry V'.
Oct 25, 202109:38
Episode 208, the oppositional language of protest
Scott reads and comments on the language of the Saturday Guardian's article 'Forces of nature'. The article looks at the impact of arrest on climate protesters, including long-time activist and actress, Jane Fonda.
Oct 24, 202110:35
Episode 207, 'sh*t', a visceral word used with power
Scott looks at the origins of this ancient, Germanic word and Brian Cox's use of it on BBC's 'Question Time' to stop two politicians squabbling.
Oct 23, 202109:15
Episode 206, a common grammar mistake: the comma splice
Scott attempts to explain this increasingly common error, and gives three ways of resolving it.
Oct 20, 202108:52
Episode 205, wanna write flabby, flaccid, paunchy emails to clients?
Scott shares Before and After versions of email snippets, from a recent client webinar.
Oct 19, 202110:59
Episode 204, why does rhythm affect humans so powerfully?
Walking: humans have walked the earth for millions of years. It's in our DNA. Scott muses about the link between rhythm and persuasive writing.
Oct 15, 202109:13
Episode 203, 1066 and its impact on our language
Today is the 955th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Scott chronicles its impact on English and its marker as the end of the Anglo-Saxon era.
Oct 14, 202107:25
Episode 202, the power of a simple, elemental idea
Moved by a message from 'The 12 Week Year's' Brian Moran, Scott explores the impact of an elemental idea wrapped up in a simple question.
Oct 13, 202109:07
Episode 201, two magic words to sprinkle over your writing
Scott reminds us of the magical power of two simple, personal words to use in our writing.
Oct 12, 202108:19
Episode 200, the noble warriors who are peaceful water protectors
To celebrate episode 200, Scott reads a letter from a native American arrested (and shot with rubber bullets) for peacefully protesting against a pipeline that will move 760,000 gallons of tar sands oil a day from Alberta to Lake Superior.
Oct 11, 202112:59
Episode 199, more nature writing to soothe your soul
On World Mental Health Day, Scott reads a short extract from Robert Macfarlane's book 'The Old Ways'.
Oct 10, 202109:57
Episode 198, recognising nature's beauty through language
Scott reads Robert Macfarlane's introduction to 'The Old Ways', hailed as one of the great works of nature writing.
Oct 09, 202108:56
Episode 197, pain engages prospects
Rather than 'we-ing' all over the prospect, Scott asserts that showing we understand their pain points is a better way to get their attention.
Oct 08, 202108:42
Episode 196, Jerusalem 2.0
On National Poetry Day, Scott shares his draft poem inspired by William Blake's iconic hymn, on the subject of choice.
Oct 07, 202104:36
Episode 195, Boris Johnson's party conference speech
Vying to be among the first people in the world to comment on today's speech, Scott looks at the PM's consummate and amusing use of language and rhetoric.
Oct 06, 202111:45
Episode 194, an icon of music and language turns 70 today
Scott celebrates the 70th birthday of an outspoken music legend.
Oct 05, 202109:42
Episode 193, how to write actions and benefits, outcomes or results
Scott sharpens the grammatical difference between writing actions and benefits.
Oct 04, 202106:00
Episode 192, Keir Starmer's missed opportunity
Scott laments the Labour Party leader's uninspiring keynote speech, which failed to blend the radical and the reasonable, to mix fire with ice.
Sep 30, 202109:13
Episode 191, plain English, and a limerick inspired by Welsh beauty
Scott corrects the Business Secretary's wordiness and shares a saucy limerick about Welsh gorse.
Sep 29, 202107:32
Episode 190, the artist's investment in their art
Inspired by a poster outside a shop in Aberaeron, Wales, Scott reflects on what buying a piece of art means.
Sep 28, 202104:32
Episode 189 George W Bush's welcome letter to the new President, Barack Obama
George Dubya's personal, heartfelt letter to the new President in January 2009 partly rehabilitates my opinion of the outgoing one.
Sep 26, 202108:19
Episode 188, the story's (first) climax
In his final reading from 'The Old Man and The Sea', Scott recounts the old man's harpooning of the magnificent fish
Sep 23, 202110:10
Episode 187, the great fish surfaces for the first time ('The Old Man and The Sea')
In praise of Hemingway's evocative style, Scott reads a short passage from this wonderful story.
Sep 22, 202110:33
Episode 186, Hemingway's economical style
Scott reads a paragraph from 'The Old Man and The Sea' as an example of how the Nobel Prize-winning writer broke the cult of difficulty.
Sep 21, 202106:07
Episode 185, the simplicity of 15 writing techniques
Scott muses on why an attendee of a recent workshop who posted his writing confidence as 9 out of 10 had revised it down to 2 by the end of the morning!
