Crystal Smith
@crystalsmith.bsky.social
Freelance writer and editor. Avid reader of non-fiction & taker of B&W photos, among other creative pursuits. crystalsmith.ca 🇨🇦
Some good suggestions here. Getting out of the Google space is a daunting prospect and one I can't get my head around just yet, so I'm starting small with the WeatherCAN app and Vivaldi browser.
Given everything happening right now, I updated this article with options for weather apps, web forms, and translation services — along with some tweaks to existing categories.
I hope it helps your transition off US tech!
I hope it helps your transition off US tech!
Silicon Valley’s alliance with Donald Trump was a mask off moment and showed the world we can’t depend on US tech companies.
For the past few months, I’ve been trying to get off US tech and I put together a guide so you find alternatives too. I hope you find it helpful!
For the past few months, I’ve been trying to get off US tech and I put together a guide so you find alternatives too. I hope you find it helpful!
January 5, 2026 at 12:34 AM
Some good suggestions here. Getting out of the Google space is a daunting prospect and one I can't get my head around just yet, so I'm starting small with the WeatherCAN app and Vivaldi browser.
Happy holidays to all who are celebrating!
📷 Photo is my own.
📷 Photo is my own.
December 24, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Happy holidays to all who are celebrating!
📷 Photo is my own.
📷 Photo is my own.
"Yet as a society, we continue to deny the straight line between the minimization of everyday violence against women and the more horrific forms of misogyny that eventually materialize."
“The Polytechnique massacre deeply marked Montreal and serves as a reminder of what unchecked misogyny can lead to.”
Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
Gender-based violence starts with minimizing misogyny | @mtltoula.bsky.social
Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
Gender-based violence starts with minimizing misogyny | @mtltoula.bsky.social
Gender-based violence is an everyday reality, and it starts with minimizing misogyny
As we highlight 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence and the upcoming anniversary of the Montreal massacre, can we take a moment to reflect on all the different forms this violence takes?
cultmtl.com
December 6, 2025 at 1:52 PM
"Yet as a society, we continue to deny the straight line between the minimization of everyday violence against women and the more horrific forms of misogyny that eventually materialize."
I'm a little late in promoting this, but I'm an editor on the series and recommend it highly for shining a light on the work of activists and artists seeking to end violence against women. The series runs until December 10 but click the tags to see the entries from previous years.
16 FOR 16 2025: Today is the first day of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence 2025 campaign and The Pixel Project is kicking things off with our 10th annual list of 16 female role models fighting to end violence against women.
For the full list: tinyurl.com/16FemaleRole...
For the full list: tinyurl.com/16FemaleRole...
December 2, 2025 at 10:55 PM
I'm a little late in promoting this, but I'm an editor on the series and recommend it highly for shining a light on the work of activists and artists seeking to end violence against women. The series runs until December 10 but click the tags to see the entries from previous years.
Starting work on the winter issue, but realized I forgot to post a link to the fall issue. Yet another good one from PEI Living.
issuu.com/peilivingmag...
issuu.com/peilivingmag...
PEI Living Fall 2025
Welcome to the Fall 2025 edition. We sit down with Tim Banks, a local entrepreneur and dedicated Islander. Just in time for the holidays, we have 10 pages featuring fabulous ideas for everyone on your
issuu.com
December 1, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Starting work on the winter issue, but realized I forgot to post a link to the fall issue. Yet another good one from PEI Living.
issuu.com/peilivingmag...
issuu.com/peilivingmag...
Blogs are important marketing tools for small businesses, but the time involved in maintaining them can be substantial. It's not just writing, but finding keywords, doing research, editing, and sourcing photos. The good news? It's OK to ask for help. shorturl.at/0QETs
Blogging for Your Business: How Much Time Do You Need? - CRYSTAL SMITH
Blogging involves more than writing. Research, editing & sourcing photos take time. Why not hire a freelance writer to do the work instead?
shorturl.at
December 1, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Blogs are important marketing tools for small businesses, but the time involved in maintaining them can be substantial. It's not just writing, but finding keywords, doing research, editing, and sourcing photos. The good news? It's OK to ask for help. shorturl.at/0QETs
The People & Pets campaign is such an innovative way to raise awareness that pets can become pawns in a domestic violence situation & threats of violence toward them can force someone to stay in a dangerous situation. Visit The Pixel Project site to learn more about their anti-VAW work!
PEOPLE AND PETS SAY NO 2025: The Pixel Project's Senior Editor Crystal Smith and her awesome dog Samson say NO to violence against women and girls all the way from Oakville in Ontario, Canada.
