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How to Cut Your Article Down to Size
One of my favorite copyediting assignments is the e-mail that begins, “This is way too long, but….” I get the same kind of satisfaction from paring down articles that others get from cleaning a...
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The Most Common Misplaced Modifier
“Girl running on grass with no shoes, only wearing a white dress.” What is a misplaced modifier? Simply put – it’s a word in your sentence that modifies, or describes, the wrong word. As I edit or...
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Why You Can’t Count on Spellchecker
No doubt about it – English is a difficult language, especially when it comes to spelling. I admire those who learn English as a second language – especially those who speak in languages like Spanish,...
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Comma Corrections–Did I Do It Right?
And does it matter? Following are some isolated sentences I corrected in recent proofreading gigs. What do you think – was it right or wrong for me to make the change? Correction No. 1 Abe’s got some...
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How your personality affects your success
Many years ago, when we lived in Chicago, we took a stranger into our home. Gayla had come to the area to visit her son, who was in prison. (I don’t remember the nature of his crime.) She stayed with...
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Seven Easy, No-cost Ways to Publicize Your Nonprofit
Little Money, Little Time We don’t always have the time – or the money — to publicize our philanthropic organizations in all the ways the media experts say it should be done, i.e. creating and...
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Are You Recruiting or Attracting?
I love how a change in the words you use can change your whole attitude. Think of the words recruit and attract. The word recruiting hints at going out into the world to promote your service club, your...
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What Does a Copy Editor Do?
The first thing a copy editor does is prevent sentences like this from being published: “Even though her husband is the chef, Melissa says she enjoys cooking herself.” or this: “Music is one thing the...
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You might need a case study if…
You offer a service or product that solves a problem. A success story would help show the benefits of donating to your cause. You want to establish your expertise, your integrity, your dedication to...
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You might need a brochure if…
A business card doesn’t give enough information to explain what you do. You’d like to clarify what you do beyond an initial introduction. You wish you had something to give or mail to those who ask...
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You might need a white paper if…
You want the reputation as a thought leader or expert in your field. You want to introduce a new product to prospective customers. You need to show that you understand a problem or challenge and why...
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Do Your News Releases Follow These Simple Guidelines?
If you’re reading this, it’s because you know a news release can be more effective than an ad in promoting your business. Prospective clients or customers realize ads are biased. It’s obvious you’re...
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Why We Whine and How to Stop It
“It’s too hot.” “It’s too cold.” “I’m too busy.” “I don’t have anything to do.” And the complaints go on and on. Just name it, and we’ll complain about it: our health, money, our age (no matter what...
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The Eliots of Damerosehay
Author: Elizabeth Goudge (1900-1984) About the Books This is a trilogy set in England spanning from after WWI to after WWII. The titles of the books, in order, are The Bird in the Tree, published in...
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How to Handle Complaints
You may have experienced it. It’s a typical busy day in the office. You’re fielding calls, answering e-mails, greeting people as they come into the office. Then someone calls who is angry before you...
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The Glass Castle
by Jeannette Walls. copyright 2005. Published by Scribner. This is an amazing memoir, written with a lot of conversation and short chapter segments, which makes it very easy to read. Jeannette and two...
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44 Scotland Street
By Alexander McCall Smith. Fiction. c. 2005. Published by Anchor Books. McCall Smith uses an unusual technique in this book – it was originally serialized fiction for a newspaper, so each chapter has...
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Book Clubs: How Reading Becomes a Social Event
Book reading is a solitary pastime. When I read, my mind leaves my surroundings and enters a world of mystery, travel, romance, exploration or enlightenment – wherever I want to go. When I want to get...
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July Book Picks — Mini Reviews
The World from Rough Stones by Malcolm Macdonald, published in 1975 by Alfred A. Knopf Maybe my favorite genre — reminiscent of Masterpiece Theatre series productions. Its 570 pages are written...
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Food Labels: “Natural” Peanut Butter
What do you think when you see the word “natural” on a food label? I think, “Great! Nothing’s been added to the main ingredient.” I have preferred “natural” peanut butter for several years. That’s...
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