Sep 20, 202107:25
Episode 184, the power of rhythm
Scott unpicks the meter and rhythm of a famous nursery rhyme, then plays fast and loose with it.
Sep 18, 202110:17
Episode 183, 9/11
On the 20th anniversary of the attack on the Twin Towers, Scott recites his poem '9/11', inspired by a recent visit to the Ground Zero museum.
Sep 11, 202109:35
Episode 182, compassion
Inspired by caring for his mother as she convalesces, Scott looks at the origin of this ancient word.
Sep 09, 202106:11
Episode 181, JRR Tolkien
Scott commemorates the 2 September 1973 death of the great John Ronald Reuel Tolkien who transported millions of readers to Middle Earth and beyond.
Sep 02, 202111:00
Episode 180, neurologically engaging writing (!)
Scott rails against the biggest barrier to writing Human: nounitis.
Aug 31, 202109:20
Episode 179, A Midsummer Night's Dream in Cambridge
Scott shares his experience of a magical play in the magical setting of the King's College Fellows Garden.
Aug 31, 202109:60
Episode 178, nailing your elevator pitch
Helping a leadership coach client, Scott unpicks the all-important 'soundbite' that all leaders and business owners should have.
Aug 26, 202107:57
Episode 177, hear the voice of a Victorian costermonger
Reading from Henry Mayhew's 'London Labour & The London Poor', Scott introduces us to a 19th century street-seller who sold peaches to the Prince of Naples.
Aug 25, 202109:39
Episode 176, the sad history of St Giles, London
After joining the climate change protests in Central London, Scott explores the sorrowful history of St Giles, an area notorious for disease, deprivation and depravity.
Aug 24, 202110:34
Episode 175, the origin of 'taboo'
Hard on the heels of yesterday's episode on the unmentionable c-word, Scott uncovers the etymology of the word 'taboo'.
Aug 22, 202106:10
Episode 174, the etymology of the c-word
In light of a recent study into the usage of swear words in English conversation, Scott looks at the origins of the c-word.
Aug 21, 202109:25
Episode 173, a poetic elevator pitch?!
Have you nailed yours? Scott shares his rhyming couplet version as the Elevator Bard.
Aug 20, 202107:09
Episode 172, John Dryden's 390th birthday, England's first Poet Laureate
Scott commemorates this great poet, playwright, scholar...and alumnus of his old school, Westminster.
Aug 19, 202108:55
Episode 171, another five headline writing techniques
After remembering the death in 1850 of French writer, Honoré de Balzac, Scott shares more techniques for crafting powerful headlines and subject lines.
Aug 18, 202110:45
Episode 170, you can't go wrong with plain English
Inspired by Miriam Chigodho's phrase, Scott reminds us again of the power of plain English.
Aug 17, 202108:22
Episode 169, Ted Hughes's birthday
Former Poet Laureate Ted Hughes was born this day in 1930 in Yorkshire. Scott reads his poem 'The Jaguar'.
Aug 16, 202108:41
Episode 168, the written word has never been more important
With so many decision-makers working from home, the written word is coming into its own. Scott shares four techniques for crafting powerful email subject lines.
Aug 15, 202110:22
Episode 167, rhetorica II's 15 techniques
Scott shares all 15 writing techniques, captured in three 5-letter acronyms.
Aug 13, 202108:43
Episode 166, the death of William Blake
Scott remembers one of our great national poets, who was also a visionary, mystic, artist and inventor.
Aug 12, 202110:03
Episode 165, the power of punctuation
Pay attention to punctuation: getting it wrong can cost lives!
Aug 11, 202107:36
Episode 164, the rhythm of writing ratios (alliteration!)
Scott works a simple phrase to show how altering the ratio between adjectives and nouns in a list can change the rhythm of the writing.
Aug 10, 202109:37
Episode 163, the S.C.O.T.T. techniques raise writing confidence
Scott shares the results of two 'before and 'after' polls in writing confidence he ran on his 28 July webinar.
Aug 09, 202106:09
Episode 162, S.C.O.T.T.
Scott shares his Big Five drafting techniques in the form of a rather proprietary acronym.
Jul 29, 202108:24
Episode 161, Ernest Hemingway's writing style
Coinciding with the 62nd anniversary of Hemingway being awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, Scott reads two passages from the great man's books.
Jul 26, 202109:13
Episode 160, nailing your prospects' painpoints
I believe this is one of the most powerful ways of engaging a prospect through the written word. Yet most B2B writers are poor at it.
Jul 14, 202106:43
Episode 159, gratitude
Inspired by Izzy, a family friend, Scott looks at the power of gratitude to change our state.
Jul 13, 202110:46
Episode 158, sharing my 62nd birthday with Mr Controversy
Scott shares a birthday with the controversial Cecil John Rhodes, founder of Rhodesia and diamond magnate.
