Selena Roberts is my hero

"Turning Off Tobacco Road" is a perfect example of something that's perfectly simple...both clear and convincing. Selena Roberts, a columnist for Sports Illustrated, writes with flavor. The woman oozes imagery.

"Earnhardt waved me into his trailer, a riot of chrome and mirrors."

Pointing out that NASCAR doesn't have the down-home feeling it once did, she writes, "Tobacco Road has an off-ramp to New York City."

"The truth is, they've slashed their own tires with poor decisions."

Roberts is brief and clever, a rare combination. Shakespeare said that brevity is the soul of wit, and Roberts has the recipe.

She tells a good story. I hate NASCAR: grown men racing in circles. They are the poster children of global warming. Even my dog, Diesel, is smart enough to quit chasing his tail after just a few laps.

But Roberts lures me in. She establishes her credibility. She lets the setting speak for itself. She's clear. She's memorable. And then she's done.

If you're looking for an example of how good good writing can be, take a peek at Selena Roberts. Her sentence structure flows smoothly. There's no need to read a paragraph twice: she hits it the first time. Her grammar is perfect. I can hear her telling the story, leaning in as the momentum builds. I don't know if she has fun writing, but it sure makes for fun reading.

Nicely done, Ms. Roberts. Nicely done.

Hello, World

This is about writing, about writing that's clear and convincing in particular.

Writing that's authentic. Writing that's real.

Step one: you must have something to say. You must be clear. You must be memorable.

If you're not both, you're neither.

I note with frustration the seven or eight or six steps to power presentations. Remember step one above. The powerful presentation starts with power. If your message isn't strong to begin with, all of the powerpoint razmatazz in the world cannot save you.

Be clear. Be memorable. Be done.

Make your words worth something. It's a choice, and it's your choice.