Stephen Wilbers

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Stephen Wilbers

Columnist | Effective Writing

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Stephen Wilbers teaches seminars in effective business writing. His column appears online every other Monday.

Wilbers: How to communicate effectively in a strange, new world

When I interviewed Constance Hale in 1998, I lauded her book, “Wired Style: Principles of English Usage in the Digital...

Updated: May 17, 2013, - 05:34 PM

Use paragraphs for the four C's: clarity, coherence, control and credibility

I do love my iPhone. I do love my computer. I do love the Internet. I love their power and...

Updated: May 03, 2013, - 10:34 PM

Wilbers: Structuring your paragraphs so that the reader gets the point

Good things come in threes. Messages should have a beginning, a middle and an end. In speeches you should tell...

Updated: April 26, 2013, - 04:54 PM

Wilbers: Human outsmarts dog by manipulating rhetorical appeal

I was running with my daughter’s goldendoodle, Addie, when her tongue lolled to one side and she started to lag....

Updated: April 05, 2013, - 05:12 PM

Wilbers: Remembering how to write in a technology-driven world

In a world where every nanosecond counts, you need to multitask, absorb information in a heartbeat and make rapid-fire decisions....

Updated: March 22, 2013, - 07:17 PM

Wilbers: Punctilious readers pounce on punctuation peccadillos

In response to my advice on the correct use of semicolons and colons, John writes, “That was a superb semicolonoscopy;...

Updated: March 08, 2013, - 05:56 PM

Wilbers: Use dashes for dashing effect – with or without spaces

I have some good news for you. English — the language you love and depend on — has not one,...

Updated: February 22, 2013, - 05:00 PM

Assess your writing skills in five areas

How good are you, anyway? I'm referring to your writing.

Updated: February 03, 2013, - 03:26 PM

Everyday rules about punctuation are needed every day

"If you're at a Target store, pay attention to the cash registers," Lori writes. "Each one has a message on the screen that says something like 'Save 5% everyday.' It's like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.

Updated: January 13, 2013, - 03:38 PM

Use hyphens to punctuate the holidays with laughter

The year is 2017. My 4-year-old granddaughter Stephanie (not her real name) looks wide-eyed at our holiday dinner, her face aglow with candlelight, and exclaims, "Let's eat Grammy!"

Updated: December 30, 2012, - 02:07 PM