Jul 05, 202105:52
Episode 157, the joy of rhythm
Scott draws parallels between living in harmony with nature's rhythms and poetic meter.
Jul 04, 202111:22
Episode 156, the link between motion and emotion
Scott deepens his understanding of 'nounitis' and explains why verbs have so much more power than nouns.
Jul 03, 202110:17
Episode 155, The Magick of Story
Good stories engage readers neurologically, triggering chemicals in the brain that change behaviour. But the language we use to describe their impact relates to Old English and Magick.
Jul 01, 202109:46
Episode 154, Engagement is all!
Every writer wants to 'engage' their reader, but where does the word hail from? Scott tries to unpick its origin.
Jun 30, 202109:60
Episode 153, happy summer solstice!
On the longest day of the year, Scott explains the meaning of the solstice and the origin of the term.
Jun 21, 202108:04
Episode 152, has working from home changed how we write?
How to improve your writing skills. In preparing a forthcoming talk for a client, Scott wonders if the post-COVID business world is readier than ever for a more human writing style.
Jun 18, 202108:06
Episode 151, write Human!
Scott unpicks a 16-word sentence that sounds more like it's been written by a robot than a human. Writing Human is a major way of improving your writing skills.
Jun 17, 202107:11
Episode 150, review and preview of this podcast
Scott thanks his small but growing audience for their listenership, reviews his highlights so far and asks his listeners for their topic suggestions (scott@writeforresults.com) — all in the name of improving your writing skills.
Jun 16, 202110:16
Episode 149, the written word makes history
Can you guess which famous document - drafted in medieval Latin - Scott is reading from today? (Forgive his atrocious pronunciation!)
Jun 15, 202108:44
Episode 148, the ornithological source of 'jargon'
As birdsong washed over him at Stonehenge, Scott's thoughts turn (inevitably) to ancient language.
Jun 14, 202106:35
Episode 147, Stonehenge and words of worship
Scott examines the origin of words like 'worship', 'adore', 'venerate' and 'revere'.
Jun 13, 202107:54
Episode 146, how a client doubled her readability (in 10 mins)
Applying Scott's 'Big Five writing techniques helped Kelly take her readability from 36.3% to 71.7%.
Jun 11, 202108:47
Episode 145, how to cure wordiness
Pay attention to your average characters per word in the Readability Stats in Word.
Jun 09, 202106:09
Episode 144, the Magick of Spelling
Scott builds a bridge between spelling and magic, inspired by James Essinger's book, 'Spellbound'.
Jun 08, 202109:32
Episode 143, Scott's Big Five (writing techniques)
Scott explains how he managed to help eight clients double, and in one case, triple their readability.
Jun 07, 202106:22
Episode 142, my serendipitous day
Scott recounts how a precious book fell unexpectedly into his hands.
Jun 06, 202107:53
Episode 141, Scott's Big Five
The five writing techniques that can triple your readability in minutes.
Jun 04, 202105:48
Episode 140, Walt Whitman's elegy to Lincoln
Scott uses the opening stanzas of Whitman's 'When lilacs last in the dooryard bloomed' to remind us of three age-old literary devices.
May 31, 202110:09
Episode 139, fiction and survival
Scott reads extracts from Mexican author Valeria Luiselli's speech for the Dublin literary award. Luiselli describes how reading fiction with her family helped them survive lockdown.
May 30, 202107:59
Episode 138, Noah Webster, American man of letters
This towering scholar and lexicographer (dictionary compiler) died 28 May 1843, after publishing 'An American Dictionary of the English Language'.
May 28, 202108:46
Episode 137, Alexander Solzhenitsyn
27 May 1994 the famous Russian writer and dissident returned from exile to his homeland, where he remained till his death in 2008.
May 27, 202106:55
Episode 136, the death of the Father of English History
26 May 735 AD, the Venerable Bede died in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear. He'd written 'The Ecclesiastical History of the English People' in 731 AD, a work of immense erudition.
May 26, 202108:30
Episode 135, Ralph Waldo Emerson
Emerson, US poet, essayist and philosopher was born 25 May 1803 in Boston. Scott shares some of his timeless wisdom with us.
May 25, 202107:25
Episode 134, the power of protest
Scott celebrates the 80th birthday of one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time and his early protest songs.
May 24, 202111:05
Episode 133, structure trumps language
Building on episode 132, Scott reiterates the role of structure in communicating with the reader.
May 22, 202106:59
Episode 132, structuring your writing
Inspired by Barbara Minto's 'The Pyramid Principle', Scott explores the concept of layers or levels of ideas.
May 21, 202110:07
Episode 131, 20 May 1609, Shakespeare's sonnets published
Our greatest writer reminds us of the role of rhythm in writing.
