Friday, December 16, 2011

“Dear Tooth Fairy”: Letter-writing As Magical Persons

By Laura Wallis for The Stir by CafeMom

Few things are as monumental in an elementary-school kid’s life than losing a tooth. It’s a rite of passage, and it usually means an exciting thing is about to happen: the Tooth Fairy is going to pay a visit.

Just tucking the tooth under the pillow is usually enough to get a reward in exchange, but putting it in an envelope or folded up inside a sheet of paper means it’s less likely to get lost—and that presents a great opportunity to make some fun memories.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Purposely vs. Purposefully—Learn How To Use Both Correctly

Purposely and purposefully are two English words that are often confused. Because they both have the same root, purpose, are both adverbs, and are only a shade apart in meaning, it is no wonder that they are used incorrectly with such frequency.

Here’s how to use them.

The Difference between “Purposely” and “Purposefully”

When you use purposely in a sentence, it should be synonymous with intentionally and on purpose.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Nine Tips for Writing the Perfectly Professional Sales SMS

By Sophorn Chhay

Just because you have room for 160 characters in your texts doesn’t mean you should use them all.

In fact, texting experts seem to agree that an ideal text should be short and sweet, especially in a business environment, where the name of the game is brevity. Essentially, focus on quality, not quantity.

This can sometimes be a challenge for people who enjoy being verbose.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Is It Omelet or Omelette?

  • Omelet is the spelling used in American English.
  • Omelette is the spelling used in British English.

An omelet (or omelette) is a type of egg dish, often served at breakfast or brunch. Neither spelling is wrong, but there are some guidelines for when to use which.

Omelet is the standard spelling in American English. In fact it appears about twice as often as omelette in American publications.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

The Secret to Success? Many of Our Favorite Writers Also Worked as Librarians.

April 14 is National Library Workers’ Day. Given the literary nature of library work, it’s not surprising that some of our favorite authors were also librarians. Here’s a short list of writers who put in time between the stacks.

Lewis Carroll Before he began writing Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll (whose real name was Charles Dodgson) worked as a librarian in England.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Five Tools Dyslexic People Can Use To Improve Their Writing

By Nelson Lauver, Author of Most Un-Likely To Succeed

I’m nervous and thinking about turning around and getting back in my car. Just ring the doorbell, I tell myself. I find the courage, and my blind date answers the door with one hand while holding back Lola, an exuberant 80-pound rescued pit bull mix, with the other. I can’t believe my eyes! Jane could be a model. She’s stunning, with a movie-star smile.

The Five Best Holiday Stories to Get You in the Holiday Spirit

Not feeling the holiday spirit yet? Hectic days at work and evenings spent shopping may leave you low on holiday cheer, but the feelings of generosity, gratitude, and closeness to your loved ones are what truly make the holidays special. If music, movies, and weather aren’t getting you in the mood of the season, try reading a good book. Sit down with a holiday classic or enjoy a new read to celebrate the holidays, both religious and secular, that come at this time of year.