Author Archives: Abhi

Yumi’s cells: A unique take on human cells

They say the human body has 30,000,000,000,000 cells. The new K drama Yumi’s Cells weaves a beautiful story around human cells ( no you don’t see 30 trillion cells) and explores a myriad of emotions and feelings.

The story revolves around Yumi who is single and wants to date a younger coworker. But things take an unexpected turn and the younger coworker arranges a date for her with a guy named Wung who is neither handsome ( in a traditional way) nor has a great sense of fashion ( again in a traditional way). And their first date isn’t that traditional either!!

I really loved the story revolving around Yumi’s cells – the fashion cell, the reasoning, and yeah, the hunger cell…and many more. Oh there is a face cleansing cell as well ?

As the story progresses you get acquainted with Wung’s cells as well and how they influence his decisions. Let’s see how the story ends. So far the drama has been brilliantly directed.

PS – There’s a perfectly irritating coworker named Ruby. She kind of grows on you with her idiosyncrasies.

Content Writing: What You Need To Know In 2019

“Content is king” – you must’ve heard this zillion times, I’m sure. Now let me take you through a couple of latest variations of these 3 famous words by Bill Gates way back in 1996.

  • “If content is King, then context is emperor.”
  •  “If content is King, then distribution is queen.”
  • “If content is King, then conversion is queen.”
  • “If content is King, then curation is queen.”
  • “If content is King, then data is his queen.”
  • “If content is King, then sharing is queen.”
  • “If content is King, then engagement is queen.”
  • “If content is King, then storytelling is queen.”
  • “If content is King, then social media is queen.”

The evolution of content. It’s still evolving BTW

First things first – intelligently written & thoroughly researched content was, is & will always be THE KING. But what has changed is its consumption.

The average human attention span in 2000 was 12 seconds, but by 2013 it was only 8 seconds (1 second shorter than a goldfish!).

A surfeit of content choices & connected devices coupled with shorter attention span of the online users has changed the landscape of content. Let’s dig deeper –

1.The optimal length of social media posts

  • The optimal length of a tweet — 71 to 100 characters
  • The optimal length of a Facebook post – 40 characters
  • The optimal length of a hashtag – 6 characters
  • The optimal length of a LinkedIn post – 25 words
  • The optimal length of a Google+ headline – 60 characters maximum

Check the detailed article here 

2.Does it mean – the death of longer articles?

This BuzzSumo & Moz research finds that long-form content actually gets shared more than short-form content. That brings us to this pertinent question – why do people share? There have been a lot of talking about cracking the psychology code of Sharers – people who share content on social channels because the act satisfies their emotional need of telling others who and what they are.

You know it’s very similar to owning an Iphone, riding a Harley, and using Body Shop products. It’s like saying, I share what I am.

But the emotional motivators don’t just stop at projecting one’s identity through sharing. A study by The New York Times gives us an insight into other factors such as –

  • Connect with people
  • Self- fulfilment
  • Informing others about significant issues ( from supporting causes to products & companies they care about).

How does long-form content fit here?

Let’s take a look at some of the articles from 2017 that were shared the most under different categories ( data taken after searches on BuzzSumo) –

Parenting  –  X-Plan: Giving your kids a way out (#xplan).

Shared 1.3 M times. Word Count – 1000 +

Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?

Shared 753.5K times. Word Count – 1000+

The Best 10 Day Home Workout Plan (+ Free Printable)

Shared 672.1K times. Word Count – 650+

This 75-Year Harvard Study Found the 1 Secret to Leading a Fulfilling Life

Shared 317.1 K times. Word Count – 650+

Preventing Alzheimer’s & Dementia Naturally – 9 Diet & Lifestyle Habit Changes

Shared 301.4K times. Word Count – 1000+

All these articles are long, packed with data and useful information, and readable.

Key takeaways:

  • Create both short and long-form content.
  • What percentage of your efforts ( research, creation, design, and promotion) you want to assign to each format will depend on your business objectives.
  • Make your long-form content visually appealing.

Recently I came across an interesting study titled What is beautiful is usable by an Israeli scientist Noam Tractinsky who was puzzled by an experiment on aesthetics & usability by Japanese researchers, Masaaki Kurosu and Kaori Kashimura. They studied different layouts of controls for ATMs. All versions of the ATMs studied were similar in function, the number of buttons, and how they operated. However, some of the ATMs had the buttons and screens arranged in an attractive way, while for the others they were arranged unattractively. Result – the Japanese found that the attractive ones were perceived to be easier to use. Tractinsky was suspicious of the results; he thought the results were simply true for Japanese. He said “aesthetic preferences are culturally dependent…Japanese culture is known for its aesthetic tradition.” But for Israel, this won’t be the case. To prove his suspicions right, he got the ATM layouts from Kurosu and Kashimura, translated them from Japanese into Hebrew, and conducted a new experiment in Israel. And the results were a surprise! The experiment found that the co-relation between usability and aesthetics was stronger in Israel than Japan.

3.Clarity & power still rule

Whether you are writing content for a website, an ad copy, or a research paper – remember your content is part of the user experience. Your content should make the life easier for your users by cutting through the clutter and delivering what they want. Let me give you a simple example:

 “According to a report by United Nations World Tourism Organization, which is a specialized agency of the United Nations, in 2011 international tourism receipts exceeded US$1 trillion for the first time.”

Now compare this with

“In 2011 international tourism receipts exceeded US$1 trillion for the first time, according to a report by United Nations World Tourism Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations.”

Which one of the above examples convey the message clearly in a short time?

When it comes to creating powerful content, there are 3 elements which I think turn a good content into a POWERFUL one

1) Empathy: Empathy is the key to a positive user experience.  It’s about putting yourself in your audience’s shoes. Seeing and experiencing things as they would have. It’s analysing and making decisions with your audience’s eyes.

And to do so you need to prepare the answers to these questions:

  • Who is the audience? ( This sounds obvious. But, you will be shocked to see how many writers fail to understand.)
  • What do they need to know? What do they want to gain from the content?
  • How do I help them?

These questions will help you draft the framework of the content – helping you decide which points to keep and what to exclude.

2) Remain True: Authenticity is a hot topic these days. Marketers and advertisers are trying different ways to create authentic content. Some useful tips to write authentic content include:

  • Consistency – your message should be same across all the channels.
  • Personal examples – people like to learn from examples or stories happening around them. Bees, Shoots, and Leaves: Amazing Adventures in the Microworld posted in the GE blog is a wonderful example of using personal examples in a branded content.
  • Present facts as facts. Don’t distort them because users are smart and you are not the only source of information.