May 20, 202107:38
Episode 130, birth (and death)
Scott celebrates his twins' 22nd birthday and the death, in 1984, of Poet Laureate, Sir John Betjeman.
May 19, 202109:15
Episode 129, sentence hotspots
In a grand reveal, Scott unveils the two best spots in a sentence to place the word you want to emphasise.
May 18, 202106:05
Episode 128, doom
On the day that John Kerry, US climate envoy, says that as yet uninvented technologies will save us, Scott looks at the origin of the word 'doom'.
May 17, 202107:31
Episode 127, Woodstock
'3 days of peace & music' said the poster for this iconic Rock festival, August 1969. This was misrepresentation: they omitted the word 'magic'. Scott honours the poetry of the song, 'Woodstock'.
May 16, 202107:49
Episode 126, the trials and tribulations of bidding
Public sector procurement departments need help nailing specs and drafting compelling RFPs and ITTs, then matching them with robust marking schemes.
May 14, 202107:17
Episode 125, the power of a good story well told
Scott shares a LinkedIn post that in 100 words conveys love, respect, courage and honesty.
May 13, 202106:35
Episode 124, National Limerick Day
Scott looks at this traditional poetic form and shares some saucy ones!
May 12, 202109:53
Episode 123, why structure trumps language
Too many business writers structure their writing like a school essay. Scott suggests a much more effective approach.
May 10, 202108:31
Episode 122, objective vs message
Scott tries to sharpen the distinction between the objective or purpose of your communication and its main message. Do you think he succeeds?
May 09, 202108:17
Episode 121, why plan?
Scott covers the three benefits and the five aspects of planning your writing.
May 08, 202110:03
Episode 120, head or heart?
Aristotle identified three persuasive appeals: ethos, logos (logic), pathos (emotion). Logic makes people think, but emotion makes them act.
May 07, 202107:03
Episode 119, 6 May 1954
On this day in 1954, Roger Bannister ran the first sub-4 minute mile on the Iffley Road track in Oxford, despite 'sub-optimal' conditions and training. Scott considers the role of mindset in any task, including writing.
May 06, 202108:56
Episode 118, 200th anniversary of the death of Napoleon Bonaparte
Scott takes a look at the grand language of the wee man.
May 05, 202107:33
Episode 117, Alice in Wonderland
From mega bids to subterranean fantasies, Scott celebrates Alice Liddell's birthday - the inspiration for Lewis Carroll's famous book.
May 04, 202107:37
Episode 116, five levels of demand on a mega bid
Scott does a quick and dirty post mortem on the mega bid he recently finished (after six months!).
May 03, 202109:13
Episode 115, element #3 of great writing: personality
Scott reminds us that writing with no authorial personality is missing a vital dimension.
May 02, 202107:44
Episode 114, element #2 of great writing: clarity
Scott riffs on the merits of plain English.
Apr 30, 202109:19
Episode 113, element #1 of great writing: content
Scott talks about how to create great content.
Apr 29, 202108:20
Episode 112, grammar and pig shit
Scott cites an example of monumental pollution to illustrate a persuasion principle.
Apr 28, 202110:39
Episode 111, 'take heed'
Scott looks at the Germanic origin of the phrase and its layers of meaning.
Apr 27, 202105:36
Episode 110, Client Earth
I've started writing pro bono for a new environmental organisation called 'Lawyers for Net Zero'. My writing research led me back to a book on my shelf called 'ClientEarth', which won the Judges' Choice award in the first Business Book Awards in 2018 (I was one of the judges). Both ClientEarth and Lawyers for Net Zero are fighting climate change through lawyers and the law. I commend the book and the work of both organisations to you.
Apr 26, 202109:44
Episode 109, Bard Day
Today, 23 April, is the birthday (and death day) of William Shakespeare, who introduced 1700 new words and phrases to the English language. Scott shares a handful of those with us, plus shouts out to David and Ben Crystal as authorities on the Bard.
Apr 23, 202107:56
Episode 108, Earth Day
Scott muses on the significance of today in light of Joe Biden's emissions announcement and the Moxie - a box that turns carbon dioxide on Mars into oxygen.
Apr 22, 202107:51
Episode 107, post mortem on mega bid
Scott's audit of two bid questions exposes how badly written they are, making it even harder for the bidders to respond.
Apr 21, 202110:21
Episode 106, your LinkedIn profile
Stop using S.O.W.s (Severely Over-used Words) in your LI profile!
Apr 20, 202106:54
Episode 105, the origin of 'bless'
Inspired by a church service of prayer and protest against violence against women, Scott looks at the etymology of the word 'bless'.
