Our Top Tips for Writers
- 2023_Q1_Pillar Page_Technology Training Video Library
- 2023_Q1_Pillar Page_Plain Language
- Legal Writing
- 2023_Q1_Pillar Page_Business Writing
- 2023_Q1_Pillar Page_RFP & Proposal Writing
- 2023_Q1_Pillar Page_Grammar and Writing Mechanics
- 2023_Q3_Pillar_Legal Innovations
- 2023_Pillar Page_Paralegal
- Don't Kill the Flow
- Help Wanted: Words that Work
- Forget the windup! Just pitch
- Beware boring, meaningless words
- How to Enliven Dull Sentences
- How to Become a Technical Writer: Fundamentals & Certifications
- RFP 101: What Is the Purpose of an RFP?
- 9 Effective Proofreading and Editing Strategies for Attorneys
- Don’t Make Me Cringe
- Hey, Y’all! Welcome to the Courthouse! Show All
Legal Writing
- How to Work with a Legal Ghostwriter
- Stop Slapping on Unnecessary Transition Words
- Editing for Enforceability
- Why Legal Documents Look the Same, But Need Not Sound Alike
- Man vs. Machine: My Editorial Bout with WordRake
- Craft a “Commercial” for Your Case to Find Clarity Before You Write
- 9 Effective Proofreading and Editing Strategies for Attorneys
- Crafting Compelling Issue Statements
- Say It Once, Say It Right: Trimming Legal Doublets and Triplets
- The Big Four: Concrete Edits for Clearer Prose
- The Misleading Allure of the Aggressive Lawyer
- Document Creation Tools for Paralegals
- Power Editing for Paralegals
- Using the Table of Contents for Advocacy and Persuasion
- Persuasive Legal Writing: Making the Most of Citations, Editing, and the Table of Authorities
- Creating Clarity through Document Structure
- Strategies for Eliminating Wordiness
- Hey, Y’all! Welcome to the Courthouse!
- Editing for Empathy in Legal Marketing
- 3 Must-Know Comma Rules for Lawyers
- How Email Defines Your Writing Reputation
- Is Your Jargon Justified?
- Edit Your Legal Memos for Screen Reading
- Ethically Meeting Word and Page Limits
- The Perfect Brief Part 12 - The Brief Brief List
- The Perfect Brief Part 11 - Polishing Your Brief
- The Perfect Brief Part 10 - The 10 Myths of Brief Writing
- The Perfect Brief Part 9 - Building a Bulletproof Argument
- How to Write a Fast and Fearless First Draft
- The Perfect Brief Part 8 - Capturing the Judge’s Imagination
- The Perfect Brief Part 7 - Telling the Judge a Story
- How Checklists Can Help You Cope with Disruptions
- 5 Kinds of Errors to Check in Legal Proofreading
- The Perfect Brief Part 6 - Presenting Your Facts
- 5 Kinds of Errors to Check in Legal Editing
- The Perfect Brief Part 5 - Developing Your Facts
- The Perfect Brief Part 4 - Introducing Your Brief Properly
- The Perfect Brief Part 3 - Opening with Your Own Case
- The Perfect Brief Part 2 - Thinking Like a Judge
- How to Draft a Memo in 21 Minutes
- So Many Useless Words, So Little Time
- The Perfect Brief Part 1 - Winning with Ethics
- 10 Practical Ways to Put Writing Advice into Action
- How to Write the Perfect Memo Part 8 - Memo Language Editing Exercise
- How to Write the Perfect Memo Part 7 - Streamlining the Memo
- How to Write the Perfect Memo Part 6 - Introducing the Client Email
- How to Write the Perfect Memo Part 5 - The Issue
- How to Write the Perfect Memo Part 4 - The Advisory Memo
- How to Write the Perfect Memo Part 3 - The Survey
- How to Write the Perfect Memo Part 2 - Understanding the Primary Memoranda
- How to Write the Perfect Memorandum Part 1 - 6 Questions Every Associate Should Ask Show All
Professional Writing
- Federal Favor: How Concise Writing Wins Contracts
- Let’s Talk About Myself: An Explanation of Reflexive Pronouns and First-Person Pronouns
- Three Ways to Improve Your Writing Process and Reduce Your Suffering
- Confused by Fused Participles? How to Use Pronouns and -ing Words Properly (and 2 Ways to Think About English)
- Balancing Prescriptive and Descriptive Grammar in Editing
- Weaknesses of AI-Generated Writing—and Why You Must Edit
- How to Edit and Proofread Your Writing: Nine Tips for People Who Hate to Reread
- When to Cut “That” from a Sentence—and When to Keep It
- Is that Adjective Eligible for an Upgrade?
