Anyway vs. Anyways vs. Any way

 This weeks #WriteOnWednesdays tip comes from Candid Brandon who is highly sought after in her roles as writer and ambassador for African-American children's literature. Candid has worked with the likes of Sleeping Bear Press , author Brynne Barnes, and has also had a hand in several successful children's books currently on the market. She's decided to assist us today by educating us on the proper use of Anyway, Anyways, and Any way. Check It Out!

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#WriteOnWednesdays - Just Say It!



 

When you say something make sure you have said it.
— E.B. White

Word to E.B. White! Nothing grinds my gears more than a writer that fails to get to the point. It creates a lack of clarity and the potential for major miscommunication for the reader. With writing, the expectation is simple. BE CLEAR. You want to make sure that readers can follow your message by making your writing easy to understand. The last thing you want is for a reader to come up with his or her own interpretation for your work. An interpretation that is an obvious opposite of what you were attempting to convey. Whether it's creative writing, nonfiction, professional writing, or an email, don't allow your message to get muffled by using extra words that make things confusing. When editing your work, edit to:

  • Shorten
  • Sharpen
  • Clarify
  • Simplify
  • Improve order
  • Improve logic
  • Make sure nothing is left out
  • Review everything from the readers point of view

And when all else fails just ask yourself, "Are you being clear or writing to impress?"-- CTB

Shasta Averyhardt - History That Must Be Heard

This amazing African American woman worked her way from the mean streets of Flint onto the LPGA tour. A wonderful story full of resilience and struggle. Being a black female golfer comes with it's own set of burdens. What's amazing about her is, she only wants to use her accomplishments to help inspire others to create their own (accomplishments). 

"People love to learn how to become better. I'm constantly working on myself to be better than I was yesterday; so I decided to highlight topics that relate to something I've experienced before. I want to have a positive influence and be a voice for women in a male dominated space. " - Shasta

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Hidden Humility

Just two days from releasing her first book and one of the most important moments of her life; Gabrielle is not focused on herself, but others.  She's the ultimate example of humility, and that's one of the main reasons she will have enormous success. 

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July 29th

by London B

A trio of educators from the Michigan area had an innovative idea to make an authentic change within their school district. They understood that in order to get the results that they desired, there would have to be alterations within the current conditions of their school district. Their vision was to "dump the culture of compliance," and encourage "real learning". The group met quite often to discuss what this "new culture" would look like. Their meetings were so engaging and progressive, that they decided to take the meetings elsewhere. That destination was twitter. Two years ago, via twitter, these incredible individuals created what is now known as #COLCHAt. An interactive chat with educators across the globe all working to build a Culture Of Learning. The chat has been so successful that the group has decided to release a book entitled "COLChat Reflections- Creating A Culture Of Learning, One Day At A Time." The book will be published by the independent publishing company Brandon Publishing; it has also been stamped by Wall Street Journal best selling author Jon Gordon. (Release date is set for September 2015)

The trio went to the airwaves tonight to talk more about how this awesome desire to create an organic learning experience was developed. Click here to listen to the entire interview.  

Click the links to connect with COLChat's "marvelous three": Adam Hartley, Michele Corbat, & Rodney Hetherton.

cochatLogoFINAL.jpg

Stand Up "The Premier Of Year"

By London B


Grand Blanc, Michigan- On most occasions a gathering of adults and students on the campus of McGrath Elementary would most likely involve some sort of after school event, athletics, bake sales, or parent teacher conferences. Yet on May 26, 2015, the school and it's community gathered for a much different reason. A movie premier! For 6 weeks 35 elementary students, along with the Brandon Publishing staff, worked diligently to develop a short film masterpiece entitled 'Stand Up.' The short film focused on the ever growing issue of bullying. Students were able to give their perspective on what it looks like and how to solve it. Students wrote, directed, filmed, and acted in the project.

This program was amazing. I got to work with kids I never talk to in school. I also got to see how bullying truly effects kids in my school and around the world. Plus I’m in a movie. - McGrath Student
— McGrath Student Actor
 

The short film is an output of the Brandon Publishing 'Create Program' established in 2010, but the focus is much larger than after school programming and events. 

As a former athlete I was always celebrated for my talents on the court. I regret not going after my true passions, writing & acting. I was ashamed because I didn’t feel supported. I’d hate to see youth miss out on their purpose because adults aren’t equipped to see how purposeful these types of events and programs are. So we created a way to produce and most importantly empower these young people into careers and dreams that before this program they may not have believed they could accomplish.
— Kellen E. Brandon | Publisher
The short film didn't disappoint and was previewed by over 70 community members in the library at McGrath Elementary. NBC News also felt the need to cover this amazing story broadening the range of awareness for youth and their message. Click this link to watch their coverage. 

Uploaded by NBC25 on 2015-05-27.

The short film 'Stand Up' is available for purchase at the BP Store. All proceeds go toward more incredible youth programs and events such as this one. Be sure to subscribe to our event post.