Word Cortex

15/10/2021

I'm delighted to be speaking at the Drug Discovery 2021 conference happening in Liverpool, UK, next week. Are you attending?

My workshop is called 'Exceptional Science Presentations' and it happens LIVE on Tuesday, October 19th at 2pm. Come join us!

In this workshop, I'm spilling some secrets! I'll be breaking down the tried-and-true story techniques used by science communicators.

If there's one thing I've learned from crafting hundreds of stories in my career as a science writer it's this: without the right communication tools, even fascinating findings can go unnoticed.

Let's make sure you have these tools to communicate with clarity and confidence!

Scroll to the last slide to see what I’ll cover.

Registration is free. Sign up at elrig.org.

I'll see you on the other side! 🤗

06/10/2021

Not all presentations are the same. Some are informative, some are persuasive.

It might seem like providing information should be the primary goal of any presentation. In most professional, academic, or business settings, however, presenting a point of view (i.e., being persuasive) and then offering supporting information tends to be most effective.

What type of presentation do you find yourself delivering: persuasive or informative? 👇🏽

Should you be adopting a persuasive delivery more often? 😉

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20/09/2021

Need a tiny dose of Monday motivation for a busy week? ☕️ As you look at your calendar, those weekly update meetings or conference seminars can seem like a tedious chore.

What we reframed this mindset with a small word swap?

👉🏼 Changing "I HAVE TO..." to "I GET TO..." immediately puts you in a positive frame of mind.

Remember, any opportunity to communicate your work is a gift! Make the most of it — and show up with the right attitude. 💪🏽

What's something you *GET TO* do this week?👇🏽I get to plan for my first in-person conference in over a year!

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08/09/2021

Have you ever taken a leap of faith? 🤩 5 years ago, I traded my lab coat for my laptop.

It was just after the Labor Day weekend, and I remember sitting in the HR manager's office in a tall shiny research building in Downtown LA having second thoughts.

I felt a pit in my stomach as they processed the last bit of paperwork and I processed my new identity.

I took that leap of faith because...there's one thing I knew for sure back then, and even today:

✨If something lights you up, do more of it.✨

For me, that's communication. Any day. All day. Sometimes even in my sleep. 😉

From working in science publishing to launching my own business, I've had the incredible pleasure of:

▫️Writing stories for the public
▫️Writing stories for the scientific community
▫️Helping scientists tell their stories
▫️Helping science companies tell their stories
▫️Helping science entrepreneurs tell their stories
▫️Telling my own story

👉🏼 We tend to chase after a career because it feels safe. And all along, our true calling whispers, winks, and leaves love notes everywhere.

On this day, 5 years ago, I finally answered my calling with shaky, nervous hands and knocking knees.

Best decision ever.🥳

Your turn! What leap of faith have you taken?👇🏽🤗

———

24/08/2021

Do you know what communication and love have in common? They don't work when they're one-sided. Ha! 🤪

Instead of:
▪️What should I say in the email?
▪️What should I include in my slides?
▪️What should I...

👉🏼Ask: What do they need to hear to move the conversation forward?👈🏼

I've shared more about this in my stories (+ a helpful resource on audience analysis), in case you want to check it out.

29/07/2021

If you find yourself presenting data and numbers at work, you might enjoy this latest video!

https://youtu.be/zklM_KnNloI

Here are a few things we cover:
❶ How an old-fashioned mindset about data may be influencing your communication
❷ The key ingredients of a data story
❸ My simple three-step formula for data storytelling
⚡️PLUS! A bonus power tip to make you sound like a total pro!

Let me know what you think. Will this change the way you deliver those Monday morning updates?

Data Storytelling Basics: How to Communicate Data and Numbers // In this video, I bring you the basic structure of a data story to help you effectively commu...

26/04/2021

If you've stared at graphs and wondered, 'how on earth can I make something this drab even remotely interesting,' I’ve got something for ya... 😉

I’m a keynote speaker at this year’s Content Marketing Conference and will be speaking about using story techniques to communicate—wait for it—data and numbers.

