It’s always a joy to share stories about talented, bright and nice people making a difference in the world. I had the opportunity to write about four successful students/alum for the latest issue of UNC Charlotte's magazine.

Don’t lard your writing with BS that is full of jargon and dances around the meaning. Journalists can spot inauthentic quotes. So can your other readers. Don’t alienate them.

Typos, punctuation errors, spelling mistakes and the like don’t look professional, so it’s important to proofread. Yet proofreading can be hard, especially if you are examining your own work. Here are 10 tips on how to proofread your own work without getting frustrated.

If you work in fundraising or nonprofit communications, you’ve heard it a lot: “Your communications must be donor-centered!”To thank donors and inspire them to keep giving, you’ve got to write your newsletters, annual reports and other communications in a way that puts the focus on the donor. So, how do you that? It’s all about “you.”

The boss was unhappy with me. I had pushed aside my own deadline-driven work to help a colleague who was in a jam. To my mind, I had done exactly what she had requested. But apparently I had made her uncomfortable because I wasn’t upbeat enough when I did the work. My boss told me it wasn’t enough to do the work; I needed to be happy about it — and I wasn’t allowed to tell people “no.” But the ability to say “no” is crucial in order to get your own work done.

Patrick and Michelle Melchior are the talented duo behind Leather By Dragonfly. I am delighted to work with them on their marketing communications. They are hardworking and humble. They also have swagger — or rather, SWAGGER. They recently were profiled in SWAGGER, North America’s premier digital-first modern men’s luxury lifestyle publication.

For the new director of the Glennan Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology at Eastern Virginia Medical School, being part of a supportive community is vital. Dr. Marissa Galicia-Castillo grew up in Norfolk and stayed in Hampton Roads to establish a distinguished career.

Born more than three decades ago out of the HIV crisis, LGBT Life Center found itself adapting this year to help people through another pandemic, COVID-19. I had the privilege of interviewing the folks who do such outstanding work for LGBT Life Center and writing a story for the fall/winter 2020 issue of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation’s Good Tidings newsletter.

The best way to get the media to cover you is to tell interesting, impactful stories. Here are some recommendations for finding stories worth telling, connecting with reporters and building your own media empire using your website and social media.

Like many drivers, Jackie Shannon knows the frustration of being stuck in traffic at the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. Her precious cargo? Baby oysters. A new floating oyster restoration facility will streamline the process and lead to more oysters and cleaner rivers that flow to the Chesapeake Bay. The Hampton Roads Community Foundation gave Chesapeake Bay Foundation a grant for the project.

A friend sent me a message asking “is AP style still relevant in corporate communications?” “Of course!” roared this former AP reporter. But WHY? For one thing, following AP’s well-accepted guidelines will help make your writing clear, concise and credible.

Thomas Stokes was a friendly, open guy with a warm smile. He lacked health insurance, was on disability and had been homeless for three years. He was grateful for the med students providing free healthcare to people in need through Street Health, part of EVMS’s Community Engaged Learning program.

During a webinar for the Public Relations Society of America’s Hampton Roads chapter, Nealy Gihan of Purple Inked and I discussed issues such as writing too long, using meaningless quotes, not using storytelling — and more.

if you want to be clear in your communications, simplicity is best. Emulate Ernest Hemingway and cut out that scrollwork. To make your message stand out: use plain words, eliminate jargon, write in short sentences, use active voice, avoid adverbs and organize with bullet points.

Studying for the APR gives you insights and ideas and pushes you to strive to grow as a communicator. Maintaining the credential by volunteering and taking time for professional development keeps your skills fresh.