Let Dr. Mike Zizzi teach you to uplift your world via truly *authentic* writing (and speaking! and listening!) We need more of YOUR voice (not AI's).
To get the “Stories” section of this site going, allow me to merge the two seemingly contrary topics – speaking and listening – in the following tale, which I present as a first-hand tribute to the legendary scholar known to many (mainly scholars in the “klistening” dub-field of communication) as the Father of Listening, Ralph…
As mentioned in the introductory text (see above) for this blog category, I have formally and publically defined the multi-faceted concept of dialogue with these two simple words: difference engaged. Among other places, both in print and in public presentation, I proposed this definition in my doctoral dissertation, An Anatomy of Dialogue in Teaching and…
As for my interest in driving (aka motorists in traffic), I did focus on this topic for the first three semesters of my doctoral study of communication at the University of Colorado. I took some heat from my faculty for this choice (it’s not what they studied, and, yes, that matters) and was “encouraged” (more…
Read More “Why study driving as “rhetoric” (like a speech)?” »
“Words Matter,” so get them right! I’ve dedicated my academic and professional life, along with much of my personal life, to studying, teaching, theorizing, and writing about the endless meanings, implications, and applications of the brief, common, and commonly mis-used expression, “words matter.” How? Why? To what effect? Making what possible? Causing what limitations? Overcoming…
Again and again on the Up-Wordz.com website/blog, you’ll find me urging you to “say it with authenticity.” We often take that word for granted, not even stopping to wonder or even ask, “What do you mean by authenticity“? Good question! Do you have authenticity in you? The founding principle of this whole site centers on…
Yes, I’ve taught a lot of writing classes and, since trained as a communication theorist, I’ve developed my own method (my “Activated Writing” system) of re-thinking how you (or any writer) approaches writing sentences (and whole messages). I consider this system the “heart” of the Up-Wordz.com website/blog, because it’s the most powerful — and original…
Read More “Get ready for some great tips in speech (public speaking)” »
As the need arises, look it up Certainly, I, like most people, can easily conjure up quick and semi-informed (if informed at all) opinions on just about any topic. But on this site, you will find only things I’ve given much thought to and, in most cases, have studied formally and quite likely taught, written,…
Don’t let that knee jerk! I want to get an early start on demonstrating the lack of political side taking that I will demonstrate and also hope you will be able to emulate, when that would help you, which is often, in our present times of unprecedented (at least in the past century) divisiveness. For…
So let’s pull the blankets off our “politically correct pronouns” and examine the naked truth. For both clarity and validity, I will present this “truth” – as I will argue for it – aided by “truth’s” two often-absent handmaidens, explanation and support. Simply (and ignorantly) asserting that screwing up language is valid and even necessary…
Read More “Ending Pronoun madness — the HOW (to do it, graciously!)” »
“Words Matter” — that’s my mantra for curing “pronoun madness.” Ironically, it’s the same (unexplained, unsupported, and unconvincing) mantra used/misused/abused by the shallow, sad, and see-through advocates of the very pronoun madness I wish to eradicate from our language, especially in public use. Note: Elsewhere in the Writing Lessons, section of this blog, I will…
Read More “Ending Pronoun madness — the WHY (is it b/c “Words Matter”?)” »