Political slogan on a wall in the city of Pompeii. (Image credit: Mirko Tobias Schäfer / Flickr and this fantastic article from The Atlantic.)
Sometimes it feels like we’re drowning in information.
And that information–every text, Tweet, meme, slogan, or headline–takes the form of short writing.
It would be easy to assume that short writing is a product of the digital age, but in actual fact it has been used–often with significant impact–for far longer. From the graffiti-inscribed walls of Pompeii, to the final desperate telegrams dispatched from the Titanic, short writing has always played a vital role in human communication.
Today, in a world built on speed and information, it is more important than ever to be able to write short and do it well.
How to Write Short by Roy Peter Clark. (Published in 2013 by Little, Brown Spark.) Buy this book at Indiebound
This week on #TheBookshelf, we’re looking at How to Write Short by Roy Peter Clark.
Clark is an author and editor who has taught writing at the prestigious Poynter Institute for Media Studies for more than 30 years. He has authored or edited nineteen books about writing, including his excellent craft book, Writing Tools.
Put it this way, what Roy Peter Clark doesn’t know about journalism and writing probably isn’t worth knowing.
As a freelance writer and editor, I do a lot of short writing–social media posts, book blurbs, titles, bios, etc.–both for clients and to promote WoodvineWrites–and I love to play with short writing, especially the challenge of a haiku or a 280 character Tweet, so I was eager to dive in and see what this book has to offer!
How to Write Short is, in itself, an homage to the art of writing short. Comprised of 35 bite-sized chapters, the book is divided into two sections: how to write short, and why we write short–including the practical uses of short writing.
The chapters are well laid out–with the student in mind. Each one begins with an anecdote that puts the chapter’s topic into context. Then comes the lesson. Here, Clark expands on the themes from the chapter intro with clever and accessible examples ranging from the Bible to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In between you’ll find well-chosen examples of short writing by Oscar Wilde, Tom Petty, Dorothy Parker, The Sopranos, Abe Lincoln…and many more. Each chapter wraps up with a section called “Grace Notes”–short exercises designed to reinforce the chapter’s lesson and ultimately build a better writer.
Clark covers a lot of ground, from the often hilarious worlds of texts and online dating apps, to tombstones, tattoos, idioms, sales pitches and just about every other kind of short writing you can think of. He gives practical guidance for trimming your writing, including the vital lesson that “brevity comes from selection and not compression.”
Brevity comes from selection and not compression.
Roy Peter Clark, How to Write Short
In much the same way that Clark encourages writers to find the rhythm–the music–in their work, many of the lessons in How to Write Short are summarized in rhythmic, easy-to-learn 3’s or 5’s, like “perfect, polish, revise”, “focus, wit, polish”, and Joseph M. Williams’ “Five Principles of Concision.”
Even the book’s typography and layout lend themselves to ease of learning through the judicious use of bullet points, bold type and/or italics for key ideas, words, or concepts.
We all write. We use words to sell, to converse, to amuse, to explain. With the lessons in How to Write Short, you can make every word count.
Join me next week on #TheBookshelf for some self care for editors, writers, and anyone else tethered to a desk!
(Featured image credit: Mirko Tobias Schäfer / Flickr and this fantastic article from The Atlantic.)
Last week on #TheBookshelf, I mentioned that when I’m working, I often try to drown out distracting noise with music. But there are some days when even music is too much and I need to lower the volume completely.
When that happens, I escalate to ear plugs. This week on #TheBookshelf, I’ll introduce you to five different styles of ear plugs (all under $40 CAD). I’ll give you my pros and cons, pricing, noise reduction levels, and my final verdict for each one.
When you’re looking for a good pair of earplugs, it’s important to understand that they’re not all created equally. There are foam ones, silicone ones, some that go in the ear, others that cover the ear. Some block sound (passive noise cancelling) while others eliminate it (active noise cancelling). They can be cheap and disposable or expensive and last for years. But whatever the type or style, most earplugs tend to be good for one type of use, but maybe not as ideal for others.
For instance, if you want to sleep, but you have a snoring spouse or noisy neighbours, you need earplugs that not only block noise, but are also comfortable for sleeping–after all, you’ll be using them for several hours and if you’re a side sleeper, you don’t want something that pushes into your ears.
If you need to focus in a noisy environment, you need earplugs that dampen the sound around you, but you don’t need to worry so much about them sticking out of your ears.
If, like me, your anxiety spikes when you’re surrounded and overwhelmed by too much sound (think busy house and happy kids playing, or a noisy workplace for instance), then earplugs are an absolutely brilliant solution to dampen the sharper sounds (shouting, or loud noises for instance) while still allowing you to hear what you need to. In this situation, comfort is key, but so is the right amount of attenuation.
