Philip Yaffe's Articles Display Category|Title|Newest|Oldest Shakespeare: What Can a Great Poet Teach Us about Clear, Concise Expository Writing? William Shakespeare was unquestionably one of the world's greatest poets and playwrights; his way with words was inimitable. So what can this incomparable genius of evocative fiction teach us about writing clear, concise non-fiction? You'd be amazed! How to Apply the Three Acid Tests of Persuasive Writing "If you don't know what you are looking for, you are unlikely to find it, even if it's right in front of your nose." -- Anon. The three "acid tests" of persuasive writing tell you exactly what to look for when writing and editing your own texts, or when evaluating and approving those of others. How Verbal Variety Kills Comprehension Some writers will do almost anything to avoid repeating a word to achieve "verbal variety". The fact is, judicious repetition aids readability and comprehension while varied vocabulary can actually harm it. The trick is to know when to be the same and when to be different. Yaffe’s Law vs. Murphy’s Law: A New Look at an Old Problem Murphy’s Law is considered by many to be the fundamental law of the universe. It states: “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” Philip Yaffe claims to have found a loophole regarding writing and speaking. In this article, he shows how Yaffe’s Law can be used to counteract Murphy’s Law, leading to more persuasive marketing plans, sales letters, financial reports, etc., as well as speeches and oral presentations people will be eager to attend and actually listen to. Laugh Your Way to Persuasive Communication If you can tell a joke well, you already possess many of the skills you need to write a persuasive marketing plan, sales letter, financial report, new product proposal, etc. Equally, you already possess many of the skills you need to prepare persuasive speeches and other types of oral presentations. This article shows how to use the hidden attributes of good jokes in all areas of persuasive communication. Indescribable Utah: Nature’s Munificent Masterpiece Visitors to the USA, and even Americans, often head to California as their n° 1 tourist destination. Author Philip Yaffe, a passionate California native, advises putting Utah at the top of the list. Why Utah? “Joshua Tree, King’s Canyon, Lasen, Sequoia, Yosemite, the coastline and other natural splendors are well worth seeing. And Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco are exciting cities. However, what you will experience in Utah will literally blow your mind.” See if you agree. Should English Be Declared the World’s Official Common Language? As the world continues to get smaller, there is increasing awareness of the need for a worldwide common language. This would be a language you could learn and be certain you could use virtually everywhere you go. For historical reasons, English already more or less fulfils this role, but it is still far from universal. Should English be more intensively promoted or should it be replaced by something better suited to the purpose? Stop Writing Press Releases. Start Writing News Releases. Journalists hate “press releases” and love “news releases”. Although most people use these terms interchangeably, there is a significant difference. Understanding this difference can dramatically increase the publication rate of your press information. This article describes the two fundamental aspects of a news release to ensure your media success. Fast-tracking Foreign Languages: How to Meet the Linguistic Challenges of Working Abroad Native English-speakers are exhorted to learn foreign languages to play a more effective role in globalisation—and failing miserably. There are good reasons for this. Whilst these factors explain why so few anglophones are multi-lingual, they are not valid excuses for not learning other languages when the situation calls for it. This article offers a number of tips and strategies specifically designed to help native English speakers learn foreign languages with the least pain and most gain. How to Improve Your Writing by Standing on Your Head Newspapers provide the best examples of clear, concise writing you can find anywhere; otherwise people wouldn’t read them. Journalists not only write superbly well, they do so extremely rapidly. Learning how they work their “daily miracles” can help you write better at your more leisurely pace. The Mathematics of Persuasive Communication This article defines the fundamental but frequently neglected principles of persuasive communication. These principles are easily applicable to virtually all kinds of writing and speaking. The article is based on the book In the “I” of the Storm: the Simple Secrets of Writing & Speaking (Almost) like a Professional.	Submit Articles Member Login Top Authors Most Popular Articles Submission Guidelines Ezine Notifications Article RSS Feeds New Stuff About Us Link to Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Service   :: Top Author Businesses: Try your luck, Play BlackJack   :: Our Supporters:
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