Kivi Leroux Miller is one of the leading voices in DIY nonprofit marketing. Her blog, Kivi’s Nonprofit Communications Blog, is full of practical, do-now tips for do-gooders.

Two weeks ago on her main site, Kivi wrote a piece on the pitfalls of wordiness in messaging and how to fix lengthy writing habits. I got down in the word weeds with a guest post outlining the top five words to avoid in your messaging.

Learn why these words should be booted from your messaging vocabulary:

• Provide

• Just

• Trying

• Self-sufficiency

• Thriving Communities

Pick the one you use too much and then take the One Less Word Challenge. How will you replace it?

The post “Top 5 Words to Avoid” Featured on Kivi’s Nonprofit Communications Blog appeared first on Claxon Communication.

As you cozy up for some autumn reading, we urge you to add these to your stack. And, if you buy them off Amazon today, you’ll get 34% off the list price. Nice! Buy them. Read them. Take notes. Share them. You won’t regret it.

Three 2010 Nonprofit Must-Reads:

1. The Networked Nonprofit: Connecting with Social Media to Drive Change, Beth Kantor and Allison H. Fine

Our Favorite Quote: “Tools will come and go, but strategy sustains organizations.”

2. The Nonprofit Marketing Guide, Kivi Leroux Miller

Our Favorite Quote:  “Focus on the basics first, and do them well.”

3. Uncharitable, Dan Pallotta

Our Favorite Line:  “If we have the courage to be true to our most daring ideas, the ideology will have to surrender to their magnificence and our determination to make them real.”

Are we missing any good ones?  Please share your suggestions below.

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