Apr 19, 202108:18
Episode 104, rhythm and brainwaves
Scott recites the hymn 'Eternal Father, Strong to Save'. Can you hear or feel the wave that the perfect iambic tetrameter creates?
Apr 18, 202106:06
Episode 103, Prince Philip's funeral hymn
'Eternal Father, strong to save', written in 1860 by William Whiting, is a perfect example of rhyming couplets in iambic tetrameter.
Apr 18, 202114:36
Episode 102, Dr Johnson's Dictionary, April 1755
A work of amazing scholarship, Samuel Johnson's Dictionary was seen as the pre-eminent English dictionary until the OED 173 years later.
Apr 16, 202108:16
Episode 101, the power of story
With Lincoln's 15 April 1865 death scene as an example, few things are more powerful than a good story well told.
Apr 15, 202110:34
Episode 100, a gripping tale on the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, 14 April 1865
One of the most gripping, mysterious stories about two high profile families
Apr 14, 202111:34
Episode 99, the Declaration of Independence on Thomas Jefferson's birthday
Quick and dirty analysis of the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence, of which he was the main author.
Apr 13, 202110:17
Episode 98, the climate emergency
Pls go to climateemergencyeu.org and sign and share the open letter
Apr 12, 202107:06
Episode 97, the need for reassurance
When I am heart-sore and in need of reassurance, I often turn to William Sieghart's 'Poetry Pharmacy', which prescribes poems for different mental states. Thank you, William.
Apr 11, 202107:51
Episode 96, tributes paid to Prince Philip
The verbal and floral tributes to the passing of the Prince hark back to an ancient meaning of 'tribute'.
Apr 11, 202106:33
Episode 95, Maddison's spam email
If you want people to respond to your emails, don't do this!
Apr 09, 202105:16
Episode 94, a God-sized hole
This is how Hunter Biden, son of the US President, describes what addicts like him have inside them.
Apr 06, 202103:31
Episode 93, Easter Sunday
Re-birth of the spirit - an Easter theme - often requires protest at the outset.
Apr 04, 202107:22
Episode 92, the sanctity of all life
The written word is a vital tool for building a new morality based on the sanctity of all life, not just human.
Apr 03, 202108:08
Episode 91, keep it real
Abstract language does not create images in the reader's brain. And that's a problem, 'cos most people think visually, ie in pictures. So keep your writing concrete, definite, specific...and real.
Apr 01, 202108:49
Episode 90, David and love
Remembering David and the power of love 💘
Mar 31, 202103:20
Episode 89, the Specific, the Definite and the Concrete
Why in B2B writing does everything have to be a strategy, a platform or a process?
Mar 30, 202105:34
Episode 88, 'The Elements of Style'
Scott pays homage to one of the best books ever written on writing
Mar 29, 202109:45
Episode 87, the inverse relationship between reader and writer
We as writers must work hard to make the reader's job easy. This is our duty of care to the reader.
Mar 28, 202105:47
Episode 86, nail your information design first
Why it's vital to nail the information design of your bids and tenders before working on the text.
Mar 27, 202107:46
Episode 85, happy birthday Robert Frost
'Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening'
Mar 26, 202104:60
Episode 84, the monarchy of English
On the birthday of the Queen of Soul (Aretha), Scott uses a royal triplet to talk about three linguistic strands in our language.
Mar 25, 202110:52
Episode 83, neurologically engaging writing (!)
Why writing laden with abstract language doesn't land.
Mar 24, 202108:12
Episode 82, get the structure right first
When writing a bid (or any sales copy, for that matter), if there's no discernible, navigable structure for the reader to follow, they're going to lose the will to live and stop reading. Pity the poor evaluator!
Mar 23, 202107:11
Episode 81, needy verbs
'The road to hell is paved with adverbs' (Stephen King). Replace needy verbs + adverb with one strong verb.
Mar 22, 202106:36
Episode 80, a small victory for democracy
In response to the public backlash, the draconian Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill has been delayed till later in the year. The right to protest has won this battle, but not the war.
Mar 21, 202107:41
Episode 79, tribute to Sarah Everard
My short poem to Sarah, who was abducted close to where I live, then murdered. RIP Sarah.
Mar 20, 202105:09
Episode 78, three 'quick wins' when you're editing
1. Cure nounitis. 2. Turn passives into actives. 3. Use plain English. Ta-daaaa!
Mar 19, 202108:58
Episode 77, Dulce et Decorum Est, by Wilfred Owen
A poem of protest against the horrors of war, by one of the great WWI poets.
Mar 18, 202105:24
Episode 76, the PCSC Bill
Nowhere is the written word more important than in how we draft the laws that govern us and allow freedom of speech and the right to protest. Part 3 of the PCSC Bill is a clear and present threat to those freedoms.
