Should You Use Toward or Towards?
Figuring out if you’re supposed to use TOWARD or TOWARDS has stumped quite a few writers. Just as many have no idea this is even a writing decision to make. But either you or your editor will need to choose one.
Further or Farther?
When should you use FURTHER and when should you use FARTHER?
5 Ways to Edit a Comma Splice
Comma splices sound much trickier than they are. Basically, if you’ve written a common splice, you’ve tried to connect, or splice, two independent sentences with a comma in an incorrect way.
Numbers in Books
The “rules” about how to style numbers still trip up veteran writers (and editors). There are a lot of rules, and numbers is one of the topics that style guides often have very different ways of handling, which adds to the confusion.
In the US book-publishing world, we use the Chicago Manual of Style to determine how to treat numbers in text, whether fiction or nonfiction.
Self-Edit: Trim Unnecessary Words
Tighten your writing by trimming unnecessary words and let your verbs do the heavy lifting.
Optional Commas
Commas seem to be one of the greatest stressors for writers, including my clients. It makes sense–the comma is the most versatile punctuation mark and is used in so many different ways.
Adding to the confusion: there are instances where you–yes, you the author–get to decide whether or not to include a comma.
Said Is the Best Dialogue Tag
If a writer sticks to speaking words (said, asked) for their dialogue tags, then the tags will fade into the background for the reader, keeping their attention on the good stuff, the actual dialogue.
Cumulative Adjectives vs. Coordinating Adjectives
Where does the comma go?
Royal Order of Adjectives
I don’t know why this rule gets the regal treatment.
Ellipses aka Drama Dots
I recently heard someone call ellipses drama dots, and now I want to rename them. Drama dots sounds much more intriguing.