Sorry – je ne suis pas circumflex
What’s going on in France? I’m talking about the way some people are reacting to the modest spelling reforms put forth by the Académie Française. According to a New York Times report, no sooner had the...
View ArticleA playful blogger walks into a bar
As a public service, and to provide some respite in the midst of a long winter, I’m proud to present this comprehensive collection of “walks into a bar” jokes for professional writers. Feel free to use...
View ArticleOn Limerick Day
I just learned that today is Limerick Day. (Not National Limerick Day, apparently. Good. I like it when the whole universe can join in.) As a serious writer of nonfiction I struggle with this...
View ArticleBaseball, football, and just the right choice of words
As we embark on the first baseball season in 68 years without Vin Scully behind the mic, thank goodness we still have this classic comedy bit from George Carlin. I have a writerly purpose in sharing it...
View ArticleA passage particularly fine
I’ve agreed to give a short speech at the STC Carolina chapter’s 50th anniversary celebration next week. It’s a special occasion, so I want the speech to be good. Right now the speech is about twice as...
View ArticleIt’s not your text
Hey, wow. I was looking on the internet and — what do you know? — I found a list. Yes, I realize that the internet is full of lists. Many of them exist simply to entice us to click. A few might...
View ArticleLift a glass for Grammar Day
Started in 2008 by author Martha Brockenbrough, National Grammar Day is a time to celebrate, and foster an appreciation for, clear writing. It’s observed every year on March fourth — the date that,...
View ArticleWhen you have something shocking to say
The news reports buckled my knees. According to a Pennsylvania grand jury, hundreds of Roman Catholic priests across the state sexually abused more than 1,000 children over a 70-year period. The...
View ArticleYour guide to defending the truth
You’ve probably heard it by now: Time magazine bestowed its annual Person of the Year award on the Guardians in the war on truth. The award honors Jamal Khashoggi, killed at the Saudi embassy in...
View ArticleRecommended: Dreyer’s English
(Subtitle: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style) If you wanted to rewrite Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style — and who hasn’t wanted to do that? — what would it look like? Benjamin...
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