Reality check

Do you know who I think I am?

In 1998, I told an embarrassing story about another person in this e-zine. Even today, the details remain too painful to reveal. (Injured parties: You know who you are, and I am STILL SORRY.)

Since the incident — which is referred to as “the incident” by my friends and used as a cautionary tale for younger members of my family — my sister has held an unbending rule: I may not mention her in these pages.

So it is without Lynn’s permission and at the risk of one of my longest, closest, most important relationships that I share with you this email message, which Lynn sent to me. She writes:

“Trozzollo Communications pitched us today on a promotional campaign. When they found out you were my sister, they said, ‘We think Ann is one of the best writers on the planet.’

“And I said, ‘So does she.’”

By the way, Lynn Wylie is turning 50 on May 10. If you know her, please contact her and wish her a wonderful day as she celebrates her first half-century on earth.

Master the Art of the Storyteller
My husband likes to quote Anonymous, who said: “If a man speaks in the forest, and no woman is there to hear him, is he still wrong?”
The corporate communication writer’s corollary: If you cover your terribly serious and important stories, and nobody pays attention, does your message still make a sound?
In this creative-writing workshop, you’ll learn how to write copy that grabs attention, keeps it longer, communicates more clearly, enhances credibility and is more likely to go viral. You’ll walk away with techniques — not just what to do, but how — for painting pictures in your audience members’ minds so they understand your points faster, enjoy your information more and remember it longer.
At Master the Art of the Storyteller — a two-day creative writing master class on July 25-26, 2018 in Portland — you’ll learn how to bring your messages to life with storytelling, wordplay and metaphor. Specifically, you’ll learn how to:
- Grab Attention With Feature Stories: Craft creative leads and kickers.
- Make Your Copy More Colorful: Engage readers with fun facts, juicy details.
- Play With Your Words: Spice up your headlines, leads and sound bites with wordplay.
- Master the Art of the Storyteller: Tap ‘the most powerful form of human communication’.
- Add Meaning With Metaphor: Clarify complex concepts with analogy.
- Edit, write, repeat: Bring your laptop and a story to work on, write and rewrite, get and give feedback, and leave with a totally rewritten piece.
Learn more about the Master Class.

Browse all upcoming Master Classes.
Would you like to hold an in-house Make Your Copy More Creative workshop? Contact Ann directly.