Use Your Writing References with Confidence

I almost always run an editing tip in my SharingwithWriters newsletter. Thought I'd share one from last month with those of you who follow this blog:

Grammar Guru June Casagrande says , “Mirriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary is the default reference for the Chicago Manual of Style.” For those in the publishing industry that would include most SharingwithWriters subscribers and subscribers to this Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor blog. 

In other words, when you’re getting conflicting information (or when you want to be confident about your choices) use these two references. 

But what if?

• If you’re a journalist or freelance writer who writes for newspaper or magazines, your two go-tos are Webster’s New World College Dictionary and the Associated Press Style-book. 
• Of course,  the media you are writing for may have its own style guide. 
• If you are an academic, check your university’s style guide first and then fall back on the publishing industry’s faves if you need more guidance.

PS: June is the author of Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies published by Penguin and syndicated columnist of "A Word Please."
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 Carolyn Howard-Johnson edits, consults, and speaks on issues of writing and publishing. Find her at http://howtodoitfrugally.com. Find the second edition of her multi award-winning The Frugal Editor: Do-it-yourself editing secrets for authors: From your query letter to final manuscript to the marketing of your bestseller. (HowToDoItFrugally Series of Books for Writers). Learn more about her other authors' aids at www.howtodoitfrugally.com/writers_books.htm , where writers find lists and other helps including , Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips on the Resources for Writers page. She blogs on all things publishing (not just editing!) at her SharingingwithWriters blog. She tweets writers' resources at www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo . Please tweet this post to your followers. We all need a little help with editing. (-:

New Example for Old Grammar Conundrum

Today's post is no great news flash. Visitors to this blog will learn nothing new. I wanted to post it, though, because it's an example of how easily some of the stickiest grammar (and therefore editing) problems can be explained and how a great example can make a huge difference:

Sometimes getting a homonym or other wordtripper right doesn’t take paragraphs of explanation. So you use “less” when you modify a singular noun and “fewer” when you modify plural nouns. 

June Casagrande, syndicated columnist of A Word Please and author of Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies (Penguin), gives this neat example: “If three items are removed from your cart, you end up with ‘fewer’ items. But if just one is taken out, there’s one ‘less.’ That’s because ‘items’ is plural and ‘item’ is singular.” 

I figure every English teacher should memorize this example, write it on their blackboard in permanent paint, and test their kids on it regularly. (-: 

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 Carolyn Howard-Johnson edits, consults, and speaks on issues of writing and publishing. Find her at http://howtodoitfrugally.com. Find the second edition of her multi award-winning The Frugal Editor: Do-it-yourself editing secrets for authors: From your query letter to final manuscript to the marketing of your bestseller. (HowToDoItFrugally Series of Books for Writers). Learn more about her other authors' aids at www.howtodoitfrugally.com/writers_books.htm , where writers find lists and other helps including , Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips on the Resources for Writers page. She blogs on all things publishing (not just editing!) at her SharingingwithWriters blog. She tweets writers' resources at www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo . Please tweet this post to your followers. We all need a little help with editing. (-:

Quick! It's an adjective. "Grammar" or "Grammatical.?"

When I was doing the final edit for the second edition of my The Frugal Editor (the e-book), I received some input suggesting I should use the adjective grammatical rather than the noun grammar when it was being used as an adjective. Makes sense.

 

Nevertheless, I decided to check with my grammar guru June Casagrande without telling her my preference for grammar. (I liked it better because it sounded less forced). Here’s what she said:

“Just my opinion: ‘grammatical mistakes’ seems to call more attention to itself than ‘grammar mistakes.’ And because ‘grammar mistakes’ is no more vulnerable to criticism than ‘paint store’ or ‘vacation day,’ I think ‘grammar mistakes’ would be my preference.”

 

This little anecdote illustrates how flexible our language is. It also illustrates the difference between grammar rules and style choices. I think it should also serve as a warning that we should be very careful when we criticize someone else’s editing choices. This difference between grammar rules and editing and style choices is one of the rarely discussed things that my The Frugal Editor helps you with.

 

You may want to learn more about June--maybe even buy some of her books along with mine so you won't have to pay for shipping on Amazon. She is the author of the brand new Best Punctuation Book. Period.

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson edits, consults. and speaks on issues of publishing. Find her The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success (How To Do It Frugally series of book for writers). Learn more about her other authors' aids at www.howtodoitfrugally.com/writers_books.htm , where writers will find lists and other helps including Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips on the Resources for Writers page. She blogs on all things publishing (not just editing!) at her Sharing with Writers blog. She tweets writers' resources at www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo . Please tweet this post to your followers. We all need a little help with editing. (-: