Newsletter moves to quarterly<\/strong><\/h2>\nIt\u2019s hard to believe that I\u2019ve been publishing this newsletter for 20 years. I don\u2019t have an exact start date because the newsletter started as an informal email to keep in touch with my lovely colleagues at what was then known as Columbia Management, the successor to Fleet Investment Advisors. I used to report on talks that I attended at the Boston Security Analysts Society (now CFA Society Boston). My former colleagues surprised me by saying that they looked forward to my emails. That was the start of my creating this newsletter.<\/p>\n
In 2026, I\u2019ll publish this newsletter quarterly instead of monthly. The next issue will appear in March 2026.<\/p>\n
Hurray for em dashes!<\/strong><\/h2>\nI love em dashes, but they\u2019re feeling a lot of heat lately. Some people think that em dash use means that an article was created by generative artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n
In \u201cDon\u2019t Let AI Ruin the Em Dash<\/a>\u201d in The Wall Street Journal<\/em>, a writer asserts that \u201cMost of all we should use em dashes because they are a declaration of humanity in the face of AI\u2019s onslaught.\u201d<\/p>\nQuarterly client commentary<\/strong><\/h2>\nAre you starting to think about your next client letter or commentary? Check out my post on \u201cIdeal quarterly investment letters: Meaningful, specific, and short<\/a>\u201d for inspiration.<\/p>\nAnd then visit \u201c5 steps for rewriting your investment commentary<\/a>\u201d to refine your draft.<\/p>\nWhy it\u2019s hard to declutter<\/strong><\/h2>\nI\u2019ve done a lot of decluttering in recent years, so \u201cWhy Decluttering Gets Harder Before It Gets Easier<\/a>\u201d resonated with me.<\/p>\nJennifer Burger, the author, says, \u201c\u2026 in most cases, clutter is a placeholder. Each item represents something \u2014 a decision, a fear, an identity \u2014 that needs to be faced. And until you face it, you can\u2019t let go.\u201d<\/p>\n
Burger offers these powerful examples:<\/p>\n
\n- I kept \u201cgoing out\u201d clothes for a social life I didn\u2019t have because I hadn\u2019t accepted that my lifestyle had changed.<\/li>\n
- I held onto sentimental items because I hadn\u2019t forgiven myself for mistakes I\u2019d made in the past.<\/li>\n
- I kept kitchen gadgets because I thought every \u201creal\u201d adult woman should own them, and I had yet to challenge those beliefs.<\/li>\n
- I held onto old textbooks because they made me feel smart\u2014a way of covering up insecurities I wasn\u2019t ready to deal with.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
You or your clients might find Burger\u2019s article helps in letting go of clutter.<\/p>\n
Happy holidays!<\/h2>\n
I hope that you and your family, colleagues, and friends enjoy a lovely holiday season and that your 2026 gets off to a great start!<\/p>\n
What my clients say about me<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.investmentwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/talking-300x200.jpg\")
<\/a>\u201cFast, effective, insightful. I can think of no better resource for superior financial writing.\u201d<\/p>\n\u201cSusan has an exceptional ability to tailor investment communications to the sophistication level of any audience. She has an uncanny ability to make very complex investment and\/or economic topics accessible and understandable to anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSusan\u2019s particularly good at working through highly technical material very quickly. That\u2019s very important in this business. A lot of people are good writers, but they have an extensive learning curve for something they\u2019re unfamiliar with. Susan was able to jump very quickly into technical material.\u201d<\/p>\n
Read more testimonials<\/a>!<\/p>\nImprove your investment commentary![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.investmentwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/investment-commentary.jpg\")
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Attract more clients, prospects, and referral sources by improving your investment commentary with 44 pages of the best tips from the\u00a0InvestmentWriting.com<\/a>\u00a0blog.<\/p>\nTips include how to organize your thoughts, edit for the \u201cbig picture,\u201d edit line by line, and get more mileage out of your commentary.<\/p>\n
Available in PDF format for only $9.99. Email me<\/a> to buy it now!<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.investmentwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-18-at-2.12.55-PM-300x102.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nBoost your blogging now!<\/h2>\n
Financial Blogging: How to Write Powerful Posts That Attract Clients<\/em>\u00a0is available for purchase as a\u00a0PDF<\/a>\u00a0($39) or a\u00a0paperback<\/a>\u00a0($49,\u00a0affiliate link<\/a>).<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.investmentwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Financial-Blogging-book-by-Susan-Weiner-231x300.jpg\")
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I love em dashes, but they\u2019re feeling a lot of heat lately. Some people think that em dash use means that an article was created by generative artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n
In \u201cDon\u2019t Let AI Ruin the Em Dash<\/a>\u201d in The Wall Street Journal<\/em>, a writer asserts that \u201cMost of all we should use em dashes because they are a declaration of humanity in the face of AI\u2019s onslaught.\u201d<\/p>\n Are you starting to think about your next client letter or commentary? Check out my post on \u201cIdeal quarterly investment letters: Meaningful, specific, and short<\/a>\u201d for inspiration.<\/p>\n And then visit \u201c5 steps for rewriting your investment commentary<\/a>\u201d to refine your draft.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve done a lot of decluttering in recent years, so \u201cWhy Decluttering Gets Harder Before It Gets Easier<\/a>\u201d resonated with me.<\/p>\n Jennifer Burger, the author, says, \u201c\u2026 in most cases, clutter is a placeholder. Each item represents something \u2014 a decision, a fear, an identity \u2014 that needs to be faced. And until you face it, you can\u2019t let go.\u201d<\/p>\n Burger offers these powerful examples:<\/p>\n You or your clients might find Burger\u2019s article helps in letting go of clutter.<\/p>\n I hope that you and your family, colleagues, and friends enjoy a lovely holiday season and that your 2026 gets off to a great start!<\/p>\n \u201cSusan has an exceptional ability to tailor investment communications to the sophistication level of any audience. She has an uncanny ability to make very complex investment and\/or economic topics accessible and understandable to anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSusan\u2019s particularly good at working through highly technical material very quickly. That\u2019s very important in this business. A lot of people are good writers, but they have an extensive learning curve for something they\u2019re unfamiliar with. Susan was able to jump very quickly into technical material.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more testimonials<\/a>!<\/p>\n Attract more clients, prospects, and referral sources by improving your investment commentary with 44 pages of the best tips from the\u00a0InvestmentWriting.com<\/a>\u00a0blog.<\/p>\n Tips include how to organize your thoughts, edit for the \u201cbig picture,\u201d edit line by line, and get more mileage out of your commentary.<\/p>\n Available in PDF format for only $9.99. Email me<\/a> to buy it now!<\/p>\n Financial Blogging: How to Write Powerful Posts That Attract Clients<\/em>\u00a0is available for purchase as a\u00a0PDF<\/a>\u00a0($39) or a\u00a0paperback<\/a>\u00a0($49,\u00a0affiliate link<\/a>).<\/p>\nQuarterly client commentary<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Why it\u2019s hard to declutter<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Happy holidays!<\/h2>\n
What my clients say about me<\/h2>\n
<\/a>\u201cFast, effective, insightful. I can think of no better resource for superior financial writing.\u201d<\/p>\nImprove your investment commentary
<\/h2>\n<\/a><\/p>\nBoost your blogging now!<\/h2>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.investmentwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-18-at-2.26.20-PM-300x101.png\")
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