dylan tweney

if you're bored, you're not paying attention

All my posts

  • What is content? What is writing?

    What is content? What is writing?

    Like many writers who take their craft seriously, I had an uneasy relationship with the word “content” for a long time. Once, in the late 1990s or early 2000s, I went to a digital marketing conference and heard a man onstage — a real pioneer in the emerging field of digital content — say, “I’d…

  • Rewrites to infinity: David Strom on the reality (and dangers) of content collaboration

    Rewrites to infinity: David Strom on the reality (and dangers) of content collaboration

    David Strom is a veteran technology journalist and content strategist who has been covering enterprise technology for over three decades.  He has held editorial management positions for both print and online properties including as the editor-in-chief of Network Computing (in print), Digital Landing.com,… Story continues … “Rewrites to infinity: David Strom on the reality (and…

  • Secrets of the word wizards

    Secrets of the word wizards

    Writing has always been a challenging job. But now, in the age of generative AI, it’s getting even more difficult for many of us. The sheer volume of content that GenAI tools churn out makes it hard to be seen and heard.… Story continues … “Secrets of the word wizards”

  • How giving speeches can make you a better speechwriter

    How giving speeches can make you a better speechwriter

    I arrived at the conference a little late. Everyone had their coffees, and most of them were already at the tables, chatting amiably with old friends. The only seats available were right in front or way in the back. I figured, why would I come all the way to a speechwriters’ conference in Washington, DC,…

  • Into the labyrinth

    Into the labyrinth

    On the fourth day, we walked slowly into the labyrinth, step after step, walking around one loop, turning, and returning along another, when tears started welling up in my eyes. I was weaving closer, then turning away, gradually approaching the center, but always indirectly.… Story continues … “Into the labyrinth”

  • Andy Raskin on the art of strategic narrative

    Andy Raskin on the art of strategic narrative

    Andy Raskin is a legendary strategic narrative consultant whose clients have included Salesforce, Uber, Square, Yelp, VMware, Intel and General Assembly, as well as venture-backed companies funded by Andreessen Horowitz, First Round Capital, GV and other top investors. Whenever I need to work on a presentation, I return to Andy’s crystal-clear 2016 post, The Greatest…

  • How the WE model can help you write better

    How the WE model can help you write better

    Last week, I gave a copywriting workshop in Alpharetta, Georgia, to a marketing team of about 80 people. It was my third workshop so far this year and the biggest in-person group I’ve addressed in years. When I walked into the room, my heart sank a little.… Story continues … “How the WE model can…

  • Why empathy is crucial for creating content: A chat with Nick Adams Pandolfo

    Why empathy is crucial for creating content: A chat with Nick Adams Pandolfo

    Nick Adams Pandolfo is a content creator and strategist, executive comms specialist, ghostwriter, and general storyteller. After spending much of his twenties as an ESL teacher in New York and abroad, he pivoted to a career in journalism, with stints at education publication The Hechinger Report and freelancing for The Boston Globe Magazine.… Story continues…

  • Breathwork to breakthrough: Embracing creative freedom for post #2000

    Breathwork to breakthrough: Embracing creative freedom for post #2000

    This post is my 2,000th on this website. It’s also the first in a new direction. I am so grateful to everyone reading this. I don’t take your attention for granted. So if you’ll indulge me for a moment, I’d like to share a very brief recap and then tell you what I’ll be bringing…

  • The craft of content creation: A conversation with Sam Diaz

    The craft of content creation: A conversation with Sam Diaz

    Sam Diaz is a Senior Vice President of Digital Content at Burson, a role that draws on his background as both a longtime technology journalist and a corporate communications professional. He works across the agency’s full client portfolio, with an emphasis on technology companies, developing content strategies for brands and executives.… Story continues … “The…