This graphic from the Wine Press Blog explains the various editing functions in book publishing. Source: Original infographic from WinePress… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Style
Keep your resources close
Someone who is part of a LinkedIn group for “grammar geeks” posted this question (slightly edited): What do people think… Read more »
Know the idioms
Even native speakers have problems with English idioms. A colleague told me of crossed signals from a misused idiom. An… Read more »
More about the singular “they”
I participated in an ACES Twitter chat, Your Grammar Question Answered, Tuesday during which we chatted about the singular “they.”… Read more »
This post is due to a misreading
One of the usage rules drilled into my head many years ago is that due to can be used only… Read more »
Strunk and White: Into the Elements again
You might not think that such a slim book would inspire such devotion and such loathing. Strunk and White’s The… Read more »
Pronouns: “They” is too much with us
I am almost ready to come around on the view that “they,” “them” and “their” are acceptable after a singular… Read more »
Hyphens: Compound (word) interest
Perhaps I shouldn’t admit this, but I have a weakness as a copy editor. It’s punctuation. I am often at… Read more »
Tricky word usage quiz: Distinctions you might know
My new job requires me to use The Economist Style Guide for some of the copy I edit. Today as… Read more »
Heavy sigh …
As I filled my car with gasoline this morning at the Wal-Mart in Clayton, I spotted this: This article was… Read more »
Northern accents
A few readers have taken the newspaper to task for reporting that police had said that a suspect in a… Read more »
No prizes — just for fun
I don’t have any prizes to offer, but I would love to hear from you. Find the error in this… Read more »
When a sea change happens
Today’s story Conflict hits home in N.C. politics contains a quote with an interesting idiom: sea change. Here is the… Read more »
Being couth
The word choice in this lead from Sunday’s paper drew a call from one reader to our public editor: The… Read more »
Wish I’d written this
John McIntyre of the Baltimore Sun has a Web log about language and writing. His post for July 12 is… Read more »