Hi Reader, Here we are — the end of January. If 2025 was the Year of the Snake, I think I shed at least six layers: old habits, old goals, a business plan that didn’t make it past Groundhog Day. Now that the dust (and scales) have settled, what’s left is something real. Something human. I’ve spent the past year helping business owners rewrite copy that looked fine on the surface but didn’t feel like them. And if I’ve learned anything, it’s this: people don’t connect with polish. They connect...
18 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, It’s been a while since I mentioned any client books… although I did hint at this one a few times last fall. And now it’s here. 🔥 See Dick Throw a Hissy Fit: The Rise and Predictable Fall of U.S. Culture is officially open for early access. Working alongside Dr. Lauran Star on this book was a true labor of love, with a message as unprecedented as the times we are living in—but with far more receipts. Disruptive doesn’t begin to cover it. Before the culture wars. Before the outrage...
22 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Let’s talk about shortcuts. No, not driving shortcuts (hit reply if you want some doozies), another variety. 2025 was the Year of the Snake, and if we’re sticking with that metaphor, I shed a few skins of my own—habits, expectations, even a perfectly good business plan that didn’t survive February. But lately, I’ve been noticing a different kind of shedding happening out there in the wild: people stripping the humanity right out of their writing. You’ve seen it too. Maybe you’ve...
25 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, You know I love a good collaboration, and today I’m celebrating one that deserves the spotlight. I recently worked with Eric Karofsky of VectorHX on the messaging for his newly launched case study page—and it’s officially live. 🎉 Here it is if you want to take a peek: https://www.vectorhx.com/work What I love most about this project is how Eric and I approached it on two levels: The meta level: telling the overarching story of his work—how he helps teams translate complexity into...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Confession time: I love a good plan. Until I don’t. Last January, I had a gorgeous color-coded content calendar that could’ve won awards for ambition. By February, it was quietly weeping in a corner while I ignored it. Turns out, my business plan wasn’t the only thing that got tossed out the window in the Year of the Snake. Here’s what I’ve learned about planning without strangling your own creativity: 1. Pick your pillars. Three to five themes that matter to you and your audience....
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Let’s be honest—2025 was a lot. It gave. It took. It stretched. It whispered, then shouted, “Are you paying attention yet?” I was. Eventually. Somewhere between the deadlines, the drafts, and the heartbreak of losing my long-time partner, I learned that deep rest isn’t laziness. It’s medicine. When I finally stopped running on fumes, the silence had something to say. And what it said was this: You can’t create from exhaustion. I also learned that shedding what no longer serves...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, You know how I tend to slip into stealth mode at the end of the year. It’s not that anything’s wrong — it’s December being December. I go quiet, Judi 411 powers down, and I spend a few weeks recalibrating with leftovers, reflection, and the occasional existential cookie. But a new year has arrived, and with it comes news that deserves a drumroll: My second book is officially being shopped around. Yep. We’re doing the thing. It’s called Merry-ish: Unwrapped Tales from the Most(ly)...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Holiday week—hope you're finding moments of peace in the chaos. Just a gentle reminder that my year-end Copy Consult Flash Sale is still available through December 31st. Five hours of focused copy help, good through June 2026. Sometimes the best gift you can give your business is getting the words right. Book your Copy Consult here. Wishing you joy, rest, and perfectly functioning technology,
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, You know I live most of my life in the lane of words—sentences, stories, the rhythm of language. It’s my highway, my comfort zone, my well-worn map. But this past year, working with artist Jennifer Faye Colombo has invited me onto an entirely different creative road. Jen came to me for website copy, and together—an hour here, an hour there—we shaped words that felt like brushstrokes: intentional, fluid, grounded in nature and feeling. What delighted me most? Watching her take that...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