If you wish to learn more about the People and Pets campaign, visit bit.ly/PeopleNPetsS...
If you wish to learn more about the People and Pets campaign, visit bit.ly/PeopleNPetsS...
October 15, 2025 at 12:01 PM
The People & Pets campaign is such an innovative way to raise awareness that pets can become pawns in a domestic violence situation & threats of violence toward them can force someone to stay in a dangerous situation. Visit The Pixel Project site to learn more about their anti-VAW work!
"...when you’ve hit the wall on the piece you’re writing, a mental and physical break is absolutely necessary. You’ll be surprised how much room you’ll create for new ideas when you give yourself some distance from the old ones." shorturl.at/L0J1a
An Essential Step for Curing Writer's Block - CRYSTAL SMITH
Writer's block affects all business writers. The most essntial step for curing it: get away from your computer for a complete mental refresh.
shorturl.at
October 3, 2025 at 9:36 PM
"...when you’ve hit the wall on the piece you’re writing, a mental and physical break is absolutely necessary. You’ll be surprised how much room you’ll create for new ideas when you give yourself some distance from the old ones." shorturl.at/L0J1a
You may know the 3 Cs of good content but I have a few more for you: care, consideration & correctness. Take care to contemplate & craft a strong message. Consider your readers and respect their time. And ensure your content is correct -- use credible resources & edit your work. shorturl.at/OOTEb
Want Good Content? Follow the 3 Cs (Plus Three More) - CRYSTAL SMITH
Are there only 3 Cs for effective communication? The case for adding three more: care, consideration, and correctness.
shorturl.at
August 1, 2025 at 11:54 AM
You may know the 3 Cs of good content but I have a few more for you: care, consideration & correctness. Take care to contemplate & craft a strong message. Consider your readers and respect their time. And ensure your content is correct -- use credible resources & edit your work. shorturl.at/OOTEb
"Start with the questions your clients/customers/patients ask you:
-What do you get asked 2-3 times a week?
-What do you have to explain on a regular basis?
-What are some fundamentals of your industry you would like your audience to understand?"
Read more here:
crystalsmith.ca/fyi-what-is-...
-What do you get asked 2-3 times a week?
-What do you have to explain on a regular basis?
-What are some fundamentals of your industry you would like your audience to understand?"
Read more here:
crystalsmith.ca/fyi-what-is-...
FYI: What is Evergreen Content? - CRYSTAL SMITH
Evergreen content: what it is, how to use it, and examples of different formats and titles.
crystalsmith.ca
July 23, 2025 at 1:25 PM
"Start with the questions your clients/customers/patients ask you:
-What do you get asked 2-3 times a week?
-What do you have to explain on a regular basis?
-What are some fundamentals of your industry you would like your audience to understand?"
Read more here:
crystalsmith.ca/fyi-what-is-...
-What do you get asked 2-3 times a week?
-What do you have to explain on a regular basis?
-What are some fundamentals of your industry you would like your audience to understand?"
Read more here:
crystalsmith.ca/fyi-what-is-...
Happy to have contributed to this magazine again. Even if you're not on the Island or planning a trip there, check it out for some seasonal food and drink recipes, book recommendations, and fashion and home decor features. online.flippingbook.com/view/216390900 PEIL SUMMER25
PEIL SUMMER25
This interactive flipbook is created with FlippingBook, a service for streaming PDFs online. No download, no waiting. Open and start reading right away!
online.flippingbook.com
July 19, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Happy to have contributed to this magazine again. Even if you're not on the Island or planning a trip there, check it out for some seasonal food and drink recipes, book recommendations, and fashion and home decor features. online.flippingbook.com/view/216390900 PEIL SUMMER25
I learned so much from this book about how marine creatures use sound & how sounds from humans affect them, e.g. the sound of an air gun can change blood chemistry in lobsters and scallops & damage the sensory hair cells lobsters use to sense gravity and orientation. 1/2
July 8, 2025 at 8:12 PM
I learned so much from this book about how marine creatures use sound & how sounds from humans affect them, e.g. the sound of an air gun can change blood chemistry in lobsters and scallops & damage the sensory hair cells lobsters use to sense gravity and orientation. 1/2
According to Merriam-Webster, in its first use the word “free lance” referred to a “medieval mercenary who would fight for whichever nation or person paid them the most.”