For hearing protection, you need whatever has the highest decibel rating. Seriously. Because when it comes to protecting your hearing, you do not want to mess about.
But wait you say! What I’m you’re listening to my favourite band perform live (which, fingers crossed, we’ll all be able to do soon) and I want to hear every note, but not damage my hearing in the process? Well, there’s an earplug for that, too.
So let’s get to it.
First up, are the cheap and cheerful bright orange foam earplugs that you roll between your fingers and then cram into your ears. If you do it right, they expand to fit snugly in your ear canal. You can find them at most drugstores. They come in several different shapes and sizes.
Pros: They’re cheap. Shopper’s Drug Mart sells 4 pairs for $4.79 CAD
Cons: It’s not always easy to get them in your ear. They may not comfortable for side sleepers (They weren’t for me) because they tend to stick out of the ear. And finally, the pressure of the expanding foam pressing against the insides of your ear can be uncomfortable over long periods of time. Plus, you can only use them a few times before you have to throw them away–and if you can reduce waste, you should! Rated at a noise reduction of 33 dB.
Final verdict: Better for occasional earplug users, or users who need hefty hearing protection.
Next, we have these mouldable silicone earplugs from Mack’s.
These earplugs are interesting because they do not go into the ear canal. You mould them to cover the opening of the ear canal only (which also makes them great for swimmers, although I’ve never tried them in that capacity). These are slightly pricier per pair than the foam earplugs, and I had to get mine on Amazon because none of my local shops carried them. Price: about $20 CAD. Rated at a 22 dB noise reduction.
Pros: They’re comfortable and they can form a waterproof seal. Nice and flat for side sleepers. You can reuse each wad of silicone several times before having to throw them away.
Cons: The seal can be too good! On occasion, if you’re using them while sleeping, the seal can cause a slight suction effect that can be uncomfortable. Plus, they stick to hair.
Final verdict: Reasonably comfortable and easy to use. A bit on the pricey side for (somewhat) disposable earplugs. I like that they don’t go inside my ears.
Now, these intriguing-looking little earplugs are calledHappy Ears.They’re made in Sweden but shipped from Canada. They don’t change shape or size to fit or cover your ear, so it’s up to you to buy a size that will fit. The Happy Ears solution to the fit issue is an introductory three pack, featuring one pair each of small, medium, and large size. This three pack will set you back $40 CAD. Rated at a 25 dB noise reduction.
Pros: Small, comfortable, and fit well. Reusable. Not too bad for side sleepers, but they do press into your ear quite a bit.
Cons: The initial cost is fairly steep, but once you find a pair that fit, you’re good to go. Shipping is fast and free. The hard stem is small, but can be poky for the side sleepers.
The Final Verdict: Having to buy 3 pairs to figure out what size you need is a bit of a pain, but these are comfortable and work well. Not great for side sleepers.
The last earplugs on my list are both from Loop and they take the earplug game to a whole new level.
The Loop Experience model is made up of an ear tip, a filter and an acoustic channel (the loop!). Sound enters the acoustic channel goes around the loop, through the filter (that reduces sound by 20 dB across all frequencies), and into your ear. The result is sound that is quieter but maintains it’s integrity.
Pro: Comfortable enough to wear for long periods, and they sit quite flat against the ear, so not bad for side sleepers, too. They work well to attenuate noise. I purchased an additional accessory, the Loop Mute (that’s the little mint-coloured ring in the photo), and when you insert it into the centre of the Loop, it reduces sound by another 5 dB. The Loop, the ear tips and the Mute accessory come in a variety of colours for mixing and matching. Price for the basic model is $38 (CAD). Can be reused.
And I have to say it–they look really, really cool.
Con: A bit stiff for side sleeping, but definitely more comfortable than any of the others I tried…well, except for one…
…The Loop Quiet. This earplug looks a lot like it’s flashier sibling, but instead of an acoustic channel, it has a solid silicone loop that acts more like a traditional earplug. It reduces sound by 25 dB and is priced at $23 (CAD)
Pro: More flexible than the Loop Experience, good for side sleepers.
Con: None.
Final verdict: The Loops win! I use the Loop Experience for work, and Loop Quiet for sleep.
These are just five of the many kinds of hearing attenuation and/or protection that are out there. I hope this review helps you to get started toward finding the quieter solution!
Do you have a favourite kind of earplug? I’m all ears! Let me know in the comments below.
Join me again next week on #TheBookshelf when I explore Roy Peter Clark’s new(ish) book, Writing Short.
Disclaimer: unless otherwise specified, the opinions expressed on #TheBookshelf are those of the author. Reviews on this blog are unsolicited unless otherwise stated.
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