Mar 17, 202105:33
Episode 75, 16 March 1244
777 years ago today, at the foot of a small mountain called Montségur in the French Pyrenees, 210 cathar heretics voluntarily burnt to death rather than recant their religious beliefs.
Mar 16, 202108:58
Episode 74, a clear and present threat to democracy
George Orwell, of '1984' fame, urged us all to use language to preserve our freedoms, which are now under threat from the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill going to Parliament today
Mar 15, 202106:32
Episode 73, Mother's Day in the UK (that rhymes)
A delightful ditty by Robert Louis Stevenson on this special day
Mar 14, 202105:36
Episode 72, Wind III, abstract nouns
Abstract language makes the reader work harder to get your meaning. Scott shows how to cure this ailment.
Mar 13, 202104:35
Episode 71, lost for words?
We need to enlist the aid of what we find easiest to do - speech - to help us with what we find hardest - writing.
Mar 12, 202106:35
Episode 70, 'What if this road', by Sheenagh Pugh
The title alone of this poem captures my wobbly uncertainty about life as we await news of the fate of local girl Sarah Everard, who was abducted close to where I live. I pray for her safe return.
Mar 11, 202103:15
Episode 69, the Buckingham Palace statement
Scott unpicks the 61-word statement issued by the Palace in response to Meghan's allegations in the Oprah Winfrey interview
Mar 10, 202106:60
Episode 68, tautologies
Scott has some fun with terrible tautologies, another of Windy's ailments
Mar 09, 202106:04
Episode 67, Wind II
Good ideas should stand on their own. They don't need dressing or tarting up. If you find yourself being wordy, challenge the quality of your content first!
Mar 08, 202107:28
Episode 66, meet the next writing troll, Windy
Thanks to his beans-only diet, Windy suffers from literary flatulence. But you don't have to. The cure is simple.
Mar 07, 202106:59
Episode 65, how to write with 'panache' (merci, Cyrano de Bergerac)
Inspired by the verse play, 'Cyrano de Bergerac', how do we write with dash and panache?
Mar 06, 202106:54
Episode 64, The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry
If you're suffering with anxiety like me at the moment, read (out loud) this beautiful poem. Is it better than valium? You be the judge of that.
Mar 05, 202105:50
Episode 63, on this day in 1861 Abraham Lincoln was sworn in as 16th President
Scott looks at a couple of the rhetorical devices in Lincoln's 1863 Gettysburg address that make the nation-forming speech iconic.
Mar 04, 202106:49
Episode 62, when is it OK to use the passive voice?
Scott describes four scenarios where it serves us to use the passive voice.
Mar 03, 202107:54
Episode 61, troll Slippy and his love of the passive voice
Passivitis - over-use of the passive voice - is the carbon monoxide of business writing. Good writers have a CO alarm in their locker.
Mar 02, 202105:13
Episode 60, synonyms for 'tired', and troll Slippy
Informal and formal synonyms for 'tired'. Plus, we meet the next writing troll, Slippy.
Mar 01, 202106:35
Episode 59, how writing troll #3, Gushy, uses adjectives
Gushy must learn to use adjectives that inform rather than emphasise.
Feb 28, 202103:31
Episode 58, The Song of Hiawatha
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, author of this 1855 epic poem written in trochaic tetrameter, was born today, 27 Feb.
Feb 27, 202108:58
Episode 57, abstractionism ad absurdum - a new writing syndrome
Abstract, non-concrete language is not clever: it just obscures your message to the reader. Abstruse, ie hard to understand, is a close cousin of abstract.
Feb 26, 202107:23
Episode 56, how not to write like Gushy, troll #3
Avoid the Hysterical School of Writing, which tells rather than shows. To persuade your reader, you must show more than you tell.
Feb 25, 202107:05
Episode 55, Bowdler and Gushy
Thomas Bowdler, an editor who gave a new word to the English language, died this day in 1825. And Gushy, writing troll #3, lives on!
Feb 24, 202107:03
Episode 54, in celebration of John Keats's death today, 23 Feb.
Metrical dissection of the original and final version of one of English poetry's most famous lines.
Feb 23, 202106:29
Episode 53, sixth and final part of 'Ash Wednesday', by TS Eliot
Does Eliot surrender his spirit here to the will of God? That's how it feels to me, but what do you think?
Feb 22, 202106:43
Episode 52, pt V of Ash Wednesday by TS Eliot
Eliot talks about the people walking in spiritual darkness, refusing to surrender to their true divine nature. ✨ We are separated both from our nature and Mother Nature, which Scott believes is the root cause of the climate crisis. In other words our relationship with ourselves governs our relationship with all living things.
