by Margot Carmichael Lester | Aug 29, 2023 | Process
When Mercury's in retrograde, communication can go a little haywire. Even if you don't believe in it, a bunch of your clients and colleagues do, so lean in! In the early years of The Word Factory, we produced a monthly guest column for one of our clients that to run...
by Margot Carmichael Lester | May 2, 2023 | Process, Writing/How to Write
When we ask “let me know what you think about this”, the reviewer tells us what’s important to *them* or makes corrections because they don’t know what we need. Take control of the revision and review processes by asking for the feedback that produces a better piece...
by Margot Carmichael Lester | Jun 8, 2021 | Best Practice, Process
If you just look at the charts (and admit it, a lot of us do that), one of the takeaways from the ANA Supplier Diversity report is that the biggest challenge to working with creative shops with non-white, non-cishet non-male owners is supply. It's just too hard, 68%...
by Margot Carmichael Lester | Jul 23, 2019 | Process
It's easy to feel like open spaces and blue skies are required to boost creativity. And they certainly can. But the real world offers few opportunities for that, thanks to time, resource and other factors. That's why it's important to learn how to use constraints to...
by Margot Carmichael Lester | Jul 2, 2019 | E'ship, Process
Mid-year is a logical time to review, retool and recommit. Mid-Year Review Take a look back at the what you did during the first half of the year. What worked? What didn't? What were the big learnings? What could you change to increase the odds of success in the...
by Margot Carmichael Lester | Jun 18, 2019 | Process
I casually mentioned in a staff meeting that I thought we should do a CD of music to write by. Leave it to my husband and collaborator Steve to take that idea and run with it. We're blessed to have some super-talented friends who were up to the challenge: professional...