3) Expertise – Following Google’s EAT guidelines (“Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness”), a lot of focus is on writing content where one has domain expertise. Here’re Google’s suggestions for High E-A-T pages –

High E-A-T medical advice should be written or produced by people or organizations with appropriate medical
expertise or accreditation. High E-A-T medical advice or information should be written or produced in a professional style and should be edited, reviewed, and updated on a regular basis

High E-A-T news articles should be produced with journalistic professionalism—they should contain factually
accurate content presented in a way that helps users achieve a better understanding of events. High E-A-T news
sources typically have published established editorial policies and robust review processes.

High E-A-T information pages on scientific topics should be produced by people or organizations with appropriate
scientific expertise and represent well-established scientific consensus on issues where such consensus exists.

High E-A-T financial advice, legal advice, tax advice, etc., should come from trustworthy sources and be
maintained and updated regularly.

High E-A-T advice pages on topics such as home remodeling (which can cost thousands of dollars and impact
your living situation) or advice on parenting issues (which can impact the future happiness of a family) should also
come from “expert” or experienced sources that users can trust.

High E-A-T pages on hobbies, such as photography or learning to play a guitar, also require expertise.

20 Hindi Movies Shot In The Quaint Locales Of Ooty

As the famed toy train chugs along the tracks I see unrestrained lush foliage waving back at me, fog clinging to their peaks, groves of Eucalyptus trees and its scent filling the air, and the cooling breezes of Nilgiris whispering sweet nothings to me. The word paradise is so overused these days that it’s almost become meaningless. Yet, I wonder if I might have discovered its true meaning while travelling from Connoor to Ooty .

As I was clicking pictures I overheard one of the local tourist guides regaling the tourists with stories on movies and shootings. He knew the names of almost each and every possible movie shot in Ooty. I got most of the names from him and the rest from Google. I hope you enjoy the list. Want to add more to the list? Yes, then drop a comment 🙂

1. Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani

The romedy starring Katrina Kaif & Ranbeer Kapoor was partially shot in picturesque locales of Ooty. Call it a coincidence Ranbeer’s dad, Rishi Kapoor had shot the classic thriller Karz in Ooty almost 29 years back.

Movies S

 2. Ram Lakhan

This blockbuster by Subash Ghai had all the filmy masala- emotional tussle between two brothers ( one is an honest inspector and the other a street smart badmaash), romance, fights, nice songs and last but not the least great locales. I remember the song mujhe tumse hay kitne giley which was shot in the scenic locations of Ooty. In fact, Ghai had shot a number of his films in Ooty – Hero, Karz, & Yaadein. It was in Ooty where Ghai penned the first draft of Karz and it was in the tranquil valleys of Ooty where he came up with the idea of Om.

3. Saajan

Madhuri Dixit, Salman Khan & Sanjay Dutt starer flick was an emotional roller coaster ride. The film’s music was infectious and back in 90s everyone around me danced and bobbed to the music of Dekha Hay Pehli Baar, which was shot in Doddabetta in Ooty. Another popular song Mera Dil Bhi kitna Paagal Hay was shot at Dolphin’s Nose.

4. Roja

Did you know Roja’s breathtaking Kashmir scenes were shot in Ooty?

5. Dil Se (Chaiya Chaiya)

You want to know the secret sauce of creating a quintessentially sexy song sequence? Well, ask Malaika & SRK to gyrate on the rooftop of a train amidst the backdrop of pristine Nilgiri Hills! Chaiya Chaiya was shot on the rooftop of Nilgiri Mountain Railway train, a UNESCO heritage facility.

6. Maine Pyaar Kiya

The popular song, Dil Deewana Bin Sajna Key, was shot in Ooty. BTW I stumbled upon an interview in Rediff where Bhagyashree talked about an incident that happened in Ooty while Salman & she were shooting the song.

We were in Ooty shooting for Dil deewana bin sajna ke mane na when Salman came to know about my relationship with Himalayaji. He began teasing me in the morning itself. He would come very close to me and sing in my ear, ‘Dil deewana bin sajna ke…’

I started wondering what had happened to this guy; he had never behaved so strangely before. Now, there were people on the sets and he was trying to flirt with me.

He harassed me throughout the day. In the evening, I told him the members of the press were on the sets and there were so many outsiders so why was he behaving like that and he said, ‘I know.’

I asked him, ‘What do you know?’

He said, ‘Why don’t you call him here?’

I asked, ‘Call who here?’

That when I came to know that, through a common friend, he had come to know I was seeing Himalayaji. He was singing the song because he knew I was missing him. He asked me to call Himalayaji to Ooty.

7. Hum Aapke Hain Kaun

Did you know the movie’s shooting began in the marvellous locales of Ooty? Yeh Mausam Ka Jadoo song was shot in the Coonoor tea estate & Ooty.

8. Raja Hindustani

A lot of scenes of the imaginary place called Palankhet were shot in Ooty. The song Poocho Zara Poocho was shot here; also, the famous kissing scene which was one of the longest kisses in Hindi cinema was shot in Ooty. In the book I’ll Do It My Way: The Incredible Journey Of Aamir Khan, we find a couple of interesting details

raja-hindustani-ooty

 9. Raavan

Mani Ratnam & Santosh Sivan are famous for capturing the ethereal beauty of Ooty. From Raavan, Dalapathy ( Rajnikanth & Shobhana) to Dil Se & Iruvar ( Aishwarya & Mohanlal’s romance) – they brought the magical realm of the Nilgiris to life.

10. Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikander

The super-romantic song Pehla Nasha was shot in Western Catchment area, Ooty. And Rajput college is Lawrence School, Lovedale.

11. Kuch Kuch Hota Hay

The summer camp in Shimla wasn’t actually in Shimla! It was shot at Wenlock Downs in Ooty.

12. Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak

Ghazab ka hay din was shot in Pine Forests. And it was for the first time Juhi Chawla visited Ooty and she instantly fell in love with the place. Remembering QSQT after the film completed 25 years of its release here’s what she told in an interview

It was the first time time I visited the place. I remember falling in love instantly with Ooty . The greenery, trees, clouds, mists…I’d wake up at 5 am and do makeup to report on location. It was great fun.

13. Sadma

This tear jerker movie was shot in Ooty. Somu’s house is actually Hotel Taj Savoy. And do you remember the last scene where Somu tries to stop Reshmi from leaving? Yes, the one that’s guaranteed to make you cry; well, it was shot in Ketti Valley.

14. Dil

Mujhe Neend Na Aaye & Humne Ghar Choda Hay songs were shot at the exquisite locales of Ooty. I remember reading an interview of Madhuri Dixit where she said

About 95 per cent of my films have been shot in Ooty.

15. Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai

Some scenes were shot in Lovedale Station & the audience again fall in love with the Nilgiris Railway.

16. Shola Aur Shabnam 

Do you remember the 90s hit song Tu Paagal Premi ? It was shot at Pykara Falls.

17. Aashiqui

People remember the songs of the movie till this day. One of them Jaanejigar Jaaneman was shot in Ooty.

