Writing
Plain English
The case for plain language is practical rather than aesthetic, and the changes involved are a short list.
Topic
clarity
Every I Am Talkative article tagged clarity — 8 pieces across 4 sections.
Conversation
Saying no
The difficulty is not the word but the sentence around it, and there is a form that works.
Voice & Accent
Accent, clarity and being understood
Intelligibility and accent are different things, and the advice to lose an accent is generally both unnecessary and unhelpful.
Writing
Writing for a general audience
The curse of knowledge makes expert writing incomprehensible, and the cure is specific rather than a matter of trying harder.
Writing
Emails that get answered
Most unanswered emails failed at the subject line or asked for nothing specific.
Voice & Accent
Pace, pausing and being understood
Speaking too fast is the most common problem and the least noticed by the speaker.
Writing
Writing that people actually read
Most professional writing is skimmed at best, which changes what good writing means.
Public Speaking
Structuring a talk so people remember it
Audiences retain structure rather than detail, which means the shape of a talk matters more than its content.