THGM Writing Services

Making readability studies readable

January 26, 2018 By 2 Comments

Readability is in crisis. Even the abstracts from studies on readability are virtually incomprehensible. Let’s see what they really say.

What is readability? It’s a measure of how easy a text is to read. For example, how easy is it to read a blog post or white paper you wrote?

Readability is most commonly measured in grade levels. The average person reads in the range of Grade 6 to Grade 8. This might shock you. You’ve had 12 grades of education. Or you’ve had 15 or even 20. But you still read at a Grade 8 level or lower. Yes, you can read at a higher level, but you would do so only when you have to. Why is this?

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Writing and editing

17 lies the English language tells you

January 3, 2018 By 7 Comments

English, like any language, is straightforward. Words mean what they mean. And if you believe that, you’ve been lied to.

“When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.”

So said Humpty Dumpty in Through the Looking-glass.

FACT: hundreds of English words don’t actually mean what we mean by them.

These are the little white lies that the English language tells us. We all use the words incorrectly, because if we all agree (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more, say no more), then words actually take on the meaning that they don’t mean.

Here are just a few examples I’ve plucked out of an ocean of misused meanings. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Translation and languages

Top 10 reasons to start blogging (unless you are an undercover spy or a drug smuggler)

October 28, 2017 By 7 Comments

Everybody should blog. Blogging is now a basic tool to succeed in almost every field. Here are 10 reasons why.

You should be blogging, whether you run a business, freelance part time or hope someday to land that dream job. Hairdresser? Plumber? Home inspector? Nuclear safety monitor? Whoever you are, other than a criminal or a spy, blogging gets you ahead. Most of these 10 reasons apply to you.

  1. It’s fulfilling
  2. Instant credibility
  3. Build a loyal fan base
  4. The ultimate networking tool
  5. Help the search engines find you
  6. Feed your social media following
  7. Much more complete than a resume
  8. Business card? What business card?
  9. Tangible proof of what you know, can do and have done
  10. Clients and employers can find you even when they are not yet looking to hire

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blogging and web content

Christian spiritual book published

September 23, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Another client of THGM Writing Services publishes his book: He Will Guide You: Truth, Experience The Holy Spirit, by Rev. Dr. John Diomede.

John set out to write a very specific book. He wanted to help Christians make sound decisions by enhancing their relationship with the Holy Spirit. The resulting book is all about you and the Holy Spirit.

John sees something missing in the church today. Jesus said He would send the Holy Spirit to be with believers. He said this would be the “norm” for His relationship with them. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Books and publishing Tagged With: , ,

18 pros and cons of eBooks

September 9, 2017 By 5 Comments

eBooks are taking over the world of reading. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Here are some pros and cons of eBooks.

A book is no longer just a stack of papers bound together. More and more people are reading electronic books, or eBooks. Some are PDFs. Some are on Kindle. Some come in various other formats.

There are pros and cons of eBooks replacing paper books. Before I list a few, let me say that I still love paper. I spend so much time staring at a screen for work, that I really don’t want to stare at a screen when I don’t have to. But there are some undeniable advantages to eBooks. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Books and publishing

How to cook up mouth-watering blog posts – 31 easy tips

August 12, 2017 By 3 Comments

Blogging is a piece of cake when you have the recipe. Here are 31 tips to make your blog a mouth-watering treat that will keep readers coming back for more.

I love to blog. In fact, I just love to write. And writing is a huge part of blogging. It’s the meat of the meal. But it’s not the only thing that makes or breaks your blog posts.

There are five main aspects to your blog posts that are all equally important. Let’s take a quick look at each one: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Blogging and web content

5 challenges you face as a writer

July 16, 2017 By 2 Comments

The survey results are in! Here are the top challenges writers face, and how some of those lead to hiring a ghostwriter.

We are often approached by people who can’t start writing their book or can’t finish it. Those are two of the biggest reasons people hire a freelance writing service like ours.

Bridget McNulty at NowNovel took a survey of her readers to find out what the five biggest writing challenges are. Here are the results she reported: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Writing and editing

Ghostwriting and folding egg whites in batter: a tale of two Julia Childs

June 20, 2017 By Leave a Comment

How do you blend the idealist writer in you with pragmatic demands of  ghostwriting? Kristin Johnson draws inspiration from none other than Julia Child.

In ghostwriting, how do you blend your own ability and insights with your client’s story and voice? You could learn from America’s greatest ghostwriter, who has a hit musical named after him.

Also, you can learn from Julia Child (we’ve already discussed in this post on how Joan Rivers can help you become a better writer), and from the movie “Julie/Julia,” starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. [Read more…]

Filed Under: The writing business Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Is there a hidden writer in you?

May 22, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Is there a writer in you, just itching to burst forth? Here are 54 tell-tale signs!

This is the sixth installment in a series of self-help tests to help secret writers and not-so-secret writers proclaim their affliction.

If you can’t get enough or are still uncertain, never fear! Here are the previous five installments to help coax that hidden writer out into the open: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Miscellaneous

Speech: Support your kids to keep them in school

May 6, 2017 By Leave a Comment

This is an important speech about staying in school that every parent should read.

We help write a lot of speeches. But few are as important as this one. I don’t mean to diminish the importance of Best Man speeches or Maid-of-honor speeches. But this one can turn people’s lives around.

You’ve heard the “stay in school” message for teenagers countless times. This is not a message for teenagers. This is the speech about staying in school that parents should read while their children are still in elementary school. In fact, the earlier the better.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Speeches Tagged With: ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »