North Carolina

Channeling Dean Smith

August 28, 2012

Writing as a Way of Life

Sumerian tablet

Today, most people in professional jobs are writers. We are writers, whether we define ourselves that way or not. Writing is at the heart of communication — oral, print and electronic. If we can’t write, we don’t come across well in talks, manuscripts, memos, tweets, blogs, email and the rest. Though our medium may have changed from ancient Sumerian tablets to computers and smart phone screens, writing is one of the skill imperatives that survived the ages. Dean Mike Smith’s blog Monday focused on writing. He provided an excerpt from tips on writing that advertising executive David Ogilvy wrote many years ago. Except for the advice not to write more than two pages (which doesn’t apply to manuscripts), most of Ogilvy’s tips still are relevant.

Modern tablet

I obsess over words, rewrite multiple times, edit myself ruthlessly and get feedback from others. I love to write. If I can be creative, writing is satisfying, even fun. One of my challenges as dean is to race from welcome to welcome and still say something substantive while writing most of the content myself.

Check out Mike’s blog and Ogilvy’s tips. Happy Tuesday. Barbara


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The views expressed in this blog are Barbara Rimer’s alone and do not represent the views and policies of The University of North Carolina or the Gillings School.