--- title: The Verbal Gardener description: The professional writers, editors, and proofreaders at McKinnon-Mulherin can help you write beautiful content and maintain your word garden. image: https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/hubfs/The%20Verbal%20Gardener.webp --- [![McKinnon-Mulherin Logo](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/McKinnonMulherin_May2022/images/MM_WRITE_STAFF_BADGE_COLOR-240x240b.png?width=240&height=405&name=MM_WRITE_STAFF_BADGE_COLOR-240x240b.png "McKinnon-Mulherin Logo")](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/) [![McKinnon-Mulherin Logo](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/McKinnonMulherin_May2022/images/MM_CONSULTING_STACKED_COLOR-500w-space-at-bottom.png?width=500&height=405&name=MM_CONSULTING_STACKED_COLOR-500w-space-at-bottom.png "McKinnon-Mulherin Logo")](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/) - [Home](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com) - [About](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/about-us) - [Press Releases](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/press-releases) - [Careers](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/careers) - [Services](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/services) - [Sales & Business Communication](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/sales-business-communication) - [Learning Solutions](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/learning-solutions/) - [Technical Writing](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/technical-writing) - [Double-Check Proofreading](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/double-check) - [Blog](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog) - [Contact](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/contact-us) 801.895.4745 [info@mcmul.com](mailto:info@mcmul.com) [Previous](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/get-the-job-part-3-the-references-samples-and-extras) [Next](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/smart-but-unspoken-learning-objectives) [![The Verbal Gardener](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/hubfs/The%20Verbal%20Gardener.webp)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/hubfs/The%20Verbal%20Gardener.webp) # The Verbal Gardener Being an editor or writer is like being *a gardener of words*. I weed sentences, cultivate paragraphs, and landscape pages. That’s why I think it’s easier to visualize the undertaking of a communications project as you would the creation of a garden. ## Making a Dream a Reality That creation process can feel overwhelming, even for experienced gardeners. But what if you had master gardeners working with you? A dream gardening team would include an expert to oversee and coordinate the design, as well as others who know what grows well where you live, how much water the different plants need, how much to fertilize and when, and so on. Likewise, a dream team of word gardeners could help you embrace the spectacular, so let’s think of your business communications like a garden: - Before you plant anything, you need to know what kind of soil you are dealing with. Likewise, before you publish anything, think about the best medium for your message. What’s going to take root with your target audience? - What balance of annual and perennial plants do you want? A fun social media post is like a petunia. It’s colorful, but you’ll have to replant often. Branding for your business and other tools, such as an HR manual, are perennial. You rely on them to be there when needed while looking pleasingly professional. - The best flower beds, like marketing campaigns, come in layers. You might want a combo of tall and short plants or a seasonal approach with a variety of plants that provide color at different times. While one campaign email’s influence is fading, new interest is built with the next. > Like a beautiful blossom, a stunning infographic is going to draw pollinators—I mean, customers—to you. ## Put Our Gardening Team to Work When it comes to transforming a communications project into a beautiful garden that attracts all the pollinators to you, McKinnon-Mulherin can help. We’re master word gardeners, here to guide you on best practices for your intended audience while finding the right words, mediums, graphics, and more. Your *word garden* will benefit from working with the experts you need, such as a project leader, writer, editor, or proofreader. These caretakers will do just that—take care of you and your project by following best practices, nurturing your ideas to bring order and cohesiveness, and helping you sow the business you’re dreaming of. By [Jessie Lynn Gravatt](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/author/jessie-lynn-hackford) | November 2nd, 2020 | Categories: [Writing](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/writing) #### Share This Story, Choose Your Platform! [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/the-verbal-gardener&t=The%20Verbal%20Gardener) [Twitter](https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/the-verbal-gardener&text=https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/the-verbal-gardener) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/the-verbal-gardener&title=The%20Verbal%20Gardener&summary=Being%20an%20editor%20or%20writer%20is%20like%20being%20a%20gardener%20of%20words.%20I%20weed%20sentences,%20cultivate%20paragraphs,%20and%20landscape%20pages.%20That’s%20why%20I%20think%20it’s%20easier%20to%20visualize%20the%20undertaking%20of%20a%20communications%20project%20as%20you%20would%20the%20creation%20of%20a%20garden.%20Making%20a%20Dream%20a%20Reality%20That%20creation%20process%20can%20feel%20overwhelming,%20even%20for%20experienced%20gardeners.%20But%20what%20if%20you%20had%20master%20gardeners%20working%20with%20you?%20A%20dream%20gardening%20team%20would%20include%20an%20expert%20to%20oversee%20and%20coordinate%20the%20design,%20as%20well%20as%20others%20who%20know%20what%20grows%20well%20where%20you%20live,%20how%20much%20water%20the%20different%20plants%20need,%20how%20much%20to%20fertilize%20and%20when,%20and%20so%20on.%20Likewise,%20a%20dream%20team%20of%20word%20gardeners%20could%20help%20you%20embrace%20the%20spectacular,%20so%20let’s%20think%20of%20your%20business%20communications%20like%20a%20garden:%20Before%20you%20plant%20anything,%20you%20need%20to%20know%20what%20kind%20of%20soil%20you%20are%20dealing%20with.%20Likewise,%20before%20you%20publish%20anything,%20think%20about%20the%20best%20medium%20for%20your%20message.%20What’s%20going%20to%20take%20root%20with%20your%20target%20audience?%20What%20balance%20of%20annual%20and%20perennial%20plants%20do%20you%20want?%20A%20fun%20social%20media%20post%20is%20like%20a%20petunia.