Writing
Plain English
The case for plain language is practical rather than aesthetic, and the changes involved are a short list.
Topic
editing
Every I Am Talkative article tagged editing — 6 pieces across 2 sections.
Writing
Editing someone else
Editing another person is a relationship as much as a craft, and most of the damage is done by editors improving prose that was fine.
Storytelling
Detail and how much to include
One specific detail makes a story vivid and four make it tedious, and the difference is what the detail is doing.
Writing
Editing your own writing
The problem is that you know what you meant, which makes your own errors invisible.
Writing
Writing that people actually read
Most professional writing is skimmed at best, which changes what good writing means.
Storytelling
Why most anecdotes fail
The problem is almost never the story — it is the amount of setup and the absence of a point.