- Why Active Verbs Create Vigorous Sentences While Adjectives Drain Energy from Weak Verbs
- A Primer on Plain Language Laws
- The “Bite, Snack, Meal” Approach Helps You Feed Content-Hungry Readers
- How to Rescue Your Sentences from the Gerund Trap
- 24 Clichés to Leave Behind in 2024: Part 3
- 24 Clichés to Leave Behind in 2024: Part 2
- 24 Clichés to Leave Behind in 2024: Part 1
- Why You Must Edit Your Business Emails
- Tighten Your Writing by Condensing Tautologies
- Keep Your Head in the Game: Gamify Your Editing Process
- Understanding Why Common Phrases Are Actually Redundant
- A Primer on Passive Voice: What It is, When to Use It, How to Fix it
- Feedback Can Be Something to Look Forward To
- Why So Many Words? Cut Nominalized Phrases to Spotlight Your Ideas and Arguments
- Pack More Punch in Your Writing: Choose Verbs over Verb Phrases and Nominalization
- How to Spot Nominalizations and Transform Them into Active Verbs
- How to Eliminate Clichés to Communicate Clearly and Meaningfully
- Clearing Collaboration Roadblocks by Writing with Authority
- Plain Language News! ISO Releases Plain Language Standards
- Using Track Changes and Comments for Collaborative Editing in Microsoft Word
- Why AI-Generated Text Sounds Wordy and Choppy
- Simple Beats Fancy Every Time
- Sharpen Your Message by Deleting Intensifiers
- How to Stop Writing When You’ve Said Enough
- How to Cut Sentence-Starting Clutter
- Are You Over-packing Your Writing?
- Writing Educational Content for Government Employees
- Who Must Write in Plain Language? The Answer is Broader Than You Might Expect
- Can Action Verbs Be Written in Passive Voice?
- Complying with Federal Plain Language Guidelines
- How Trimming Time Expressions Reduces Redundancies
- Writing Easy-to-Read Marketing Reports
- How to Develop Powerful Funding Proposals for Nonprofit Donors
- 8 Guaranteed Ways to Improve Your Writing
- 6 Tips to Improve Your Proposal Writing
- Plain Language Health Communication and the Myth of Universal Design
- Gained in Translation: Making Health Information Plain Across Languages
- Part Four: How to Get Useful Feedback
- Part Three: Divide and Conquer the Writing
- Co-Creating Plain Language Health Information
- Power Dynamics and Plain Language in Healthcare
- Plain English and Narrative: What's the Story?
- Reporting for Duty: Plain English in Corporate Reports
- Part Two: Schedule Incubation Time for Your Ideas
- Are You Friend or Foe?: Legalese Versus Plain English
- 8 Tips for Plain English
- Part One: Four Questions to Ask Before You Write
- How to Use Possessive Pronouns to Show Ownership
- Pronouns 101: How to Use Short Words to Avoid Repetition without Losing Clarity
- Affect vs. Effect: Understanding the Difference and Choosing the Right Word
- Don’t Make Me Cringe
- Control Your Emails – Don’t Let Emails Control You!
- Are you busy or are you productive?
- Why Your Content Marketing Writing Needs to Be Polished and Professional
- Own Your Expertise, Earn Your Authority
- How Writing Coaches Help Promising Professionals Reach Their Potential
- The Science Behind Successful Task-Switching
- What’s In Your Business Writing Library?