18. Barfi

Some scenes of the song Main Kya Karoon were shot at Pine Forest.

19. Pukaar

Some scenes were shot in Wellington ( when Jai was court martialed) & Ooty Lake .

20. Deewana

Two popular songs Teri Ummeed and Aisi Deewangi were shot at various locations in Ooty.

Want to add more to the list. Drop a comment 🙂

Content Writers: Add Flair To Your Writing With These 60 Idioms

Are you an eager beaver? She just wrote a Dear John Letter! Mom’s going to have a cow when she sees the mess. So, who wears the pants in your family? You were a wet blanket at that party. Don’t upset the applecart. They jawboned me into signing the contract. I was  ill at ease before the cameras. The truth was shocking; he was in cahoots with the crooks. Don’t let your plants go to pot? He’s a chain smoker and it’s going to be very difficult for him to kick the habit? The villagers were taken in by his larger than life personality. Don’t be late or else you’re going to miss out on all the fun at the party.

The underlined sentences are idioms. Wikipedia defines idioms as

An idiom (Latin: idioma, “special property”, from Greek: ?????? – idí?ma, “special feature, special phrasing, a peculiarity”, f. Greek: ????? – ídios, “one’s own”) is a phrase or a fixed expression that has a figurative, or sometimes literal, meaning. An idiom’s figurative meaning is different from the literal meaning.There are thousands of idioms, and they occur frequently in all languages. It is estimated that there are at least twenty-five thousand idiomatic expressions in the English language.

Well, can’t cover 25,000 idioms in a post! Over here I will be covering 60 popular idioms that writers must know by heart. Happy reading!

A

 

1) Accident waiting to happen – A situation or a thing that will lead to disaster

2) All ears – To listen carefully

3) Ahead of time – In advance

4) All the rage – Very popular in the recent times, current fad

5) All that glitters is not gold – Something that may appear precious at the surface but when looked closely is of no value

6) At the eleventh hour – At the last moment

7) All roads lead to Rome – Different methods producing the same result

8) All sizzle and no steak – Something that’s a promising start but ends on a disappointing note

9) All show and no go – Looks good but very low on performance quotient

9) Add insult to injury – To make a bad situation worse

10) Add fuel to the fire/flame – To worsen the situation

11) Against the grain – To go against one’s feelings

12) All thumbs – Extremely clumsy

13) Artsy-fartsy – Pretentious

14) Avoid something like the plague – Stay away from something/someone

15) Ahead of the curve – Better than the others, leading in a situation

      B

 

1) Babe in the woods – Innocent person

2) Bail someone out – To help someone come out of a difficult situation

3) Bad blood – Hostile feelings

4) Bag of tricks – A collection of techniques to overcome a bad situation

5) Bait and switch – Deceptive advertising

6) Ball is in your court – You have to do something about the situation

7) Bear fruit – Be successful

8) Beat around the bush – Speaking indirectly

9) Beaten path – The conventional way

10) Beauty is only skin-deep – Outside looks aren’t important

11) (A) Bed of roses – Easy situation

12) Beef up – To make something effective ; strengthen up something

13) Behind the times – Old fashioned

14) Bells and whistles – Attractive additional features

15) [A] bird in the hand is worth two in the bush – If you’ve something valuable then it’s better to be content with it rather than losing it to get something that you think might be better.

C

1) Call the shots – Make decisions

2) Call a spade a spade – Giving brutally honest feedback

3) Cake walk – An easy thing

4) Call it a day – The day’s work is complete

5) Call it quits – To quit

6) Carry a lot of weight – Important

7) Cash it on – To take advantage of

8) Carry a torch for someone – To have a crush on someone

9) Castles in the air – Big dreams

10) Catch one’s eye – Attract someone’s attention

11) Climb on the bandwagon – Join others in supporting a cause

12) Cold feet – To lose confidence; being nervous about a situation

13) Come hell or high water – No matter what happens

14) Cream of the crop – The best of all

15) Cut some slack – Be lenient

D

 

1) Dash something off – To jot down a quick note.

2) Dead set against – To oppose something

3) Dear John Letter – A woman writing a break up letter

4) Devil may care attitude – Carefree attitude

5) Do someone’s heart good – To make someone feel good emotionally

6) Dirt cheap – Very cheap

7) Don’t put the cart before the horse – Arrange things in proper order

8) Dog-eat-dog – It’s a situation where people can do anything to succeed, even it means harming others

9) Damsel in distress – A woman who needs rescuing from a troublesome situation

10) Deep six – To discard

11) [A] Dead ringer – Look-alike

12) Dead Set Against – Completely opposed to something

13)Doesn’t hold candle to – Inferior, not as good as someone.

14) Do the trick – Achieving what you want

15) Dressed to the nines – Decked up with expensive clothes.

Will be covering the next alphabets & idioms very soon. BTW you might like to flip through a list of 100 confusing words that can ruin your content.

Want to add something more to this list? You can drop in your comments.

 

 

7 Viral Press Releases That Every Writer Should Read ( And A Bit Of History)

press release definition

 

Keywords : newsworthy, information distribution, facts, authentic ( drop in your comments to suggest keywords you think describe the purpose & characteristics of a press release)

We all know what a press release is & what purpose it solves. The who, what, when, where, why & how – the quintessential elements of a release. The list of the releases you’ll see here have all these elements, plus, something more. Yes, something more that turns these releases from a barrage of words to remarkably evocative stories.

When digging up releases, I stumbled upon what many consider as the world’s first press release. So here’s a bit of history on press release & how did the world’s first ever press release look like.

Who invented press release?

 

The name is Lee. Ivy Lee. On October 28, 1906 when West Jersey and Seashore Railroad’s electric car fell off a swing bridge in Atlantic City, drowning 50 people. West Jersey and Seashore Railroad  Lee represented the railroad and convinced them to distribute a press release about the accident to the journalists. He even convinced the railroad to provide a special train for the reporters & photographers so that they can visit the accident site. This was unprecedented.

The New York Times was so impressed by Lee’s release that the newspaper printed it exactly as Lee had written it.

 

Ivy-Lee First Press Release

 

Check Declaration of Principles by Ivy Lee, which he released in 1906; it is considered as an important move in the Public Relations industry.

Press Releases That Went Viral

 

1) Nintendo

 

Nintendo of America Hires Bowser as New VP of Sales
Doug Bowser Brings Decades of Experience, Not Fire Breath, to New Role

Nintendo of America has hired a new Vice President to lead the United States sales organization with a name that’s well-known in the Mushroom Kingdom. Effective today, Doug Bowser (no relation to the King Koopa and Mario’s longtime nemesis) will oversee a variety of sales-related functions, including Sales, In-store Merchandising, Retail Strategy and Retail Marketing. He will play a key role in driving national sales strategies to generate demand and achieve revenue objectives across all of Nintendo’s product lines. Bowser also will manage Nintendo’s key retail customer relationships and will oversee retail marketing for the Nintendo World store in New York.

