Since 2000 (with a career break 2011-2015), I have worked full time for a major international company in the UK, Switzerland, India, Australia, and the US. But, almost every weekend—and most vacation days since 2017—I’ve also had a side hustle: writing a book. On Tuesday (10.20.2020) that book will be published under the title "Word Wise".
Here’s the rear-cover blurb from the publisher (Hachette):
“An eye-opening guide on how we talk and write to one another, Word Wise explores 400+ of the most common cases of word trash (filler words, hyperbole, and abstractions) and word power (verbs of action, ear candy, onomatopoeia). Examining social media, the language of Donald Trump, AI language research, and heard-on-the-street lingo […] With wit, practical applications, and a small dose of nitty-gritty grammar, Word Wise will help you communicate more effectively at home, at work, and online.”
3 Word Tips for connecting better (from Word Wise):
1) Ctrl + F on the word “Just” and delete: A Google executive banned the word “just” from her team’s communications after she realized that striking it from a phrase clarified and strengthened the message.
2) Start requests with “Would you be willing to…”: Research by Loughborough University in the UK shows customers, family, and friends will be more likely to say “yes” to you.
3) Use the word “Laughter”: Researchers at the University of Vermont discovered that reading or hearing it makes us feel happier than any other word in the English language. I know I could do with some more laughter.
If enough of my readers ordered Word Wise by October 20th, there’s a chance it would make the NY Times Bestseller list the following week! Would you be willing to read it? :-)
I will also be giving a 13-minute talk, “Word Wise: How mindful word choices can spark connection” at this year’s (virtual) World Happiness Conference alongside the Dalai Lama in November. Follow me on Instagram @jelbertwill to stay tuned. I appreciate you for the support :-)
Thank you!
Will
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