- 5 Tips to Tackle Inbox Overload
- Do You Overuse These 8 Transitions?
- Why We Must Improve Business Writing
- So Many Useless Words, So Little Time
- 9 Tips to Upgrade Your Resume
- Why We Can’t Rely on Spell-Checkers for Proofreading
- 4 Tips to Avoid Email Errors
- 3 Common Punctuation Mistakes
- Engineers Aren't Exempt - 4 Reasons They Must Write Well
- These 9 Ideas Will Improve Your Written Communication
- How to Become a Technical Writer: Fundamentals & Certifications
- 4 Great Sources for International Research Grants
- RFP 101: What Is the Purpose of an RFP? Show All
Academic Writing
- Writing in Reverse: How Planning, Checklists, and Outlines Can Improve Your Writing
- 5 Great Gifts for Graduates
- 6 Ways to Save (or Start) Your Senior Thesis
- Write A Strong Personal Statement with These 12 Tips
- 5-Step Editing Checklist for Your Thesis (and 1 Quick Way to Check Your Thesis for Free)
- 5 Things to Do When Writing Letters of Recommendation for Lawyers—And What to Avoid
- How to Write a Fast and Fearless First Draft Show All
Writing Strategies
- How Checklists Can Help You Cope with Disruptions
- How to Develop a Writing Practice
- 10 Practical Ways to Put Writing Advice into Action
- Use Your Commute for Effective Writing
- 4 Tech Tools for Writers
- Don’t Let the Blank Page Intimidate You
- 5 Time Management Tricks to Improve Your Writing
- Try These 15 Ways to Overcome Writer’s Block Show All
Legal Profession
- How Paralegal Programs Can Create Great Writers—What to Look For
- How to Get the Most Value from Legal Document Work
- Should You Get a Paralegal Certificate?
- Confusing Accountability and Blame Is Killing Your Culture
- Curiosity Is The Foundation For Innovation
- To Bring Change, Embrace Imperfect Decision-Making
- “Incremental” Is Not A Dirty Word
- Innovation Is A Red Herring Without Cultural Change
- Innovation Is Not A Strategy
- To Increase Client Satisfaction, Improve Yourself
- Build a Better Team to Solve the Right Problems
- Is Your Legal Tech Initiative Working?
- To Innovate In Law, We Need Analysis, Not Hype
- Rise Up And Innovate: A Manifesto For Lawyers
- Changing Attitudes to Technology Starts with Incentives
- Why Better Technology Implementation Isn’t About the Tech
- How the Tech We Get Holds Back the Tech We Need Show All
Interviews with Experts
- An Interview with WordRake Founder and Legal Writing Expert Gary Kinder
- An Interview with Professor and Generative AI Researcher Kirsten K. Davis
- An Interview with Legal Ghost Writer Matt Sullivan
- A Legal Writing Interview with Attorney Brendan M. Kenny
- An Interview with Attorney and Legal Writing Coach Chinua Asuzu
- A Legal Writing Interview with Attorney Neven Selimovic
- An Interview with Legal Writing Coach Lisa G. Pearl
- A Legal Writing Interview with Attorney and Blogger Claire E. Parsons
- The Future of Legal Writing: A Discussion with Professor Susan Tanner
- Learning Legal Writing with Professor Susan Tanner
- An Interview with Professor of Law Mark Cooney
- An Interview with Legal Writing Professor Kathryn Boling
- An Interview with Legal Research and Writing Professor Jordan Carter
- An Interview with Director of Legal Writing Susie Salmon
- An Interview with Legal Writing Professor Jan Levine
- An Interview with Author and Legal Writing Professor Diana Simon
- An Interview with Legal Writing Coach Julie Schrager
