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Wisdom and Wit About Words
Published by Bob Kelly
Resident Wordsmith and Quotemeister
WordCrafters, Inc.
www.wordcrafters.info
Providing the Right Word for Speakers, Writers, Ministry Leaders and Business Executives – since 1979!
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Volume 1 – Number 9 September 2003
In This Issue:
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BACK ISSUES AVAILABLE
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A number of our readers have expressed interest in seeing previous issues of The KellyGram, and were pleased to announce that theyre available on our website: www.wordcrafters.info.
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THE QUOTE CORNER (Books Part 1)
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A book is a friend; a good book is a good friend. It will talk to you when you want it to talk, and it will keep still when you want it to keep still and there are not many who know enough to do that. A library is a collection of friends.
- Lyman Abbott
Books are the legacies that a great genius leaves to mankind, which are delivered down from generation to generation, as presents to the posterity of those who are yet unborn.
- Joseph Addison
Books are ships which pass through the vast seas of time.
- Francis Bacon
Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.
- Francis Bacon
A book is a garden, an orchard, a storehouse, a party, a company by the way, a counsellor, a multitude of counsellors.
- Henry Ward Beecher
Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?
- Henry Ward Beecher
Among the many inventions of man, the book, without a doubt, is the most astoundingOnly the book is an extension of our imagination and memory.
- Jorge Luis Borges
There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.
- Joseph Brodsky
The oldest books are still only just out to those who have not read them.
- Samuel Butler
All that Mankind has done, thought, gained or been, it is lying as in magic preservation in the pages of books. They are the choicest possessions of men.
- Thomas Carlyle
We should make the same use of a book that the bee does of a flower; she steals sweets from it, but does not injure it.
- Charles Caleb Colton
There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates loot on Treasure Islandand best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life.
- Walt Disney
My books are my tools, and the greater their variety and perfection, the greater the help to my literary work.
- Tryon Edwards
Women are by nature fickle, and so are men.Not so with books, for books cannot change. A thousand years hence they are what you find them today, speaking the same words, holding forth the same comfort.
- Eugene Field
Never lend books, for no one ever returns them; the only books I have in my library are books that other folks have lent me.
- Anatole France
(Note: These quotations are taken from our collection of nearly 400 published volumes of quotations and 1.5 million entries. If youre looking for some quotes on virtually any subject, send us an email or call us at 480-895-7617. Or, if you have a quote topic youd like us to feature in an upcoming issue? Email it to us and well get it on the schedule.)
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WHAT MAKES NEWS
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Are you taking advantage of every opportunity to get media exposure for yourself or your organization, by sending out releases on events or activities that may be newsworthy? To be sure, newsworthiness is an inexact science, and its often difficult to clearly define whats considered newsworthy and what isnt. An item that may be newsworthy to one editor wont be to another. Audiences vary widely, which makes it very important to be familiar with the individual markets served by the various media, and to tailor releases accordingly.
Sometimes, the determining factor will have nothing to do with newsworthiness, but will simply be the amount of space or time available on a given day.
Subjective considerations aside, theres one category of media release that will almost never get into print or on the air. Known in the trade as "puff pieces," theyre typically filled with self-promotional language, and often make unsubstantiated claims about an organizations (or an individuals) abilities, services or products.
While marketing and promotion are important, they dont carry the impact editors look for in deciding what will attract readers. Nevertheless, many people mistakenly tend to view the media as an extension of their marketing departments.
There are times, of course, when it's perfectly acceptable to "blow your own horn." For example, giving a speech before a significant audience, setting new records in sales or earnings, or being recognized as outstanding in your field, are legitimate reasons to issue a media release. As baseball immortal Dizzy Dean once commented: "If ya done it, it ain't braggin."
Whatever the topic of your release, assume the recipient knows nothing about you or your organization; be sure to include names, titles, places, dates, background data, and any other pertinent information. Use a standard closing paragraph that summarizes this information.
Start brainstorming about some of the things youre doing that may be newsworthy. As you expand your horizons, the result may be a publicity program much greater than you might have otherwise anticipated.
(Editors Note: In the October issue of THE KELLYGRAM, well offer some tips on what to do and what not to do in preparing and sending out media releases.)
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OUR MOST COMMON WORD
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According to a recent study, the one word we use more often than any other here in the United States isO.K. (or "okay"). Unlike the vast majority of our words, which have their origin in other lands, O.K. is one hundred percent American, dating back more than 160 years.
During the U.S. Presidential campaign of 1840, the Democratic incumbent, Martin Van Buren, whose hometown was Kinderhook, New York, also called Old Kinderhook, or O.K., was facing a challenge from William Henry Harrison. When one New York City group supporting Van Buren began calling itself "The Democratic O.K. Club," others began using "O.K." as a campaign slogan. Eventually, it came to signify that things were "all right," which continues to this day, not only here in America, but in many other parts of the world.
Unfortunately for Van Buren, he lost the election to Harrison. He tried again in 1844 and 1848, but fell short both times, ending his political career in a manner that was anything but O.K.
(Source: "Why Do We Say It?" Book Sales, Inc., 1985)
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LINGUISTIC ABSURDITIES
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If youre thinking of running a newspaper ad to sell your house, watch your language. If youre not careful, you may run afoul of the PC Police. According to a report in one nationally known newspaper, many commonly used terms in real estate ads are potentially offensive and could bring legal action. These terms include: quiet neighborhood; master bedroom; walk-in closet; and spectacular views.
Who knows what evil lurks in these seemingly innocent terms? Well, according to the pundits of political correctness, "quiet neighborhood" might describe one thats anti-children, while "master bedroom" suggests slavery, "walk-in closet" might offend the wheelchair bound; and "spectacular views" discriminates against the blind. So be very careful in running that ad. Big Brotherexcuse me, Big Siblingwould just love to slap a lawsuit on you.
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A MILLION COPIES?
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Were keep getting nice comments about our newest book, Worth Repeating: More than 5,000 Classic and Contemporary Quotes, which was recently released by Kregel Publications. One woman, a prominent national speaker and motivator, wrote: "Thank you so much for your new book. I am thrilled with it and I know it will be a gift to everyone who reads it. I have already used it several times for my thought for the day. I hope you sell a million copies." Wouldnt that be nice!
Worth Repeating includes many familiar quotes, along with a variety of unique items weve been collecting over the course of 20-plus years. The selections range from funny to profound, from inspirational to entertaining, and from educational to spiritually motivating and uplifting.
Designed as a helpful resource for speakers, writers, teachers and preachers, the book is arranged alphabetically by topic, and by author within each of the more than 700 topics. Both author and subject indexes are also included.
Worth Repeating may be ordered directly from our website at www.wordcrafters.info. Upon request, well be happy to autograph or personalize books ordered via our site, at no additional charge.
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SMILE AWHILE
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William of Orange is best known as the founder of the Dutch Republic. Although such an achievement speaks highly of the individual, William was a most humble and modest man, who consistently attributed his successes to the love of his parents, Gladys of Red and Myron of Yellow.
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A FINAL WORD
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On the keyboard of life, always keep one finger on the "Escape" key.
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© 2003 by Bob Kelly. All rights reserved.
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