Freelancers today are more likely to be hired pens than hired guns. Learn more about what we do here: shorturl.at/z4DgG
Freelancers today are more likely to be hired pens than hired guns. Learn more about what we do here: shorturl.at/z4DgG
What Does a Freelance Writer Do? - CRYSTAL SMITH
We are writers for hire, free to work as needed with business owners or marketing agencies seeking to outsource some or all of their communication tasks.
shorturl.at
July 8, 2025 at 7:45 PM
According to Merriam-Webster, in its first use the word “free lance” referred to a “medieval mercenary who would fight for whichever nation or person paid them the most.”
Freelancers today are more likely to be hired pens than hired guns. Learn more about what we do here: shorturl.at/z4DgG
Freelancers today are more likely to be hired pens than hired guns. Learn more about what we do here: shorturl.at/z4DgG
More black & white from my recent day trip to Toronto: a few random places downtown.
July 7, 2025 at 11:57 AM
More black & white from my recent day trip to Toronto: a few random places downtown.
Black & white: lines at Union Station.
July 7, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Black & white: lines at Union Station.
"Before publishing anything you write, it’s important to review it to ensure it is clear and concise. It’s not about length...it’s about trimming excess words to ensure nothing is getting in the way of your message." crystalsmith.ca/trim-the-exc...
Trim the Excess for Clear, Concise Content - CRYSTAL SMITH
Tips for making cuts to your content to ensure it is clear and concise.
crystalsmith.ca
July 4, 2025 at 11:21 AM
"Before publishing anything you write, it’s important to review it to ensure it is clear and concise. It’s not about length...it’s about trimming excess words to ensure nothing is getting in the way of your message." crystalsmith.ca/trim-the-exc...
"To ensure your blog post or online article is the best it can be, it’s not enough to check spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Sometimes issues of style and structure can detract from your message." #blogwriting
crystalsmith.ca/five-blog-wr...
crystalsmith.ca/five-blog-wr...
Five Blog Writing Mistakes and How To Fix Them - CRYSTAL SMITH
Five issues of style and structure that can detract from the message in your blog or article writing, plus information on how to fix them.
crystalsmith.ca
July 2, 2025 at 12:41 PM
"To ensure your blog post or online article is the best it can be, it’s not enough to check spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Sometimes issues of style and structure can detract from your message." #blogwriting
crystalsmith.ca/five-blog-wr...
crystalsmith.ca/five-blog-wr...
We had such a miserable spring. It's so nice to see the flowers in bloom at last.
June 8, 2025 at 1:30 PM
We had such a miserable spring. It's so nice to see the flowers in bloom at last.
Adding another book to my to-read list. The genius myth definitely needs some unpacking and busting so I think this will be an interesting book.
June 4, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Adding another book to my to-read list. The genius myth definitely needs some unpacking and busting so I think this will be an interesting book.
"An outline is an essential first step for any type of business writing...I’ve broken the process down into five basic steps with some bonus tips for making your outline more complete." crystalsmith.ca/how-to-write...
How to Write an Article Outline - CRYSTAL SMITH
Four steps for writing a blog post or article outline to help you keep on track with your content creation.
crystalsmith.ca
May 25, 2025 at 7:02 PM
"An outline is an essential first step for any type of business writing...I’ve broken the process down into five basic steps with some bonus tips for making your outline more complete." crystalsmith.ca/how-to-write...
Zing. The hypocrisy of that man.
And after we hold this expensive special election in a safe riding so I can win my seat back I will continue to fight to become the prime minister so I can end this woke culture that doesn’t advance people’s careers based solely on merit.
May 11, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Zing. The hypocrisy of that man.
Amazing how much this parallels the recent Canadian election. It will be interesting to see the results.
Here are the issues dominating the federal elections and which party is leading in the polls.
Australia election 2025: Results, what polls say and what’s at stake?
Here are the issues dominating the federal elections and which party is leading in the polls.
bit.ly
May 2, 2025 at 11:43 AM
Amazing how much this parallels the recent Canadian election. It will be interesting to see the results.
"Editors make suggestions, not demands. We do not seek to confront, but to collaborate. Our goal is not to make you sound like us; it is to ensure you sound like you, but maybe with a little more polish and focus." shorturl.at/ocpDS
An Editor Is Not the Boss of You - CRYSTAL SMITH
A freelance editor helps polish your writing by suggesting enhancments, not forcing. Ultimately, you decide what stays and what goes.
shorturl.at
May 1, 2025 at 6:14 PM
"Editors make suggestions, not demands. We do not seek to confront, but to collaborate. Our goal is not to make you sound like us; it is to ensure you sound like you, but maybe with a little more polish and focus." shorturl.at/ocpDS