Editing, Proofing, Writing
Every Word Counts
Category: Grammar
Semicolons: How You Can Use Them & Look Smarter
3 Simple Ways to Use Semicolons As far as punctuation panics go, a semicolon is probably the scariest punctuation mark out there. The mere question of its use can send even the most educated non-linguist into a sweat. After all, isn’t it simpler to separate the thoughts into two sentences and use a period? Here…
10 Commonly Confused Words
Want to Sound Smart? Conquer these commonly confused words In today’s business world, it’s all about image. Not just how we dress, how we look, what we drive, but also how we sound–both in person and on paper. Let’s face it: the English language is full of commonly confused words. Sometimes we mix them up…
4 Ways to Make Your Writing Pop
Writing and Communication: 4 Strategies for Improvement 1. Vibrant Verbs Make your verbs as specific as possible. Active verbs make your writing pop. Clutter your document or manuscript with passive verbs and you’ll likely put your readers to sleep. Eliminate all forms of the verb to be (there were, there was, there are or any…
Suppose the English Language Died…
Editors vs. Writers, The English Language, and Pulitzers Suppose the English language died. Who would be left to save it? It’s not so crazy a concept. We’ve already set ourselves on that bumpy road spiraling downward into a grand canyon of sentence hackers, modifier kidnappers, and members of the anti-spellcheck alliance. Does anyone care about…
Business Services: 4 Reasons Why Every Business Needs a Proofreader
If your business goals include staying competitive in your market, improving your professional image, and opening your doors to more customers and a highly utilized staff, then you need a proofreader on your business services team. Let’s face it—very few businesses can afford to pay a full-time editor/proofreader and keep them on staff. That’s understandable.…
Hyphens for Dummies (Easy Tips to Avoid Confusion)
To hyphenate or not to hyphenate–that is the question. The use of hyphens tends to bring up a lot of controversy from time to time, and it is possibly one of the most overused (or underused) punctuation marks. Here’s a quickie refresher on hyphen use. 1. Hyphenated Compounds vs. Open and Closed Compounds According to…
Business Contracts: Comma Drama—Is A Comma Really Significant?
Don’t let your contract fall victim to comma drama. Even in contracts, some consider the comma to be an insignificant mark of punctuation—barely worth noticing, emitting merely a pause in a sentence preceding a continued thought. According to Merriam-Webster, a comma is defined as a punctuation mark, used especially as a mark of separation…