Feb 21, 202109:12
Episode 51, pt IV of 'Ash Wednesday' by TS Eliot
Part of Eliot's Marian poetry, ie his worship of the Virgin Mary, whose colour is blue and whose purity is symbolised by white.
Feb 20, 202107:42
Episode 50, pt III of 'Ash Wednesday' by TS Eliot
Eliot describes his ascent of a staircase, looking back down at the characters (states of mind?) he meets. Is this the mystic spiral of spiritual ascension?
Feb 19, 202107:05
Episode 49, pt II of 'Ash Wednesday', by TS Eliot
A reading of this short passage ('Lady, three white leopards sat under a juniper tree...'), on Day 2 of Lent
Feb 18, 202106:54
Episode 48, 'Ash Wednesday', 1930, TS Eliot
Scott marks the first day of Lent by reading part I of Eliot's poem.
Feb 17, 202108:03
Episode 47, exec summary for a bid
A great exec summary must give more than facts and figures. It must also convey a sense of the spirit and intention behind them.
Feb 16, 202105:54
Episode 46, Troll #2, Cocky
Cocky thinks he can wing it and dive into drafting without planning. Think again, Cocky!
Feb 15, 202106:25
Episode 45, the power of the human voice
More on what The Cluetrain Manifesto has to say about the human voice.
Feb 14, 202107:18
Episode 44, The Cluetrain Manifesto
On Valentine's Day, what book or piece of writing do you love? Scott quotes from TCM, written in 2000 about the impact of the internet on business...and the unmistakable sound of the human voice.
Feb 14, 202109:46
Episode 43, why rhythm matters
Rhythm sits at the heart of life and, according to Virginia Woolf, the heart of writing. Why?
Feb 12, 202107:38
Episode 42, applying meter to (instruction) manuals
Scott turns the instruction manual of a fridge-freezer into iambic hexameter. (He needs to get out more.)
Feb 11, 202105:24
Episode 41, the origin of meter
Speech is the source of the wave-like rise and fall of the English language; we spoke before we wrote.
Feb 10, 202107:38
Episode 40, the power of poetic meter
What's the difference between rhythmic prose and poetry? The rhythm of a poem is ordered and organised. This is what gives it its penetrative power.
Feb 09, 202107:00
Episode 39, meter and meaning
Poetry uses our standard pronunciation of words - the rise and fall of syllabic accentuation - to give us meter and reinforce meaning.
Feb 08, 202106:44
Episode 38, why meter matters
Poetic meter forces us to stress the syllables that carry the most meaning.
Feb 07, 202107:16
Episode 37, Troll #2, Cocky
In the mistaken belief he can 'wing it', Cocky's issue is that he dives into drafting without planning - and always regrets it. Don't make the same mistake.
Feb 06, 202106:46
Episode 36, more on Troll #1, Lazy
Lazy takes the easy option and writes about himself. Don't fall into that troll trap: rather, write about your reader. You'll get better results.
Feb 05, 202105:57
Episode 35, 'The 7 Writing Trolls and How to Tame 'em'(Scott's ebook).
Troll #1: Lazy. Lazy writers focus on themselves to the exclusion of the reader.
Feb 04, 202107:58
Episode 34, the three boxes your comms must tick
The voluntary sector is the Perfect Aristotelian Storm of Rhetoric: Credibility, Facts and Emotion. Are your comms ticking all three?
Feb 03, 202105:52
Episode 33, more on that mathematical equation
RV (Reader Value) must be equal to or greater than the brain calories the reader expends (RC) to get your meaning.
Feb 02, 202106:60
Episode 32, a mathematical equation between reader and writer
RV (Reader Value) must be equal to or greater than RC (Reader Calories) expended to get that Value.
Feb 01, 202106:22
Episode 31, the holy trinity of great writing
The three core elements of good or great writing
Jan 31, 202106:33
Episode 30, readers don't wanna work that hard!
If you lace your writing with too much abstract language, you'll make your reader work harder than they want to to get your meaning.
Jan 30, 202106:20
Episode 29, how we open is vital
Your opening pages set the tone for the rest of your communication and (should) give your reader a mental map to navigate the rest.
Jan 29, 202106:51
Episode 28, the three timeless persuasive appeals
Ethos, Logos, Pathos - coined by Aristotle 2400 years ago - are as valid today as ever.
Jan 28, 202108:17
Episode 27, modern tricola
We can use the pattern of three both on a micro-level, ie in words or phrases, and on a macro-level, ie structurally, as in the 3-act play.
Jan 27, 202105:40
Episode 26, the power of three
One of the most common rhetorical devices is the tricolon, or list of three. Join the persuaders down the ages who have used this device mercilessly to influence their readers or listeners.
