‘Each other’ vs ‘one another’: it’s hard to shake a rule
I need to ditch ‘one another’ from my writing. It’s a sensible stylistic choice. But why am I so reluctant?
A quick ‘thank you’ to kick off 2021
Okay, so 2020 is over and it certainly was...different. But on reflection, I realise: despite all the chaos going on around us, my professional life in 2020 was pretty stress-free. And that's all down to the people I've worked with, and their ability to (cliché alert)...
MPC’s Christmas Gifting Guide
If I get asked for advice, it's usually about writing or freelancing. Occasionally someone will ask me how I keep my fingernails looking so immaculate, but that's not something I can really give advice on – it's not Maybelline, I was just born with it. But there is...
Nothing’s so complicated that you can’t explain it to the average Joe
A really good book about quantum physics got me thinking about complexity and who’s responsible for simplifying it.
Let’s dissect a naff apology: PeoplePerHour
PeoplePerHour recently ran a very ill-advised ad on the tube. Their subsequent apology was…interesting. So let’s see what we can learn from it.
Leveraging holistic solutions disruptively: Why not all buzzwords are created equal
Writers dislike buzzwords. But we shouldn’t assume all buzzwords were bad from the moment they came into existence. There are some I feel quite sorry for.
Words Reviewed: Everything gets reviewed, so why not words?
If we can review spray paint, dog toys and sheds, then it’s about time we started reviewing words. The first five on my chopping block are: Holistic, Winningest, Brandish, Mellifluous and Levity.
Some advice for Southern Rail on how to deliver bad news
Southern Rail are ranked as the worst rail service in the UK. And they only make it worse for themselves with the way they deliver bad news. But it’s easy to fix.
The dress shop from spellchecker hell: A challenge for the grammar police
Are you a member of the grammar police? Do you find it hard to pass over an incorrect ‘their’ without heckling its writer? If so, I have a challenge for you.
Wearing rigid contact lenses is just like learning to use plain English
I’ve recently started wearing rigid contact lenses and it’s really, really uncomfortable. It’s getting better though, and I’ve started to notice that what my optometrist has me doing is quite similar to what I help my clients to do.