Bowser will report to Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing.

“Doug Bowser is an outstanding addition to our Nintendo team, as he brings a deep blend of both consumer package goods and video game sales experience,” said Moffitt. “I know he will work tirelessly with our internal and external partners to ensure the broad Nintendo product lineup of hardware, software and accessories are strongly represented throughout U.S. retail points of distribution.”

Bowser comes to Nintendo from Electronic Arts, where he has worked since 2007, most recently as Vice President of Global Business Planning, a role that made him responsible for EA’s console, PC and mobile game forecasting. Prior to EA, he worked at Procter & Gamble in various sales leadership roles in Asia, Latin America and the U.S.

He attended the University of Utah, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communications.

 

Instead of writing a bland, plain we’ve-hired-a-new-VP PR, the video games giant released a funny and quirky read. A VP who shares the same name as the villain who’s appeared in nearly all the Mario games since 1989 is funny in a way. And Nintendo leveraged it with just the right amount of comedic elements. It’s neither boring nor uproariously funny – it’s just right.

 2) Chevrolet

 

chevy-cruze-emojis

 

Chevy wrote an entire PR in emojis before the reveal of 2016 Cruze. Here’s what the carmaker said “Words alone can’t describe the new 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, so to celebrate its upcoming reveal, the media advisory is being issued in emoji, the small emotionally expressive digital images and icons in electronic communication.”

3) Taco Bell

 

Taco-Bell-Redacted-press-release

After a 2 year hiatus, Taco Bell returned to Super Bowl with a new product. The release is cryptic and keeps one guessing from start to finish about the product.

 4) Michael Jordan Iam Back

 

Michael Jordan I am Back

 

Michael Jordan’s comeback announcement in just 2 words – “I’m back” is powerful yet subtle, is simple but conveys a wealth of emotions. Here’s shedding light on the making of this iconic press release.

 

He felt that it didn’t require an explanation or a justification,” said Falk, who faxed the final press release to media outlets. “I thought I was a pretty good writer, written a lot of things, but he said, ‘Let me do this.’ So he sat down at the table and thought about it for a couple of minutes and he wrote, ‘I’m Back.’ He said, ‘OK, that’s it.’ It was classic Michael Jordan. It was elegant in simplicity, it communicated how he felt, it said it all.

5) Anacin

 

Moments after learning that the world’s oldest man credits his longevity to a daily dose of six Anacin tablets and one banana, scientists at Insight Pharmaceuticals began to investigate whether ‘Bananacin’ – a banana-flavored Anacin tablet – might be the elixir for longevity.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130726/PH54078 )

According to multiple news reports, 112-year-old Salustiano “Shorty” Sanchez-Blazquez of Grand Island, New York, credits the banana-Anacin combo for his extended life. Born in 1901, Guinness World Records now recognizes Shorty as the world’s oldest man.

“Historically, apples are the fruit most associated with staying healthy and avoiding doctors,” said Jennifer Moyer, vice president of marketing for Insight Pharmaceuticals. “Our scientists had never looked into the banana before. But now that the certified oldest man in the world credits bananas and Anacin as his life-extending combo, we’re certainly going to explore whether a new ‘Bananacin’ product makes sense.”

Anacin, invented in 1916 by William Milton Knight, is one of the oldest brands of pain relievers in the United States. Its unique formula contains two important ingredients – aspirin and caffeine – to deliver fast pain relief from headaches. Anacin is currently available in regular and maximum strength tablets as well as regular strength caplets; Insight Pharmaceuticals is exploring a banana-shaped capsule for the new ‘Bananacin’ flavor.

“Forget the fountain of youth – ‘Bananacin’ could be a game-changer for life expectancy,” Moyer noted. “If nothing else, ‘Bananacin’ sounds delicious! And it only makes sense that the oldest man in the world recognizes the benefits of Anacin, which is one of the oldest brand pain relievers in the U.S.”

While Insight Pharmaceuticals scientists work to bring ‘Bananacin’ to drugstores nationwide, headache sufferers can visit www.Anacin.com to download a $2 coupon for any original Anacin product. Bargain hunters can follow Anacin on Twitter (@Anacin ) to double their coupon to $4.

“We’re committed to helping people have better days by giving them fast pain relief – especially for those great nights that are followed by rough mornings,” Moyer continued. “And if we can somehow discover how to help them add days to their life with ‘Bananacin,’ it’s a win-win.”

About Anacin:
Anacin®, a licensed product of Insight Pharmaceuticals, is one of the oldest pain relievers in the United States and has been a trusted brand for over 50 years. It is a leading cure for minor aches and pains associated with headaches, backaches, cramps, stiff muscles, the common cold, toothaches, and minor pains of arthritis. For more information, please visit Anacin.com or follow us on Twitter (@Anacin ) or Facebook (Facebook.com/AnacinRelief ).

It all started when world’s oldest man, Salustiano “Shorty” Sanchez-Blazquez, credited his longevity to taking a daily dose of anacin and banana. Anacin maker Insight Pharmaceuticals sprang into action and released a laugh-out-loud announcement that’ll tickle your funny bones. BTW laughter can also extend lifespan. So, keep laughing!

6)Netflix Orders Green Eggs and Ham

 

We’d love to share some happy news
based on the rhymes of Dr. Seuss.
Green Eggs and Ham will become a show
and you’re among the first to know.
In this richly animated production,
a 13-episode introduction,
standoffish inventor (Guy, by name)
and Sam-I-Am of worldwide fame,
embark on a cross-country trip
that tests the limits of their friendship.
As they learn to try new things,
they find out what adventure brings.
Of course they also get to eat
that famous green and tasty treat!
Cindy Holland, VP of Original Content for Netflix
threw her quote into the mix:
“We think this will be a hit
Green Eggs and Ham is a perfect fit
for our growing slate of amazing stories
available exclusively in all Netflix territories.
You can stream it on a phone.
You can stream it on your own.
You can stream it on TV.
You can stream it globally.”

 

A 13-episode animated Green Eggs and Ham series is coming to Netflix – and what better way than a DR Seuss inspired rhyme to announce it.

7)TMobile

 

Here’s what TMobile had to say after AT&T’s announced to pay customers $450 to switch back from T-Mobile

T-Mobile US, Inc. (NYSE: TMUS) today announced that pretty much everyone at the company is overcome with emotion and still kind of processing the decision by now-ex-rival AT&T to leave the dark side, step into the light, and join hands in supporting the Un-carrier consumer revolution.

