Adventures in Content Strategy
"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing." Benjamin Franklin
Travel, reading, knitting, and writing outside of Mad*Pow and the UX and content strategy community. What Marli does in her spare time.
Back at the end of 2019 I thought to myself “I’ve read a lot of difficult, complex books. In 2020 I just want to read fun books!” Then March happened. I actually couldn’t read at all for a few weeks, and when I started reading again I could barely focus on Star Wars books, let…
Last week was Mental Health Awareness week. I guess I missed it, so this is belated. Though, to paraphrase The Bloggess, “wouldn’t it be awesome to just have to be aware of mental health one week a year?” (Apparently there’s also a month in May.) Anyhow, many people see weeks like this as an opportunity…
It’s been over 5 years since I started a new era at Mad*Pow. And now I’m taking the next step of my career, moving on to Content Strategy Lead at Verily. A Health Content Strategist When I started at Mad*Pow I myself a content strategist who was particularly interested in health and education. That’s part…
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and guilty because everyone in Twitter is suggesting books to read and ways to make this “the best time of you life” but you can barely get out of bed in the morning, please know: this is what depression feels like. — Marli Mesibov (@marsinthestars) March 22, 2020 Lately I’ve had…
2019 was a year of “should reads”. As you might expect, most of the books a person is told to read end up disappointing. Eat and Run, though a “must read” for runners, did not inspire me. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius and Ragtime (both read with my book club) may be great books,…
The end of the calendar year is a good time for reflection. This year I’ve taken on a few initiatives (and furthered some ongoing goals). Here’s how I’m feeling about my professional and personal 2019 accomplishments. Professional Work: Expanding Content Communications I love content strategy because I love communication. Written or verbal, through gestures or…
When I first read Mary Cain’s story of disordered eating, encouraged by her coach, I was sad. But I wasn’t horrified, because I wasn’t surprised. In fact, I was a little relieved to find that an amazing runner like Mary struggled with some of the same challenges I did. The more I follow Mary’s story,…
I love to travel. Over the years I’ve visited more than 40 countries across 5 continents. I love trying new foods, hearing and learning new languages, and learning about local history. But until last year I had seen very little of the United States. I also love to run. That’s how my sister and I…
Last week I went to synagogue. It’s not a common occurrence for me, but when I go I like to hear the Rabbi’s sermon. This time the Rabbi spoke about respecting people while disagreeing with them. He stressed the importance of a hug or lighter conversation after, and disagreeing respectfully. Yet I left frustrated. I…
What does it mean to think global and act local? I used to think it was a reminder: don’t lose sight of the people around you, in your quest to save the world. But it can also refer to making small changes that have a large effect. Working in healthcare, education, finance, or government can…
