A lesson from Nabokov: how to write for the senses
Metaphors are one of the most powerful devices. Nabokov was synaesthetic. What is synaesthesia and how can it help you craft interesting metaphors?
20 May 2022 by
Laura Kelly
The greatest insults in Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was deft with wonderfully worded insults in his works. Here are some of our favourites.
22 April 2022 by Laura Kelly
Why Pfizer is using plain language
The readability of health information is important, especially during a pandemic. Find out why Pfizer has decided to use plain language materials.
14 April 2022 by Laura Kelly
Great podcasts to improve your writing skills
Looking for inspiration in an easy-to-consume format? Look no further than writing podcasts. We've rounded up a handful we particularly like.
18 March 2022 by Laura Kelly
Genuine VS toxic positivity in language: communicating with empathy
Can positivity be toxic? We’ll investigate the concept of toxic positivity. From this, we'll learn how we can communicate authentically.
4 March 2022 by Laura Kelly
Plain language history: Basic English
Basic English was a concept created in 1930. It promised to make the English language more accessible. We’ll cover Basic English, who created it and what it promised.
8 February 2022 by Laura Kelly
The 5 most common words you sought synonyms for on Readable
We’ve looked at the most common words our users sought synonyms for over a three-month period. Here are the top words and more readable alternatives.
18 January 2022 by Laura Kelly
Readability in history: the Plain Writing Act
Certain moments in history have been greatly impactful on readability standards. In the U.S., Obama passing the Plain Writing Act was a significant landmark in the history of clarity campaigning.
7 January 2022 by Laura Kelly
Words of advice from the most successful authors
Some of the greatest authors are no longer with us, but their words live on. We’ve looked at some bestselling authors and are sharing their writing advice.
15 December 2021 by Laura Kelly
Imagism: a minimalist movement that changed poetry
In the early twentieth century, a poetry movement called Imagism revolutionised English literature. We’ll cover what it was, who practised it and what impact it’s had on modern poetry.
17 November 2021 by Laura Kelly
Coronavirus coverage – pandemic best practices for style
AP - the Associated Press - updated their style guide to include coronavirus guidelines. Here’s what we can take from their updates to apply to our own writing.
5 November 2021 by Laura Kelly
10 English words with surprising etymology
The practice of etymology is uncovering the truth by tracing the root of a word. Find out some surprising word origins.
20 October 2021 by Laura Kelly
