Around the Word

With temperatures hitting the 90's, we dug up a few insights and tips on how to stay cool in your writing and speaking.

• Looking at the General McChrystal flap from a wordsmith's perspective, the estimable David Murray explores the power of profiles to affect change, and Murray's own undeniable desire to keep his subjects happy

• Men with Pens speaks to the wonder of writing fiction -- not as an end, but a means -- to creativity, muscle-building, and immortality

• Fresh off the graduation season, The Eloquent Woman advises speakers to think about ways to include the graduating audience in their next commencement speech, offering a savvy video experiment as an example

• Literary agent Rachelle Gardner offers some tough and wise love to aspiring memoirists on how to make yourself more publishable: read 20 great memoirs and 5 books on how to write 'em. Then get back to her

• Public Words acknowledges the pressure on speakers to write books, and provides insider know-how on the best ways to reach publishers and agents