Yes, one letter does make a difference. In names, it's as simple as boy versus girl. Forget the "a" on Davida and she's now David. In Spanish, an hombre is a man but hambre is hungry. I prefer to eat dessert not a desert. Common mistakes include "your" and "you're" or "new" and "knew." Here … Continue reading One Small Letter…
Adverbs have received a bad rap over the years. Many authors diligently avoid words ending with -ly. Yet, those little devils may sneak in without notice. I love a well-placed adverb. Used sparingly, it can help set the tone or add just the right detail to a mental image. By definition, an adverb describes or … Continue reading Adverbs: The Uninvited Guests
Proofreading ANY work is crucial. It not only results in professional and easy-to-read copy, but it may also save the writer a great deal of embarrassment! Um, not my kind of Prince Charming! A forever reminder to proofread ANY work! Ouch!
I'd be so tempted if we still edited hard copies... Have a great weekend! Here's a few more!
Puns can add to a story or detract from a scene. It's an author's call to love 'em or leave 'em out. Personally, I've never met a pun I didn't like, but not all readers appreciate the subtle humor. Does it move the story forward or serve a purpose such as character development or comic … Continue reading Puns: Love ’em or Leave ’em Out!
Commas are necessary. It is the current trend to eliminate as many as possible but please be careful. Your pets will appreciate it. I am a purist when it comes to grammar. Yes, I adjust my style to reflect my individual clients but... Commas have been getting a bad rap lately. Less is more, they … Continue reading The trend of fewer commas…
Ever read the children's book Don't Touch the Button? Here is the adult version! This was funny until I realized I'm getting on a plane in less than a few days. I'm headed to Amsterdam, Belgium, and Germany. Wonder what kind of editing funnies I'll see while I'm on vacation? Back to the point—word placement matters!
Are you dangling your participles? A misplaced modifier can make you an accidental comedian. A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence. A modifier describes, clarifies, or gives more detail about a concept. Think of modifiers as arrows shot from a bow, and the words they … Continue reading Grammar Giggles from The Editing Hall: Dangling Participles
Weekend Word Warrior: PARAPROSDOKIAN. A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence, phrase, or larger discourse is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part. Got a favorite? Now, go forth among the your people and impart this … Continue reading Grammar Giggles from The Editing Hall: Weekend Word Warrior
Remember the LITERAL people in your life. Misplaced modifiers can be catastrophic! A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is improperly separated from the word it modifies or describes. Because of the separation, sentences with this error often sound awkward, ridiculous, or confusing. Furthermore, they can be downright illogical. The example above … Continue reading Grammar Giggles From The Editing Hall: Misplaced modifiers
The Editing Hall 