Category: Writing

The top 10 writing articles my readers read the most

I was going through my site analytics today, and thought I’d check out what writing articles have been the most popular. After seeing a few surprises (#1 in the list below is more popular than even my home page), I thought I’d share the 10 most popular writing articles here on the Hot Pepper Blog.

Passive voice: what it is and how to avoid it

This post was originally published in 2008. You may have heard the term “passive voice” mentioned before. For those who haven’t heard it or would like some clarification on it, I thought I’d say a few words on the topic. It is one of the most prolific issues in communication.

Why using a spellchecker isn’t good enough

Don’t get me wrong. Spellcheckers have bailed me out of potentially damaging situations many times, and I doubt I’m the only one. Unfortunately, many amateur writers (even some professional ones, too, I’m certain) use it as a crutch, assuming if there is no red, squiggly line, then the writing is perfect. 

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Using “only”

Those who know me well know that I have innumerable pet peeves when it comes to grammar. One of them is the use of ‘only’. Here’s a common use of the word only: “It would only take a few seconds.” What’s wrong with that, you may ask. The error is in the placement of the… Continue reading Using “only”

5 critical components of creating compelling copy

Writing compelling content intimidates people. For many, it seems out of reach. I’ve been writing content for 28 years, and through a lot of successes and failures, I’ve learned a few tricks to make my content more approachable. Here are 5.

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