%20It’s%20colorful,%20but%20you’ll%20have%20to%20replant%20often.%20Branding%20for%20your%20business%20and%20other%20tools,%20such%20as%20an%20HR%20manual,%20are%20perennial.%20You%20rely%20on%20them%20to%20be%20there%20when%20needed%20while%20looking%20pleasingly%20professional.%20The%20best%20flower%20beds,%20like%20marketing%20campaigns,%20come%20in%20layers.%20You%20might%20want%20a%20combo%20of%20tall%20and%20short%20plants%20or%20a%20seasonal%20approach%20with%20a%20variety%20of%20plants%20that%20provide%20color%20at%20different%20times.%20While%20one%20campaign%20email’s%20influence%20is%20fading,%20new%20interest%20is%20built%20with%20the%20next.%20Like%20a%20beautiful%20blossom,%20a%20stunning%20infographic%20is%20going%20to%20draw%20pollinators—I%20mean,%20customers—to%20you.%20Put%20Our%20Gardening%20Team%20to%20Work%20When%20it%20comes%20to%20transforming%20a%20communications%20project%20into%20a%20beautiful%20garden%20that%20attracts%20all%20the%20pollinators%20to%20you,%20McKinnon-Mulherin%20can%20help.%20We’re%20master%20word%20gardeners,%20here%20to%20guide%20you%20on%20best%20practices%20for%20your%20intended%20audience%20while%20finding%20the%20right%20words,%20mediums,%20graphics,%20and%20more.%20Your%20word%20garden%20will%20benefit%20from%20working%20with%20the%20experts%20you%20need,%20such%20as%20a%20project%20leader,%20writer,%20editor,%20or%20proofreader.%20These%20caretakers%20will%20do%20just%20that—take%20care%20of%20you%20and%20your%20project%20by%20following%20best%20practices,%20nurturing%20your%20ideas%20to%20bring%20order%20and%20cohesiveness,%20and%20helping%20you%20sow%20the%20business%20you’re%20dreaming%20of.) [Email](mailto:?body=https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/the-verbal-gardener&subject=The%20Verbal%20Gardener) ## About the Author: [Jessie Lynn Gravatt](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/author/jessie-lynn-hackford) ![Jessie Lynn Gravatt](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/hubfs/Hac-776.jpg) Jessie joined McKinnon-Mulherin in 2015 and has served as a writer, editor, proofreader, desktop publisher, instructional designer, and project leader. A native of North Idaho, Jessie became enthusiastic about gardening after moving to Utah (where the growing season is almost twice as long). ## Related Posts ![5 Tips for Writing a Quality Proposal in 2023](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Writing%20Idea%20with%20Typewriter%20mcmul%20green%20copy2.webp?width=767&name=Writing%20Idea%20with%20Typewriter%20mcmul%20green%20copy2.webp) #### [5 Tips for Writing a Quality Proposal in 2023](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/how-to-write-a-quality-proposal) February 9th, 2023 ![What Is a Proofread?](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/hs-fs/hubfs/WhatIsAProofread.webp?width=767&name=WhatIsAProofread.webp) #### [What Is a Proofread?](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/what-is-a-proofread-1) August 16th, 2022 ![Edit vs. Proof: Breaking Down Levels of Review](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Edit%20vs%20Proof%20Breaking%20Down%20Levels%20of%20Review.webp?width=767&name=Edit%20vs%20Proof%20Breaking%20Down%20Levels%20of%20Review.webp) #### [Edit vs. Proof: Breaking Down Levels of Review](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/difference-between-an-edit-and-a-proofread) October 17th, 2021 ![How to Write a Winning Tech Proposal](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/hs-fs/hubfs/How%20to%20Write%20a%20Winning%20Tech%20Proposal.webp?width=767&name=How%20to%20Write%20a%20Winning%20Tech%20Proposal.webp) #### [How to Write a Winning Tech Proposal](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/how-to-write-a-winning-tech-proposal) August 30th, 2021 #### [Let Them Be: Embrace Singular They](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/let-them-be-embrace-singular-they) June 15th, 2021 ![The Value of a Company Style Committee](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Value%20of%20a%20Company%20Style%20Committee%20%281%29.webp?width=767&name=The%20Value%20of%20a%20Company%20Style%20Committee%20%281%29.webp) #### [The Value of a Company Style Committee](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/the-value-of-a-company-style-committee) January 19th, 2021 ![Get the Job Part 3: The References, Samples, and Extras](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Get%20the%20Job%20Part%203%20%282%29.webp?width=767&name=Get%20the%20Job%20Part%203%20%282%29.webp) #### [Get the Job Part 3: The References, Samples, and Extras](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/get-the-job-part-3-the-references-samples-and-extras) October 27th, 2020 ![Get the Job Part 2: The Compelling Cover Letter](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Get%20the%20Job%20Part%202%20%282%29.webp?width=767&name=Get%20the%20Job%20Part%202%20%282%29.webp) #### [Get the Job Part 2: The Compelling Cover Letter](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/how-to-write-a-cover-letter) October 20th, 2020 ### Categories - [Career (11)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/career) - [Design (3)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/design) - [Desktop publishing (3)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/desktop-publishing) - [eLearning (3)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/elearning) - [Instructional design (8)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/instructional-design) - [Instructor-led training (1)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/instructor-led-training) - [Internal communication (5)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/internal-communication) - [Knowledge management (6)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/knowledge-management) - [Marketing collateral (2)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/marketing-collateral) - [News (1)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/news) - [Presentations (1)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/presentations) - [Press Release (18)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/press-release) - [Project management (1)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/project-management) - [Proofreading (10)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/proofreading) - [Proposal (7)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/proposal) - [Uncategorized (4)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/uncategorized) - [User guides (4)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/user-guides) - [Virtual work (3)](https://www.mckinnon-mulherin.com/blog/tag/virtual-work) - Popular - Recent - Proofreading 202: Using Google Docs July 30th, 2021 - [![Got edits? 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