I wanted to be a psychologist as a kid, but ended up a copywriter. Because of my job, I’m something like a rogue psychologist. No I’m not saying it’s the same, so for anyone thinking I’m saying that—stop. My job is to get into the hearts and minds of people and get them to do things, think things, and buy things. It takes a dash of science, and a pound of empathy. It’s exhausting, having deep, emotional conversations with people…
You’ve seen it a million times already–in their recent Presidential debate, Clinton was ripping into Trump when Trump muttered to the camera, “Such a nasty woman.” It was a stupid thing to say for obvious reasons, but had he changed one word it could have made a world of difference. After the debate, internet memes went crazy with the line, “Nasty women make history.” It was a reference to the Laurel Thatcher Ulrich quote, “Well-behaved women rarely make history.” It…
Quieter quieter and then quieter still. Until the dogs are asleep and a pin drops on the kitchen floor. Quieter until your tinnitus is a roaring river. And then quieter still. Until the stars sizzle against the sky. And the heavy curtains of the day are drawn.
You know the story, a man in his forties struggling to connect with his teenage daughter as he attempts to balance work and life, and a few other things that are swirling around him. His relationship with his daughter has been suffering for years. It’s been a long time since she was a princess sitting on Santa’s knee wishing for that special doll at Christmas. Now she’s distant, as she traverses the gauntlet of early adulthood. With the media blasting in…
There’s something about being a writer that doesn’t conform to social norms. Namely, that in order for us to do our jobs, we have to be completely alone. No writer writes, listens, and talks concurrently. Over the years, I’ve worked in plenty of places where this doesn’t sit well. As a result, I’ve been labeled a recluse or renegade, despite crafting effective messages that mobilize audiences to act favorably. For some of us, this idea of isolation seamlessly spills over into our regular life…
It was a routine Tuesday night when the President broke in to tell us that the world was ending.
