The Art of Revision by Stephanie Whetstone Congratulations, fellow writer, you've finished a draft! So, you're done, right? Wrong. No published book, dissertation, thesis, or essay you have ever read was written in one draft. Even if you don't plan to publish, anything you plan to share with an audience deserves (at least) a second look. In fact, many writers say that the real work of writing comes through revision. So, the first draft is just the beginning. That is both the bad news and the good news. Revision does take time--reading and re-reading, taking a break in between revisions to [...]

Speaking While Masked As the pandemic enters its third year, the role of masks in reducing the risk of infection has been well documented. In the words of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Correct and consistent mask use is a critical step everyone can take to prevent getting and spreading COVID-19." Unfortunately, the protective barriers that masks create can hamper communication unless we compensate for them. I suspect that anyone who has worn a mask has struggled, at times, to be understood. More than once, I have had to repeat myself while placing an order at Starbucks, as in a [...]

How to Write a Letter of Recommendation It's that time of year. No, not just for New Year's resolutions! It's application season. And many applications--for graduate schools, summer internships, and fellowships--require letters of recommendation, sometimes referred to as LORs. It is an honor to be asked to write an LOR, but you need to establish some ground rules and create a basic recommendation letter template to use as a starting point; otherwise, the deadlines could pile up, and there are futures on the line! No pressure. First, you should only consent to write a LOR for someone you know and whose [...]