“Call it an awakening,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T Mobility, “but I felt it was time to really stir things up and put the customer first for a change. And by “customer” I’m referring to our former customers who switch to T-Mobile, because our current customers don’t really qualify.” De la Vega said that the new T-Mobile switching offer was custom designed to entice its millions of contract customers to go ahead and give T-Mobile a try. “If for any reason you don’t love T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network, which is now faster than ours[i], we’ll actually pay you up to $450 to come back to AT&T, I kid you not.”

Ok, De La Vega didn’t actually say that, but he might as well have. Thanks to AT&T’s apparent change-of-heart and incredibly generous $450 T-Mobile customer buy-back campaign, insane numbers of its very own customers and even families of AT&T employees are enjoying a risk-free, zero-cost opportunity to switch to the Un-carrier. If customers making the switch are not completely satisfied with T-Mobile and its state-of-the-art nationwide 4G LTE network (now fastest in the U.S.)i, AT&T will cover the costs for customers switching back to their own slower network, up to $450 with trade-in[ii]. Details of the new AT&T offer can be found at att.com/att/switcherpromo.

“Wow. I mean … wow,” breathed John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile. “I guess we all have moments of doubt. You know? Like, can the darkness ever be defeated? But that they’ve singled us out in this way is just so affirming. I guess we must be doing something right. I mean, if AT&T can change, it feels like anything’s possible.

“It’s kind of like that scene where Darth Vader’s lying there and Luke helps take off his helmet,” Legere continued, “and you see that, okay, sure, Darth Vader’s pretty ugly, but he’s human after all.”

[….] “Somebody pinch me,” said Mike Sievert, Chief Marketing Officer. “By offering a risk-free way for their millions of customers to come over to T-Mobile – AT&T has helped put this Un-carrier consumer movement into overdrive. At T-Mobile we stand for Contract Freedom, and I want to thank our friends at AT&T for helping us liberate their former customers. This isn’t just about switching offers — it’s about T-Mobile giving customers the service, the network, and the wireless experience they deserve, without having to worry when they switch.”

Sievert noted that AT&T’s recent full-page ad in The New York Times had signaled a real turning point in his mind – that the former industry rival had truly stepped out of the darkness and was seeking to mend its ways and support the Un-carrier consumer movement.

“I mean, a full page ad in The New York Times,” said Sievert. “That says commitment to me.”

Know more such viral press releases? Add to the comments section.

20 Social Media Pages That Content Writers Should Follow

It’s an universal fact that every writer at some point of time in his/her career goes through the dreaded writer’s block. What about you? Do you face it often? Or the ideation bit isn’t your problem, it’s that you often get bogged down in grammar rules? Oh, wait a minute. Your problem isn’t idea or grammar? Even after writing a great copy you aren’t able to convince & convert the users. Over here we’ve listed 20 pages that’ll make your life easier as a content writer- be it ideation, grammar, content strategy or digital marketing. Enjoy the read.

1) Grammarly – From writing tips to funny grammar mistakes the Facebook page is infotainment overloaded.

Content writers

Content writers

2) Dictionary.com – Trying to expand your vocabulary then this Facebook page must be on your must – like list.

content writers

content writers

3) Copyblogger –  Their Twitter page is cramped with useful information – from content marketing to  digital commerce.

content writers

content writers

4) Grammar Girl – When to use whoever and when whomever? Is it it’s or its? Is it shall or will? This Facebook page will give you all the answers.

5) Word – Check this amazing page on Facebook. It covers words across all languages.

6) Jeff Bullas – Follow him on Twitter to know how to write & market great content.

7) Visually – Their Twitter page is packed with some amazing content marketing nuggets.

Content writers

Content writers

8) Ann Handley – Well, she’s the queen of content. Follow her & you’ll know why she’s on this list.

9) Ogilvy & Mather – The No. 1 page to check some amazing nuggets of copywriting wisdom.

Content Writers

Content Writers

10) Quora – Want to know what’s happening in the content writing landscape check Quora.

11) Adage – Viral ads, engaging copies + great digital marketing tips. Like it now if you haven’t yet.

12) Content Marketing Institute – Wise words. Practical tips. No fluff. It’s content marketing decoded.

13) Kim Garst – Follow her on Twitter. From social media marketing to writing content that sells – her timeline is cramped with amazing tips.

14) Reddit – From tools to content writing resources – you name it & it’s there.

15) Buffer – Follow them on Twitter. You’ll learn how the industry is shaping up & how do you cope with it. Must-do thing : check their marketing manifesto.

content writers

content writers

16) English Forums – It can be your life saver.

17) Econsultancy – You can find the A-Z of digital marketing here.

18) Mental Floss – Often writers get stuck because they’re waiting for ideas to knock on the doors. But ideas don’t just knock & say “May I come in?”. Writers have to chase them. And Mental Floss is the perfect place for chasing ideas.

19) Reader’s Digest – From frugal shopping tips to best foods for your brain, it’s a hub of ideas.

20) Seth Godin – Read him to follow his writing style. Short & crisp for today’s users who’ve an attention span of less than 9 seconds.

Know such more useful pages? Drop a comment. Will add to the list.

Dogs Who Are Social Media Superstars

From Mark Zuckerberg’s  Beast to Obama’s Bo & Sunny – the list of celebs who love their canine friends is endless. What’s interesting to see is the popularity of these four-legged furry guys; their fan list is as long as their owners’! So, there’re celebs and their celeb dogs.

And then there’re star dogs who made their owners celebs

Thanks to the world of sharing, likes, comments, tweets, retweets, and pins that these unknown canines are now super-famous, and so are their owners. Dave Fung & Yena Kim of Menswear Dog, Amber Chavez and Jon Huang the owner of Manny – are now busy handling their canine’s modeling gigs, merchandise, events, charities, and book launch.

15 Dogs Who’re Social Media Superstars

Let’s check such few star dogs who get million likes on their photos, have verified profiles on social media, get snapped with the rich and famous and the media is crazy about them.

1) Beast

 

beast zuckerberg

Beast’s one lucky guy. He can code along with some of the best brains who’re working for his dad, can check what Mark’s checking on his Facebook account and can pee on Facebook’s office floor.

His Facebook Page – Beastthedog

2) Boo

 

boo world's cutest dog

 

With 17 million+ likes on Facebook this 9 year old Pomeranian has done a lot of things that even we can’t imagine doing. Well to begin with – he has a picture book dedicated to him titled Boo: The Life of the World’s Cutest Dog, has a line of toys and is the official Pet Liaison of Virgin America. His Facebook profile says My name is Boo. I am a dog. Life is good. There’s a lot of speculation as to who’s the owner of Boo who we only know as “Human”. Different media reports say that the “Human” is Irene Ahn of Facebook.

