I love working with graphic designers. First off, they have a talent I completely lack. You describe what you want, then something beautiful comes out. That feels like magic to me. Second, they’re problem solvers. I solve communication problems with text. They solve them with graphics. The process is similar and the goals are similar,…
Consider the pie chart shown below, for a survey of grocery shoppers who were asked “What is your favorite fruit?” and given four choices: apples, bananas, cherries, or dates. Is something wrong here? Pie charts are supposed to add up to 100%. But the percentages here add up to 101%. Clearly the people collecting and…
Newsletter 59. Why rules without reasons are dumb. Plus, how now to support journalism, tips for book titles, three people to follow, and three books to read. Never impose a rule without sharing a reason All experts become familiar with the rules that apply in their area of expertise. Typically, they try to teach others…
I’ve been talking with several highly skilled professionals who are preparing to leave their companies at the end of their careers. Some are ready to retire. Others aren’t sure. My advice is: keep your options open. If you’re done working for a company but still feel like you have something to offer, it’s easy to…
Each of us must do things we don’t like in our jobs. Effectively doing things that you like is pretty easy. But if you’re going to be successful, you’ll need to do unpleasant things well, too. So: here are some thoughts on doing unpleasant things well, from a person who had done thousands of unpleasant…
Newsletter 58: The five ways brilliant people are different, why St. Martin’s press isn’t doomed, and Kamala Harris’ — er Harris’s — er, hmm. Plus three books to read and three people to follow. Five-fold brilliance In our work, we sometimes encounter individuals who inspire us. They seem to have such creativity and clarity about…
When you get to be as old as I am, you learn to ask questions before buying anything. The biggest one is, how much is this thing going to cost to maintain? Is this $300 gadget really worth it? How often does it break down? How hard is it to fix? Who can fix it?…
After hundreds of freelance writing and editing jobs, I’ve begun to see that they fall into three categories: Of course, I prefer successes. And to be honest, I’m fine with challenges, although I often take away lessons from them about planning, pricing, and communication. My workload is not so overwhelming that a few extra-challenging projects…
If you’re a good writer, you should edit others. And if you’re an editor, you should write your own pieces. It’s not just a way to give back. It’s a way to expand your skills and your perspective. Why writers should edit If you love writing, do some editing. Work with others who are writing…