- An Interview with Legal Writing Professor Dyane O’Leary
- An Interview with Professor and Legal Writing Coach Bev Meyers
- An Interview with Legal Writing Professor Wanda Temm
- An Interview with Plain Language Expert Kate Harrison Whiteside
- An Interview with Professor Stephen Horowitz
- An Interview with Professor Daniel Edelson
- An Interview with Information Designer Annie Burger
- An Interview with Author Kathy Walsh
- An Interview with Writing Coach Leslie O’Flahavan
- An Interview with Education Director Michael Hughes
- An Interview with NAGC President-Elect Leslie Gervasio
- An Interview with Plain Language Consultant Fraser Buffini
- An Interview with Diplomat Jeremy Lang
- An Interview with Plain Language Leader Casey Mank
- An Interview with Professor Joe Kimble
- An Interview with Professor Michael Blasie
- An Interview with Copywriter Sara Rosinsky
- An Interview with Technical Writer Paul Stregevsky
- Knowledge Management Q&A with Jordan Galvin
- Knowledge Management Q&A with Marlene Gebauer
- Knowledge Management Q&A with Jack Shepherd
- Knowledge Management Q&A with Bárbara Gondim da Rocha
- Knowledge Management Q&A with Nicola Shaver
- Knowledge Management Q&A with Evan Shenkman
- Q&A with Paralegal Shawn D. Andrews
- Q&A with Paralegal and Legal Translator Richard Lackey
- Q&A with Paralegal Renee Tiun
- Q&A with Paralegal Educator Doug Lusk
- Q&A with Melanie Henriques, Law Firm Partner & Paralegal
- Q&A with Paralegal-Turned-Lawyer Ryan Groff
- Q&A with Paralegal Educator Keith Shannon
- Q&A with Paralegal-Turned-Lawyer Elmer Thoreson
- Q&A with Paralegal Tisha Delgado, ACP®
- Q&A with Paralegal Educator Debra C. Galloway
- Q&A with Paralegal Educator Jackie Van Dyke
- Q&A with Paralegal Berlinda Bernard
- Q&A with Privacy Expert Shaun Jamison
- Q&A with Privacy Lawyer Jessica Brown
- Q&A with Document Privacy Expert Chris Cangero
- Q&A with Privacy Expert Donata Stroink-Skillrud
- Q&A with Privacy Expert Cat Coode
- Q&A with Privacy Expert Nerushka Bowan
- Q&A with Privacy Expert Irene Mo
- Journalist Q&A with Bob Ambrogi
- Journalist Q&A with Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman
- Journalist Q&A with Jesse Katz
- Q&A with Change Management Expert Maya Markovich Pt 3
- Q&A with Change Management Expert Maya Markovich Pt 2
- Q&A with Change Management Expert Maya Markovich Pt 1
- Teaching Writing Online: Speaking with Michael Bloom, Founder of Praktio
- Executive Communication Q&A with Expert Jay Sullivan
- Clear Writing Q&A with Ben Riggs from Kettering Health
- Plain Language Q&A with Andrew Pegler
- Access to Justice Q&A with Felicity Conrad and Kristen Sonday
- Plain Language Q&A with Russell Willerton
- Plain Language Q&A with Barbra Kingsley
- Plain Language Q&A with Christopher Trudeau
- Plain Language Q&A with Deborah S. Bosley, PhD
- Access to Justice Q&A with Dorna Moini from Gavel
- Plain Language Q&A with Iva Cheung
- Clear Writing Q&A with Roy Peter Clark
- Plain Language Q&A with Cheryl Stephens
- Tech-Enabled Writing: Lessons from Professor Adam Eckart
- Writing Lessons: A Conversation with Contract-Drafting Expert Ken Adams
- The Importance of Powerful Storytelling in Writing
- Get Started on Your Writing Journey with Insights from Ben Riggs Show All
WordRake Tips & Tricks
- Simplicity Mode: Engaged
- Don’t Dismiss that Dialog Box!
- For Best Results, Rake Twice
- Have You Discovered These WordRake Hidden Features?