His Facebook Page – Boo

3) Manny The Frenchie

 

Manny the frenchie

 

His is a classic rags to riches story. He was adopted when he was 4 months old. Apparently no one wanted him; Manny’s current owners bought him at a discounted price of $900. He’s nothing short of an internet sensation now – thanks to one of his videos, where he was sleeping in sink, went viral. Now Manny has launched his business which includes t-shirts, hoodies and greeting cards. He’s followed by the likes of  Victoria’s Secret model Shanina Shaik, rapper Lil Wayne, and singer Christina Milian. With 1 million + likes on Facebook and 829k followers on Instagram he’s undoubtedly the world’s most followed bulldog.

His Website – Mannythefrenchie

His Facebook Page – Mannythefrenchie

His Instagram Page – Mannythefrenchie

His Twitter Page – Mannythefrenchie

4) Minnie and Max the Pugs

 

Minnie and Max the Pugs

They’re known as the internet’s cutest head tilting dogs. Their Facebook page has amassed 1 million + likes and on Twitter they’ve over 16.3 K followers. Their rise to fame is credited to a head tilting video which till date has racked more than 6 million views.

Their Facebook Page – PugHeadTilt

Their Twitter Page – MinnieMaxPugs

Their Instagram Page – Minniemaxpugs

5) Jiff – The Fastest Dog On Two Paws

 

jiff dog

 

This pint-sized Pomeranian dog is a Hollywood actor. He’s starred in Katy Perry’s music video and holds 2 Guinness World Records. Jiff can run 10 metres on his hind legs in 6.56 seconds and 5 metres on his front paws in 7.76 seconds. With over 1 million fans on his Facebook + Instagram pages this cute pooch has his own fashion line.

His Facebook Page – Jiff

His Instagram Page – JiffPom

6) Tuna

 

tuna melts my heart

 

This Chihuahua-Dachshund mix is an Instagram sensation. He’s known for his severe overbite and quirky look. From an abandoned pooch to owning his own merchandise and now a book – this underdog with the overbite has surely melted many hearts.

His Instagram Page – Tunameltsmyheart

His website – Tunameltsmyheart

7) Maggie May

 

Maggie May

 

This Twitter superstar is Andy Murray’s dog. She tweets selfies, photos of her adventures with her brother Rusty, her dad’s trophies, and she also loves tweeting pictures of hers with celebs.

Her Twitter Page – Maggiemay_hem

8) Cookie Frankel

 

Cookie Frankel

 

She’s the BFF of the reality star Bethanny Frankel and is a Twitter superstar.

Her Twitter Page – Cookiedabooboo

9) Toast

 

toast

 

She’s no less than a fashion icon. From Karen Walker to Prabal Gurung she’s known to have donned designer clothes and accessories in her effortlessly chic style. This Cavalier King Charles Spaniel  was used as a breeding dog at a puppy mill and was later discarded. She was rescued by a New York city personality Mr Onassis. When she was found all of her teeth were rotted and had to be removed. It was Mr Onassis who took her to Milan Fashion Week in September 2010 where she charmed the who’s who of the fashion world with her permanently wagging tongue (the wonders of having no teeth!). And as they say the rest is history. Last year she launched her line of summer tote with accessories brand Iomoi.

Her Instagram Page – Toastmeetsworld 

Her website – Toastmeetsworld 

10) Marnie

 

Marnie

 

From living on the streets of Connecticut to being friends with Miley Cyrus this 12 year old Shih-Tzu  has seen a lot. She’s one of the most popular dogs on Instagram. You can read her biography on Tumblr.

Her Facebook Page – Marniethedog 

Her Twitter Page – Marniethedog

Her Instagram Page – Marniethedog

Her Tumblr Page – Marniethedog

11) Bodhi – The Menswear Dog

 

Bodhi

 

What started as a Facebook joke is now a sensation in the world of fashion. Meet Bodhi – who’s modeled for Salvatore Ferragamo, Coach, Todd Snyder, and ASOS. The handsome Shiba Inu dog has featured on GQ.com and Complex. Do check out the fashion advices he gives in his new book “Menswear Dog Presents: The New Classics”.

His Tumbler Page – Mensweardog

His Instagram Page – Mensweardog

His Facebook Page – TheMensweardog

 12) Oprah Winfree

 

Oprah winfree

That’s rapper 50 Cent’s dog. No point guessing after whom he’s named her! The dog’s Twitter profile says 50 Cent’s bitch!

Her Twitter Page – OprahTheDog

13) Neville Jacobs

 

neville jacobs

He’s Marc Jacob’s dog. Period.

His Instagram Page – Nevillejacobs

14) Muppet

 

muppet

 

She’s Toast’s sister and she calls herself “the Jan Brady of dogs.” She redefines sibling rivalry.

Her Instagram Page – Muppetsrevenge

15) Norbert – The Therapy Dog

 

Norbert

 

Watch his videos and you’ll forget your worries. This tiny 6 year old has released a book titled ‘Norbert: What Can Little Me Do?’

His Facebook Page : NorbertDog

His Instagram Page – Norbertthedog

His Youtube Page – Norbert

Want to add some other names? Share the names in the comment section.

10 Book Facts That Every Book Lover Should Be Aware Of

Here’s a round-up of book surveys that every book lover should sneak a peek into-

1) Men & women readers stick to authors of their own sex.

Sex and Reading: A Look at Who’s Reading Whom, a survey by Amazon owned Goodreads brought forth some interesting stats –

  • 90% of the 50 most-read books by men were written by men.
  • Only 5 of the 50 most-read titles by women were written by men.
  • Women read 2x as many books published in 2014 as men.

Reading & Sex

2) Self publishing is booming.

And women writers are leading the pack. In a survey by FicShelf which analyzed 227 bestselling self-published titles( a mix of fiction and non-fiction) across the top self-publishing platforms Blurb, Wattpad, CreateSpace and Smashwords, found that 67% of top-ranking titles were written by women.

FicShelf also found that

men are more likely to receive recognition for their work … with preconceived notions of a ‘literary canon’ and curated lists of top titles still dominated by male writers”. Male authors account for 80% of titles in the Telegraph’s “100 Novels Everyone Should Read”, 85% of the Guardian’s “100 Greatest Novels of all Time”, and 70% of the Telegraph’s “The Best Books of 2014.

 

Don’t miss this one:

Jodi Picoult recently complained that her works are relegated to “chick-lit” even if they have depth, while male romance novelists like Nicholas Sparks get Hollywood deals for works that would be considered “airport fiction” if written by a woman. Source

3) Length of the novel matters?

The Goldfinch that won Donna Tart the Pulitzer has kind of scared the British readers. The 800 pages long bildungsroman was the 37th bestselling ebook of the year for Kobo. However, it was completed by just 44.4% of Kobo’s British readers. The e-book retailer speculated that it “likely proved daunting for some due to the length of the novel”.
The book survey also found a huge divide between bestsellers and the books readers actually complete.

You’ll be surprised to know that according to the survey, the most completed book of 2014 in the UK was Casey Kelleher’s self-published thriller Rotten to the Core, which by the way doesn’t feature anywhere on the bestseller list.

