Your comment, Facebook post, Tweet, etc. really changed my mind on this issue.
-- Nobody.
Q. How many writers does it take to change a light bulb?
A. I'm not changing a G*****n thing.
I was always fond of Professor Griff's (of Public Enemy fame) title: Minister of Information. Although I prefer "Minister of Truth" myself (apologies to George Orwell).
The best advice is "the power of the pause," which comes up about 2:15 into the video. Most of us speak faster than we can think, which causes the "ahs" "ums" and "y'knows" to creep in. (Or "like" if one is under 30 years of age.) Slow down! You'll enunciate better, be clearer and folks will be able to hear and retain what you're saying so much better. You'll also eliminate the flotsam. Great advice for any speaker or speaker-trainer. Thanks for posting this video.
I think Bob Knight said it best (and I'm paraphrasing): "We all learn to write in third grade. Most of us go on to other things." I have a degree in advertising and have made my living in advertising and PR for nearly 25 years. Most of the writing I do today is stuff I learned back in my five-paragraph-theme days in high school. I certainly did benefit from my courses in college, but if I had it to do over again I would have majored in business. I didn't learn about "billiable hours" and cash flow and earning a living until I entered the workforce, and much of the business end of marcom I've learned by trial and error. I'm not saying that advertising (or journalism) are useless degrees, but I sometimes wish I was an electrician, or a plumber or an HVAC specialist...you know, a job that requires an actual marketable skill. I love what I do, but we live in a world where there's always someone 10 years younger who'll do the same job for half the money. My two cents.
I cannot help but wonder what useful purpose this research was intended to serve. Alcoholism, drug abuse and other addictions are rampant in the marketing communications industry. I've never worked at an agency that didn't have a fridge full of beer or been to a company party where someone wasn't smoking, sniffing or popping something. As a younger man I embraced the Mad Men culture, but over the years I've seen many brilliant young people ruin their health (and careers and lives) by seeking chemical creativity. I don't mean to ruin everyone's party, but the notion that any drug makes one a better writer is fancy at best and destructive at worst.
I think Moses' brother Aaron was the first PR person. Served as Moses' spokesperson with Pharaoh. Fell down on the job during the whole golden calf incident.
Nah. My interest in the Lite Brite lasted from Christmas morning until maybe New Year's Eve. Same thing with my Creepy Crawler Thingmaker II. A great toy to play with once or twice, but not anywhere near as good as Legos.
Didn't anyone ever order the Lite Brite refills so they could make Bugs Bunny and Bozo the Clown? Just curious. I know those little plastic pegs could hide forever in the shag carpet...until my Dad found them with his bare feet.
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