Mad Advice

.

How to Write
“The better you write, the higher you go in Ogilvy & Mather. People who think well, write well. Woolly minded people write woolly memos, woolly letters and woolly speeches.

“Good writing is not a natural gift. You have to learn to write well. Here are 10 hints:

1. Read the Roman-Raphaelson book on writing. Read it three times.
2. Write the way you talk. Naturally.
3. Use short words, short sentences and short paragraphs.
4. Never use jargon words like reconceptualize, demassification, attitudinally, judgmentally. They are hallmarks of a pretentious ass.
5. Never write more than two pages on any subject.
6. Check your quotations.
7. Never send a letter or a memo on the day you write it. Read it aloud the next morning — and then edit it.
8. If it is something important, get a colleague to improve it.
9. Before you send your letter or your memo, make sure it is crystal clear what you want the recipient to do.
10. If you want ACTION, don’t write. Go and tell the guy what you want.”

—David Ogilvy (1911-1999), advertising executive and the original “Mad Man,” 1982 URL 

• Editorial Comment: #11. Buy cigs. #12. Have a drink. #13. Make lists. 

• Yesterday’s WORD: Who Is a Journalist? Did you miss yesterday’s WORDs from NPR’s Robert Seigel describing the investigative journalist? Click here.

News from our award-winning student news site, The Hard News Café  



• HNC Weekly News Roundup 
• Aggies TV News—Cache Rendezvous (April 25)
• JCOM honors Class of 2012, outstanding students; awards scholarships 
• Decision nears on proposed Oneida Narrows dam, but fight not over yet, by Allie Jeppson 
• Cancer foes generate hope doing laps all night for Relay For Life, by Rebecca Holliday• Hyrum city promises help for home owners in Wapiti Bluff subdivision, by Tara Alvey
• Wellsville turns down request for commercial rezone, by Jimena Herrero
• Aggie TV News for April 19, 2012 
• USU journalists dominate annual regional Mark of Excellence Awards 
• JCOM Prof, SLTrib Photographer Win Journalism Ethics Award 
• GUEST COLUMN: Obama leads the way in kindness, civility, by Helen Cannon

PeezPIX by Ted Pease 
Catalog here
Good Doggone.
Lulu the Bighearted Dog left us much too soon. 
2002-2012 RIP