Comments on: 9 ways to lift your quotes

By: Daphne Gray-Grant

Daphne Gray-Grant — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 00:30:00 +0000

In reply to Saleha Singh. Happy to help!

By: Saleha Singh

Saleha Singh — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 23:28:00 +0000

I look forward to your Blog every Wednesday (my time in Aus), and today was no different. I get tired of using ‘said’ and keep looking for a synonym … from now on I won’t any more. Thanks for the tip. ‘Said’ will live on in my present and future writings :-).

By: Daphne Gray-Grant

Daphne Gray-Grant — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 20:30:00 +0000

In reply to Elizabeth McGreal Cook. Good point, Elizabeth! Thanks to you (and Ellen) for turning this into *11* ways to lift your quotes.

By: Elizabeth McGreal Cook

Elizabeth McGreal Cook — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 20:20:00 +0000

Use quotes to communicate ideas and opinions about your organization that are much stronger coming from someone from outside your organization.

By: Daphne Gray-Grant

Daphne Gray-Grant — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 19:57:00 +0000

In reply to caseyhibbard. Oh, the contraction thing really gets to me! Do the "approvers" ever listen to people who are SPEAKING? I don't have difficulty with anyone forbidding contractions in written text, but when it comes to the spoken word, it's crazy!!

By: caseyhibbard

caseyhibbard — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 19:47:00 +0000

Great post, Daphne! I agree with all. The challenge is convincing all the people who read our drafts of these principles – that we can use contractions, etc.

By: Daphne Gray-Grant

Daphne Gray-Grant — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 18:46:00 +0000

In reply to Miette Levine. So many writers struggle so diligently to find synonyms for "said." If I can help even a few people stop this needless search I will know I've accomplished something worthwhile when it comes to quoting! Thanks so much for letting me know.

By: Miette Levine

Miette Levine — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 18:41:00 +0000

Thank you for this piece today! I’ve been wondering about a couple of your points and now I know. For example, your point about “said.” I wasn’t sure if I needed to vary “said” with “stated” or something else, but what you said about wallpaper
makes sense.

By: Daphne Gray-Grant

Daphne Gray-Grant — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 17:53:00 +0000

In reply to Ellen Debenport. An excellent point, Ellen. You've just turned this post in to *10* ways to lift your quotes! Thanks so much.

By: Ellen Debenport

Ellen Debenport — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 17:30:00 +0000

I, too, have a background in newspapers, and one of the best things I learned was to make sure the quote advances the story. Don’t quote someone saying something you just said.

The police chief said they have no suspects.

“We have no suspects,” Chief Billy Wilson said.

Don’t do that.

“We’ll hit the streets again tomorrow and track this killer down,” Chief Billy Wilson said.

Moves the story along.