Kobo’s UK Bestseller list 2014 

  1. One Cold Night – Katia Lief
  2. Gone Again – Doug Johnstone
  3. Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn
  4. The Fault in Our Stars – John Green
  5. My Sister’s Keeper – Bill Benners
  6. The Husband’s Secret – Liane Moriarty
  7. The Cuckoo’s Calling – Robert Galbraith
  8. Her Last Letter – Nancy C. Johnson
  9. Twelve Years a Slave – Solomon Northup
  10. Bloody Valentine – James Patterson

Kobo’s most completed books of 2014

  1. Rotten to the Core – Casey Kelleher
  2. The Tycoon’s Vacation – Melody Anne
  3. The Traitor – Kimberley Chambers
  4. Concealed in Death – JD Robb
  5. Wrongful Death – Lynda La Plante
  6. All Revved Up – Sylvia Day
  7. Present Danger – Stella Rimington
  8. The Empty Cradle – Rosie Goodwin
  9. The Witness – Nora Roberts
  10. The Promise (Fallen Star Series, Book 4) – Jessica Sorensen

4) 50 books every child should read by 16.

A survey of 2,000 readers by Sainsbury’s to celebrate World Book Day finds that Roald Dahl is still the king of children literature. Also, 6 in 10 parents read those stories to their kids that they heard from their parents while growing up. 

Charlie and the chocolate factory Here’re the 50 books that every child should read by 16:

  1. Charlie and The Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl
    2. Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
    3. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – CS Lewis
    4. Winnie The Pooh – AA Milne
    5. Black Beauty – Anna Sewell
    6. James and The Giant Peach – Roald Dahl
    7. The BFG – Roald Dahl
    8. A Bear Called Paddington – Michael Bond
    9. Treasure Island – Robert Louis Stevenson
    10. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain. Read the full list here

5) Bible – the world’s most influential book.

The YouGov poll asked people to rank books according to their significance in today’s world. They were given a list of 30 books prepared by the Folio Society. The 10 books voted most valuable to humanity-

  1. The Bible (37%)
  2. The Origin of Species (35%)
  3. A Brief History of Time (17%)
  4. Relativity (15%)
  5. Nineteen-Eighty-Four (14%)
  6. Principia Mathematica (12%)
  7.  To Kill a Mockingbird (10%)
  8. The Qur’an (9%)
  9. The Wealth of Nations (7%)
  10. The Double Helix (6%)

6) Millenials read more books than older generation.

88% of Americans under 30 read a book in 2013, compared with 79% of those age 30 and older – according to Pew Research’s survey of more than 6,000 Americans of 16 and over. Another interesting fact that the study found out was –

Millennials’ lives are full of technology, but they are more likely than their elders to say that important information is not available on the internet.

Read the full details of the survey here.

 7) 16 to 24-year-olds prefer traditional books over ebooks.

According to a study by Voxburner in the later half of 2013 which questioned 16-24 year olds, 62% prefer print books to ebooks. Some of the comments about preferring physical books included “I collect”, “I like the smell”, and “I want full bookshelves”.

8) Who’s reading—and how: A demographic portrait.

reading and demographics

This data was published in 2013 ( a bit old but gives the readers a deep insight into the reading habits of America).

9) 63% of men barely read.

In a survey conducted by OnePoll which questioned 2,000 British men and women, found that 63% of men admit they don’t read as much as they should be. 1 in 5 men admitted that they have pretended to have read a particular title in order to look more intelligent. And what’s more? Almost 30% of men admit that they haven’t really picked up a book since they left school.

10) Most popular genre of digital books in 2014 was romance.

The most opened e-books in 2014 were romance titles, followed by mind, body, and spirit, and business, according to the data by Scribd. Romance leads the pack when it comes to the list for the most completed books, followed by fictions and kids and YA.

book survey

8 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a Freelance Writer

Mistake 1: Why’re you outsourcing? No clue!

Primary reasons why agencies/businesses outsource content to freelance writers are

  • Lack of resources
  • Lack of knowledge
  • Lack of time
  • Producing enough content varieties
  • Lack of budget.

What’s your reason for outsourcing content? Think over these questions first –

  • Can your in-house team do it efficiently?
  • What’s the investment from your side? Number of resources you would need to co-ordinate with the freelancers; remuneration of the freelancers; time spent on co-ordination etc.
  • Will they be able to deliver by set deadlines? If not, then what’ll be your Plan B?
  • What guidance will they need to complete the assignment?

The whole purpose is to analyse whether you need freelance writers or not? This will save a lot of trouble down the line. I’ve seen a lot of businesses hiring freelance writers then realizing that their in-house team can do it better than freelance writers. Which, if you ask me is a waste of time for both the parties.

Mistake 2: Define the person first

The pragmatic advice by Lou Adler – Define the job before defining the person. Mention in your posting these important things:

a) What kind of content the writer will be working on? Will it be blogs, newsletter, social media posts, brochures, case studies or press releases?

According to B2B Content Marketing Report the most outsourced content formats are

b2b content marketing outsource

According to B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets & Trends, B2C outsource more content than B2B companies.

b) What’s the purpose of the content? Is it traffic? Engagement on social media? Branding?

c) For which industry you need the content? Is it real estate, finance, lifestyle etc? You don’t have to tell all about the client in the posting. But, a brief overview of the client’s business will ease out a lot of ambiguity.

d) Who’ll he/she be coordinating with? The marketing or the creative team?

e) Does the writer need to do the research or your in-house team will provide the data?

f) Where’s the client based? This is important Because British and American English are as different as chalk and cheese.

g) Does the writer need to go on a client call? If yes, then how frequently? If the client is based in the US and you’re hiring an Indian content writer then sort it out first.

Then comes defining the person

a) He/she should be grammatically sound.

b) Must have a prior experience writing for similar industry.

c) Consider deadline as sacred.

d) Can write content that relates to the goals.

Mistake 3: Not checking the CV

Sounds absurd, right? A lot of companies when hiring freelance writers don’t even bother to check the CVs. The only criterion for selection is how they write the sample topic. But that’s not the correct way to go about hiring. Often it also happens that freelance writers don’t email their CVs, they only send you a couple of their sample articles. In such cases ask the writer to email you the CV.

Important things to check in the CV

  • Are they currently working? If yes, then ask how frequently they can submit the assignments? Suppose you need 5 blogs per day from the writer – will her/his schedule allow it?
  • Check previous employment. Are they writers by chance or passion? I get a lot of CVs from event managers to engineering students – all trying to dabble in content writing. 9 out of 10 times I’ve seen their passion for writing dwindling after first assignment.
  • Check the references and call them.

