Issue 154 – December 2025
Wrapping Wordnerdery up in a bow
Once the thought of “Should I keep publishing or end it?” popped into my head, it stuck. It’s time, and the end of the year seemed like the right time to put a bow on it.
This is difficult because we go back a long time, you and I. Our connection might even go back to the first appearance of this newsletter in March 2013. Now, 154 issues later, I’m wrapping up Wordnerdery. With a bow, due to the season. It turns out there was more to the writer’s block that struck last month than the need for a simple recharge. That block prompted me to do a little more soul-searching. Once the thought of “Should I keep publishing or end it?” popped into my head, it stuck. It’s time, and the end of the year seemed like the right time to put a bow on it. Of course, I can’t wrap it up without a fond look back.
When I launched Wordnerdery, a number of my clients had hired me to write for their employee newsletters. I loved newsletters, still do, and it made sense that I would have my own newsletter that would touch on some common topics. The very first issue talked about how to dig up interesting content for newsletters. An early and continued focus was readability. A number of issues showed that the fastest way to increase reader understanding is to cut the average sentence length, avoid jargon and use familiar words. Examples from my go-to tool, the handy Hemingway app, highlighted dense, jargony sentences in an obvious “pinky-red” colour.
I shared writing tips from musicians, Sesame Street, Dancing With the Stars, hiking the Bruce Trail and more.
Some of the most viewed issues delved into plain language or gave dense writing the “before & after” treatment. You appreciated metaphors and other expressive language, like “linguistic cicadas,” feathers “soft as a whisper” and a “Fitbit for turtles.” You also liked helpful ways to give numbers context, including the classic descriptions of the weighty bears of Fat Bear Week. Find links to all of these and more on my website. But four end-of-year issues that came from the heart drew the most comments:
- Thinking about my dog’s last Christmas prompted a reminder to live in the moment and cherish friends and family.
- A tale of BFFs and Christmas preparations was another reminder that life is short.
- A call to step up and shine a light of kindness after the tough years of the pandemic came up with 54 ideas, from a simple “smile” to “try not to judge.”
- I shared 27 life lessons from my new granddaughter, like “play every day” and “let your personality shine.”
While you’ll still hear from me with an occasional blog post – if you’ve signed up for that – this is a wrap for Wordnerdery. So thank you for opening and spending some time with this newsletter over the years. Thank you for your kind comments and sharing your thoughts. Thank you, and please stay in touch. And happy holidays!
Feedback on the November issue about writer’s block: “And, in the end, your newsletter was entertaining, provided good advice on how to move forward when writer’s block hits so overall, I would say it was a hit!” – Sheila “I still marvel at how I come up with little ideas when walking. I'm not actually experiencing writer's block but just taking a break – et voilà – a better way to write something pops into my head. It happens so often that I shouldn't be surprised, but somehow, I still am. And delighted.” – Charlotte
Two of my fave newsletters:
Ann Handley, Total Annarchy
Michael Katz, The Likeable Expert Gazette
Seasonal posts in the Red Jacket Diaries:
My annual look at fun things to know about Christmas trees
Fun gifts for readers and writers, 2025 edition
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