Yep, that’s actually possible.😎

The virtual conference kicks off tomorrow and there’s an incredible, diverse line-up of experts offerings gems on the art of creating and delivering content.

I’m delighted to be representing the nerds who need to communicate complex ideas and dry, unsexy numbers.

There’s a story buried under that as well. I promise. 🙂

Dear friends and colleagues — I’d love to see you there!

You can get 50% off your virtual ticket using my code ANITA50. You get access to the content for a year. Here's the link: https://www.contentmarketingconference.com/register-2021/

See you on the other side! 🤗

09/04/2021

You've most likely heard the phrase 'the data speaks for itself'. It's often used in an attempt to persuade: "Need I say anything? Here, just look at the data."

When we say 'the data speaks for itself,' we make a couple of hasty assumptions:
◼️ One, that the message is ridiculously obvious (often, it's not)
◼️ Two, that everyone in the room *should* care (often, they don't)

Instead of drawing attention to what clearly seems like an exciting piece of data, this approach can end up alienating a part of your audience (even if that was never the intention).

Let's try reframing this idea:

💡 What if we were to assume, just for a minute, that the data doesn't (and cannot) speak for itself? How would this transform the way we present numbers?

→ Simple: It would make us better communicators.

It would take us from 'just displaying graphs' to actually sharing the insight we care so deeply about. Wasn't that the goal anyway?

Curious: Have you been at the receiving end of 'the data speaks for itself'? In grad school, I had a tally chart to keep count at conferences. 🙂

04/03/2021

If there's one thing I've learned as a science communicator, it's that even the most complex ideas can be crafted into a captivating story.

That insight led to the design of two much-needed Word Cortex workshops, each meant to give your (technical) message the spotlight it deserves.

Most technical and scientific messages fail to hit the mark—not because they're uninteresting, but because there’s hardly any training on how to communicate them!

It's my hope that no hardworking scientist, engineer, or tech professional feels unheard. Or continues to 'just do the work' hoping someone would notice. (I know this because I used to be one.)

There's currently a huge gap between doing the work and communicating its worth.

Let's bridge this gap, one workshop at a time.

If you know of a team, group or association that would benefit from these workshops, send me a message! (Oh, and if that team is yours, that's OK too. 😀)

Check out my workshops here: https://wordcortex.com/speaking/

02/03/2021

Although I haven't been to a salon in over a year, the business got a total makeover! It looks gorgeous on the outside and feels amazing on the inside.

(More updates and exciting announcements coming very soon!)

I haven't been the artsy type to appreciate the intricacies of a logo. But there's something to be said about finding your own identity as the business slowly evolves into the distant vision you once had.

For the first time in years, as I introduce myself, I smile on the outside AND on the inside.

I guess that's the beauty of a simple makeover. It finds its way into your soul.

What d’ya think of the new look? 😀

27/05/2020

I spent 30 minutes trying to shape my damn eyebrows today.
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As I plucked away, clearly lacking the finesse of beauty experts, a thought flashed across my mind. And it showed me how COVID-19 has changed the way I communicate.
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“I *just* want the salons to open again,” I said.
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Then, I thought about all the other *just* statements we’ve made in the last two months:
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▪️I *just* want to travel again!
▪️I *just* want to socialize again!
▪️I *just* want someone to shape my eyebrows again!
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Here’s the thing:
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While we were actually doing all the above two months ago, we made nonchalant *just* statements like this:
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🔸”Um, I need to call you back. I’m *just* getting off this flight.”
🔸”Sorry, I really can’t make it tonight. I *just* got back from work.”
🔸Oh, I *just* work at a salon.”
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🔸Pre-lockdown: “I just…” = It’s not that important. 🤷🏽‍♀️
▪️In lockdown: “I just…” = I miss it dearly! 😩 Bah.
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One thing that this pandemic has taught me: I miss every little thing I once trivialized.
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It shows in the way I communicate. And in the way my eyebrows look. (Sorry. 😆 I tried.) @ Bristol, United Kingdom