Jan 26, 202107:10
Episode 25, the elements of style
Scott rails (again) against lifeless, abstract, technocratic writing and looks at omitting needless words - inspired by that gem of a book 'The Elements of Style' (Strunk & White).
Jan 25, 202107:27
Episode 24, anaphora
US National Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda Gorman, used anaphora to great effect in her inauguration poem, 'The Hill We Climb'. Scott explains what the rhetorical device is and how it works.
Jan 24, 202106:27
Episode 23: S.O.W.s, or Severely Over-used Words.
B2B, corporate writing is suffering from an epidemic of S.O.W.s. They represent lazy, lifeless writing that makes readers' eyes glaze over. Avoid them or find everyday alternatives.
Jan 23, 202107:36
Episode 22, Plan!
To make the writing process efficient and effective, we must plan. Planning - the most creative and the most neglected part of the process - separates thinking from writing.
Jan 22, 202106:10
Episode 21, That Inauguration Poem
At Joe Biden's presidential inauguration yesterday, US Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman recited her soaring poem, 'The Hill We Climb'. Scott looks at one of the many poetic devices she uses - alliteration.
Jan 21, 202106:50
Episode 20, The Readability Guru
On US President inauguration day, Scott pays homage to Dr Rudolf Flesch, inventor of the Readability Stats in MS Word. Flesch fled his native Austria in 1938 and settled in New York, eventually becoming a US citizen.
Jan 20, 202108:46
Episode 19, the Readability Stats
This handy function in Word, based on the sterling work of Dr Rudolf Flesch, scores the readability of your writing - and other people's.
Jan 19, 202107:10
Episode 18, contractions
Contractions are a useful device for making us sound more personable, more approachable, less corporate, more human.
Jan 18, 202105:31
Episode 17, writing with personality
Personality is the missing link in most business writing, ie taking a position on a topic, or writing with levity, flair or irreverence. Scott cites an example from former client, 'The Economist'.
Jan 17, 202105:55
Episode 16, plain English
Scott shows how easy it is to write plain English with some examples, plus a C.R.I.S.P. reminder of the five main benefits.
Jan 16, 202107:36
Episode 15: register and word-choice
Varying your register multiplies the range, energy and vitality of your writing. A fun look at synonyms for common words.
Jan 15, 202108:42
Episode 14: register
A key concept in writing, register is the scale of language formality. Scott explains how it works and why it matters.
Jan 14, 202109:20
Episode 13: pseudo-objective writing
Scott rails against emotionless, dehumanised, technocratic writing that fails to connect with the reader.
Jan 13, 202108:31
Episode 12, 'The Applicant'
How replacing one formal word in a mega bid document with a more personal word can transform it and lessen the burden on bidders.
Jan 12, 202107:16
Episode 11, nounitis
Nounitis - the over-use of nouns - is a common condition afflicting corporate writing. Scott shows you how easy it is to cure it and add impact to your writing at the same time.
Jan 11, 202108:58
Episode 10, The Heroic Line
More examples from literary greats of the iambic pentameter, plus some of Scott's novice attempts.
Jan 10, 202108:33
Episode 9, Rollerblading, rhythm and poetic meter
Rhythm - whether in poetry, boxing, daily routines or constellations traversing the heavens - lies at the heart of almost everything we do. Scott indulges in a riff on rhythm, from a skate park in south-west London.
Jan 09, 202107:53
Episode 8: 'The Angels of America'
A poem I penned May 2020 in response to the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, whose neck was knelt on for nine minutes by Police Officer Derek Chauvin. The murder ignited the Black Lives Matter movement.
Jan 08, 202105:20
Episode 7: the magic of personalisation.
The Power of 'You', multiple personality disorder and why 'audience' doesn't serve good writing.
Jan 07, 202105:48
Episode 6: blog on plain English
Two interesting findings from 2012 research into the use of language in legal documents - further making the case for plain English.
Jan 06, 202107:15
Episode 5. rhetorica technique #1: Write for your Reader
What we as writers choose to focus on makes a world of difference to our empathy with the reader.
Jan 05, 202107:42
Episode 4: the 'rhetorica' writing techniques
Scott walks through the 21 persuasive writing techniques of his 'rhetorica' book and toolkit
Jan 04, 202110:12
Episode 3: R.O.L., tone of voice and spirit
Why reading our writing out loud and verbalising our thoughts are two of the most powerful things we can do to improve our writing. Plus, the triangular relationship between voice, breath and spirit.
Jan 03, 202107:41
Episode 2: Latin, voice and R.O.L.
How Latin helped me understand English, how an English king found his voice, and why you should always read your writing out loud.
Jan 02, 202108:23
The Writing Guy podcast, episode 1
This pod's three interconnected themes: love of writing and the English language; connection (with the reader); humanity. Where my love of writing began.
Jan 01, 202108:16