Mistake 4: No contract

No contract = a lot of trouble. The contract between your company/agency and the freelance writer should include these points –

  • services the writer will provide
  • deadline
  • response time
  • originality of the work
  • remuneration
  • changes
  • cancellation
  • confidentiality
  • payment & collection.

Mistake 5: No guidelines on communication

Are there any guidelines regarding who’ll communicate with the freelancers, what’ll be the mode of communication, time etc. Where I work we always communicate via email; so both the parties have all the important things in writing. The reason for doing so isn’t lack of trust but clarity.

Mistake 6: Not interacting at all

Sadly a lot of companies hire freelance writers without even talking to them. I think one should talk to the writer at least once before hiring. After all, you don’t want to work with a person whose DNA doesn’t match with that of your company.

Ask them behavior based questions and check how they’re responding. Also, note whether they’re asking questions or not. You can understand many things about a person based on the questions he/she asks.

Mistake 7: Selecting only on the basis of price

What a writer quotes isn’t in anyway related to the quality of the article he/she’s capable of submitting. I’ve seen writers who come with a higher price tag delivering content that in one word can be described as gibberish.

Mistake 8: “I don’t need you” attitude

hiring freelance writer

Seriously? Remember content is the king? And good content writers are the queen. Having a team of creative, grammatically sound, intelligent & honest freelance content writers is an asset. It requires a lot of hard work, patience and time. Don’t ruin it with your I-really-don’t-need-you attitude.

Content Writers: 100 Confusing Words That Can Ruin Your Content

Sentences such as “Don’t loose your mind”, “He complemented the students on their good behavior”, “It’s better then flying”, “Don’t advice me” + more (which I’ll cover here) make my inner editor scream. Let’s start the list.

1) It’s & its

It’s = It is or it has
Its = possessive form of it.

2) Loose & lose

Loose = As an adjective it means not tightly fixed. As a verb it means set free.
Lose = Unable to find, unable to keep control of, fail to win, to wander, to be deprived of something that one had before.

3) Advice & advise

Advice = A suggestion that someone offers you.
Advise = Verb form. It means to give someone advice.

4) Complement & compliment

Complement – Something that completes or matches well with another thing.
Compliment – Praise

5) Into & in to

Into = Showing movement, stating the result of a change, involved in something, find out about something.
In to = in order to.

6) Your & you’re

Your = Belonging or related to a person.
You’re = Contraction for you are.

7) Who vs whom

Who = Always used as a subject to a verb
Whom – Used as an object in a sentence.

8) Among vs between

Among = Refer to things not clearly separated because they’re part of a group/crowd.
Between = Refer to 2 things that’re clearly separated.

9) Regard vs regards

Regard = Consider, think of, view, respect.
Regards = Best wishes.

10) Peace vs piece

Peace = Quiet, harmony.
Piece= A portion of something.

11) Lightening vs lightning

Lightening = Lessen the load, whitening, to become cheerful. Also in gynecology it means the sensation, experienced by many women late in pregnancy when the head of the fetus enters the pelvis, of a reduction in pressure on the diaphragm, making it easier to breathe
Lightning = Natural electric discharge accompanied with thunder

12) From vs form

From = Preposition
Form = Shape, create, a place to fill in details.

13) Less vs few

Less= Is used with uncountable nouns
Few = Is used with countable nouns.

14) Lay vs lie

Lay = Put down something gently
Lie = Rest, untruthfulness.

15) Ensure vs insure

Ensure = Make sure
Insure = To buy/provide insurance.

16) Everyone vs every one

Everyone = Pronoun. Refers to all in a group.
Every one = 2 words; used for referring to each person who’s in a group.

17) Rise vs raise

Rise = An increase in amount, moving up, standing up.
Raise = Lifting up, escalate, an increase in salary.

18) Breath vs breathe

Breath = The air taken into the lungs or expelled from it.
Breathe= Verb = The process of taking air in and then expelling.

19) Criteria vs criterion

Criterion = Standard
Criteria = Plural form of criterion.

20) Coarse vs course

Coarse = Rough, crude
Course = Path. a dish or a set of dishes served together, flowing.

21) Canvas vs canvass

Canvas = Closely knit cloth used for paintings, tents.
Canvass = Campaign, thorough discussion.

22) Used to vs use to

Use to = There’s no phrase as such.
Used to = Accustomed to, refer to actions that happened in past but have stopped in the present.

23) Advance vs advanced

Advance = Move forward, loan, preliminary
Advanced = New, state-of-the-art.

24) Irregardless vs regardless

Irregardless = No such word
Regardless = In spite of everything.

25) Peek vs peak

Peak = Reach a climax, pointed top of a mountain, maximum
Peek = Look quickly

26) Supposed to vs suppose to

Supposed to =Expected, required
Suppose to= There’s no such phrase.

27) Weird vs wired

Weird = Uncanny
Wired = In a nervous state, online.

28) Farther vs further

Farther = Physical distance
Further = Additional, going ahead.

29) Flaunt vs flout

Flaunt = Show off
Flout = Breaking rules.

30) Aid vs aide

Aid = Assistance
Aide = Helper, assistant.

31) Plain vs plane

Plain = Simple
Plane = Airplane, a level surface.

32) Beach vs beech

Beach = Seaside
Beech = A Kind of tree.

33) Peace vs peas

Peace = Quiet
Peas = Vegetable.

34) Bring vs take

Bring = Movement toward the speaker
Take = Movement away from the speaker.

35) Callous vs callus

Callous – Hard, cruel.
Callus – Toughened area of skin.

36) All ready vs already

All ready = Completely prepared
Already = Adverb referring to something that’s happened before a certain time.

37) Ascent vs accent

Ascent = Climb
Accent = A particular way of speaking a language.

38) Cavalry vs Calvary

Cavalry = Mobile soldier units
Calvary = The hill on which Jesus was crucified.

39) Choose vs chose

Choose = Select
Chose = Past form of choose.

40) Career vs carrier

Career = Occupation
Carrier = Bearer.

41) Definitely vs definately

Definitely = Surely
Definately = There’s no such word.

42) Spilled vs Spilt vs Split

Spilled = Knock over, flow
Spilt = Past and past participle of spill
Split = Break, divide.

43) Demur vs demure

Demur = To object
Demure = Modest.

44) Discover vs invent

Discover = To know something previously not known
Invent = To make something new.

45) Hoard vs horde

Horde = Crowd
Hoard = A collection or a supply of things to be used in future.

46) Indiscreet vs indiscrete

Indiscreet = Imprudent
Indiscrete = Not separated into distinct parts.

47) Lets vs let’s

Lets = Allow
Let’s = Let + us

48) Naval vs navel

Naval = Related to navy
Navel = Belly button

49) Moral vs morale

Moral = Ethical, lesson of a story
Morale = Spirit.

50) Suit vs suite

Suit = Costume
Suite = Rooms, apartment.

The next 50 confusing words are covered here.

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