- How to Become a WordRake Power Editor
- Are You a WordRake Power User? Show All
Staff Stories
- Leading with Generosity: The “Give First” Philosophy for Networking and Building Professional Relationships
- Q&A with WordRake Founder Gary Kinder
- Life Lessons from Writing Competitions
- Q&A with Ivy B. Grey, WordRake's Newest Hire
- Use Your Commute for Effective Writing
- How to Complete Your NaNoWriMo Novel Show All
Quizzes
- Quiz on Bright & Lively Writing
- Punctuation Quiz
- Quiz on Writing for Clarity & Brevity
- Nominalizations Quiz
- Writing Tips Listing Page
- Legal Software Buyer’s Quiz Show All
Infographics
- WordRake Edits an Associate Memo
- WordRake Edits an Employment Lawyer
- WordRake Edits a Classic Novel
- Some Words Need No Modifiers
- When to Use Comprise or Comprised Of
- Why People Say Irregardless
- 5 Errors to Check in Legal Editing
- 5 Errors to Check in Legal Proofreading
- 10 Practical Ways to Put Writing Advice into Action
- 5-Step Editing Checklist for Your Thesis
- 6 Questions Every Associate Should Ask
- 10 Strategies for Effective Proofreading and Editing
- The Brief List
- Writing Tip #75 - Identifying the Subject
- Writing Tip #108 - Even Editors Need Editors
- Writing Tip #109 - Help Kids Speak and Write Correctly
- Writing Tip #110 - Scary Email Statistics
- Writing Tip #111 - Tips for Email
- Writing Tip #113 - Lessons in Email
- Writing Tip #115 - How to Use the EN Dash
- Writing Tip #116 - When to Use Hyphens
- Secret #1 for Editing for Clarity and Brevity - Look for It-That
- Secret #2 for Editing for Clarity and Brevity - Look for There-That
- Secret #3 for Editing for Clarity and Brevity - Look for That
- Secret #4 for Editing for Clarity and Brevity - Look for In
- Secret #5 for Editing for Clarity and Brevity - Look for Of
- Secret #6 for Editing for Clarity and Brevity - Look for Periods
- Secret #7 for Editing for Clarity and Brevity - Look for As
- Secret #8 for Editing for Clarity and Brevity - Look for Or
- Secret #1 for Editing for Liveliness – Look for To Be Verbs
- Secret #2 for Editing for Liveliness – Find the Preposition Of
- Secret #3 for Editing for Liveliness – Locate Words that End in -ion
- Infographics Library Show All
eBooks
- Retain Associates with an Editing Tool for Law Firms
- A Practical Guide to AI and Ethics
- Using Technology to Edit Legal Documents
- Using Lean Thinking and Legal Tech to Enhance the Document Creation Process
- Make Microsoft Word Work for You (Webinar)
- Connecting Technology Training and Substantive Legal Writing Skills (Webinar)
- AI Engagement Framework Webinar
- Building Your Reputation at Work through Writing (Webinar)
- Building Legal Judgment Through Technology (Webinar)
- Technological Competence for Paralegals (Webinar)
- Unwelcome Wall of Words
- Choosing High-Value Words in Writing
- Good Authority: How to Become the Leader Your Team Is Waiting For
- The Science Behind the Art of Legal Writing
- Thinking Like a Writer
- Thinking Like Your Editor
- Professional Drafting in MS Word
- Challenge Every Word
- Be Productive
- Clarity and Coherence
- Get the Word Out
- Syntactic Ambiguity
- Get to the Point, Chapter 2: Know Your Point
- The Businesses We Build - Lawyer Forward
- Say It Clearly - Personal Branding for Young Professionals (Webinar)
- Power of Newsjacking
- 30 Tips to Grow Your LinkedIn Influence
- Developing Your LinkedIn Strategy
- Restyling the Federal Rules of Evidence
- Punctuating on Purpose
- The Ethical Duty of Technology Competence
- The Simple Workbook for Legal Innovation
- How to Write the Perfect Brief
- The Art & Science of Writing Business Email
- How to Write the Perfect Memorandum
- 8 Secrets to Writing Clearly & Concisely
- 3 Secrets to Writing Bright & Lively Sentences
- Choose Your Own Adventure
- Using Analogies to Explain
- Mastering the Revision Process
- Writing for Litigators (Webinar)
- The Duty of Technology Competence (Webinar)
- Ebook Library
- Writing Tips Listing Page
- Podcast and Webinar Library Show All
