The Mill House Media blog archive
Allan Scott has chosen to keep these posts online as many still have value – and they also include a record of his 40-year freelance career – a host of experiences that he cherishes and is happy to share with anyone who might learn something from them. He regrets (almost) nothing – and he’s had a ball…
Breaking with convention, one word at a time
Hello. We may not have been formally introduced but I’m going to start by making some assumptions. Pigeon-holing you, as it were. If you’ve clicked on this article, it’s a fair bet that you have at least a passing interest in language use. That already sets you apart...
Ready to be a hero?
'A man who is a storyteller is more attractive to women.' Now there's an invitation to be a hero if ever I heard one. Assuming, of course, that you're a man. And assuming you want to be attractive to women... But this particular snippet of wisdom appears to be true....
Medalling with English – making jargon work for you
Despite the appearance of Christmas trees on the TV sofa adverts, it seems only a hop, skip and jump in time since we were enthralled by the Olympics and Paralympics in Rio. And it wasn’t just medals that got the media buzzing, but medalling. We all know that a medal...
Celebrating 35 years of experience…
Don't get me wrong - experience can be overrated. But when my LinkedIn account kindly reminded me that I've actually been in business for nearly 35 years, I felt a blog coming on. So in 35 years (plus a few) what have I learned that could be helpful to you, dear...
Why spellcheck is not always your friend
Right here and now I need to make it clear that this post is not getting at people who struggle with spelling. If that’s you, please don’t stop reading – I’m trying to help. As I’ve written in a previous blog, we all have our skills. Let’s put this into perspective....
19 things you didn’t know a proofreader could do
Now, please don’t get over-excited. Yes, some proofreaders might do snake charming, pole dancing or submarine mechanics in their spare time. But if you’re thinking of employing a professional proofreader, that’s not what you’d be paying for. So what do you expect a...
The seven deadly email marketing sins
There are at least seven deadly email marketing sins. So what are they? Why are they important? And how can you avoid them?
The right tone for the right readers
When creating your next written masterpiece, consider the tone and the content. Some content – and some tones of voice – really don’t belong together…
Unsubscribes – and how I learned to love them
Unsubscribes from your email list can be worrying – but they don’t have to be. For one thing they can be a way to find your most valuable contacts.
Engaging a short attention span – are you with me so far?
If today’s readers have a shorter attention span than a mayfly, how can you keep them interested without them becoming daunted or, worse, plain bored?
Why I want to monkey with Mailchimp
I don’t really regard Mailchimp as competition, because we hand code all our emails. But it’s been interesting to use it – and here’s what I think…
Typos: the maths behind why they matter
If everyone makes typos, can’t we just accept it? That seems reasonable until you consider the effect they have on your communication. Time to do the maths…