Today is filled with tasks related to my day job — AGAIN. So I’m sharing a quick (and dirty) punctuation lesson in honor of my friend, Charles White. Chas and I are both nerdy enough to be fans of the Oxford comma. The illustration is a slightly edited version of the original by Jeff Bishop. (I’m trying to keep this blog PG rated.)
Here’s another illustration.
Enjoy!
One of the most important things any teacher or manager can do to help novices become pro writers is to discuss sample messages with them. Reading thoughtfully precedes writing successfully! The key to thoughtful reading is discussing the sample message in sufficient, relevant detail and connecting those details to future messages the writer will create.** Here are…
If I need a lawyer, I’m gonna call up Mr. Kaplitt. Here’s a letter he wrote for a client who received a “cease and desist” letter written in indecipherable legalese. Huffington Post posted a short video about this one. Or read his letter for yourself. Bet Mr. Kaplitt’s phone has been ringing off the hook! Related…
I meant to post this Monday morning — when many in the workplace could use a happiness boost! (That’s what dopamine does for your brain.) You may think positive psychology is mostly platitudes. But Shawn Achor could change your mind. The psychologist’s research into happiness shows that success does not lead to happiness. Instead, happiness leads to…
Core. Essence. Kernel. Heart. Crux. When applied to a document, these terms refer to its bottom line message. One of the things pro writers do is make the bottom line clear. That means they state their bottom line explicitly. And more than once in a long or complex document. The other thing pros do is place their bottom line where…
Which fork would you prefer to talk about at a party? Is it the same fork you would want to use when you’re in a hurry to eat your lunch? I hope you agree with me that the fork on the left is more interesting–hence a better candidate for conversation in a social setting–and the fork on the…
To Be Clear, SEC Reviewers Want Filings in Plain English, Period” from the Wall Street Journal will help you make your case. Let me highlight a few of their examples of SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) responses to the filing documents companies have submitted for review. In case these documents are unfamiliar to you, here’s how Wikipedia describes them:…
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This truly mad me laugh out loud. Perfect!
Glad to spread some fun!
Too bad ALL the other European languages have no Oxford (comma). Not one. As a translation editor, I find it shocking how many translators mutely obey Russian or Romanian comma rules while trying to produce American English!
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Thanks for your kind words, Jenifer. I wish they were genuine.
This is wrong on so many levels . . .
I quite like reading a post that will make people think. Also, thank you
for allowing me to comment!
Thanks for reading!