Are You Interested in Publishing an Ebook? Take this Class!
If you are interested in writing, formatting, or publishing ebooks, consider taking Ebooks for Authors (and Everyone Else) . This in-person primer will be taught by Erika Nygaard on Thursday, June 27. Erika is “a freelance graphic designer for ebook and print publications. She works with authors and publishers to develop their products and strategize and troubleshoot ebook development.” I am proud to say that Erika is also my coffee buddy. Besides her obviously wonderful taste in coffee buddies, I can attest to her industry knowledge and design savvy. You can register for the class through Dabble Here are the details: Ebooks for Authors (and Everyone Else) When: Thursday, June 27, 2013 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Where: Enerspace Chicago 412 N....
Read MoreIn-House Style Guides for Small Businesses, Part 2— Selecting Topics
Last week’s post discussed the benefits of style guides for business writing. Today, we’ll look at the individual topics you may want to include in your own guide. But first, I’d like to share a quick disclaimer: Your guide should be an expression of your business goals, strategies, and yes, style. Therefore, it should be customized to your needs. There’s no reason to bloat your guide with information you’re not actually going to use. With that in mind, here is a brief list of common style guide topics: Registration marks with product names: Will the registration mark appear every time a product is mentioned or just the first time? Possessive form of company name: Some companies believe that adding an apostrophe s to their name...
Read MoreIn-House Style Guides for Small Businesses, Part 1— Benefits and Preparation
As a freelance copywriter and editor, I frequently talk with small business owners who are overwhelmed and frustrated by the time-intensive process of creating new content, including marketing material, web copy, and blog posts. If your small business is feeling a similar pinch, consider creating an in-house style guide that answers your most common grammar, format, and style questions. While this might sound like a complicated process, it is actually quite easy and can save a tremendous amount of time in the long run. In addition, style guides provide several important benefits: Consistency. If everyone in the company is following the same guide, documents will maintain consistent language, structure, and tone. Simplicity. Style guides can be as simple or as...
Read MoreHow to Use an Ampersand—The Coolest Symbol in the English Language
The ampersand (&) may not be the most commonly used symbol in the English language, but it is certainly one of the most beloved. A hotel in London bears the moniker The Ampersand. Several retailers across the United States are named Ampersand, including the Ampersand housewares store in Texas and the Ampersand Boutique in California. In addition, both a creek and a mountain in the Adirondack Mountains are named Ampersand. Why is the ampersand so popular? I don’t have any scientific proof, but I think people like it simply because it looks cool and is fun to write. Unscientific, I know, but sometimes fun and cool are enough to gain adoring fans, right? Despite the ampersand’s popularity, it suffers from misuse. Within formal communication, it...
Read MoreCorn, College, and Why They and Their are Still Not Gender-Neutral Singular Pronouns
In March, I discussed the slow evolution of pronouns (Part 1, Part 2), which touched on the prickly issue of using they and their as ad hoc gender-neutral singular pronouns. We all do it in verbal conversation, so why not do it in written communication? After all, writing they and their is so much easier than writing he or she and his or hers, right? Right! Nevertheless, written communication will always be more formal than verbal conversation because writing lacks the external context of speech. When we chat in person, we don’t just interpret words: we consciously and subconsciously decode everything from facial expressions to voice inflection while simultaneously relating those observations to the surrounding environment. For example, when your buddy...
Read MoreV for U: The Latin Imprint on Chicago Architecture
As a resident of downtown Chicago, I occasionally play tour guide for out-of-town family and friends. And I’m no local snob. I am always up for all of the touristy spots: Navy Pier, Millennium Park, Buckingham Fountain—yes, yes, yes! As we dart into the Art Institute and the Chicago Cultural Center (formerly the Chicago Public Library), my visitors always ask why the building names have a V carved where the U should be. Rather than continue to answer “I don’t know, but I’m sure it’s not a typo,” I decided to do some digging. I thought Google would make quick work of this research because locals and tourists look at these unusual Vs every day—surely many other writers have already covered this topic. But I was wrong....
Read MoreA Television Show for Technical Writers? Stay Tuned!
I am a bit of a television vagabond. My all-time favorite shows are off-the-wall comedies: Trailer Park Boys, King of the Hill, Northern Exposure, and of course, Seinfeld. However, I also appreciate intense dramas like Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and Sons of Anarchy, along with dramatic comedies (a.k.a. “dramadies”) such as Nurse Jackie, M*A*S*H, and Doc Martin. Despite my rather eclectic tastes, one genre I have never enjoyed is the competition-based reality show. I don’t watch anything involving competitive singing, dancing, cupcake baking, or fashion modeling. Nothing against these shows, they’re just not for me. This situation may change this fall when AMC debuts Owner’s Manual. This show will challenge two men (both of who...
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