style guide Archives

7 Ways to Avoid Writing Missteps that Drive Editors Crazy

Editing other people’s work is a great way to get a fresh perspective on your own. Is my introduction lackluster? Was I too lazy to fact check? Did I actually use spell check? Does the end of my article drop off like a cliff because I was racing to meet a deadline?

What’s Your Style (Guide)?

Quick, take this one-question quiz: How many commas are necessary in the following sentence? “The colors of the American flag are red white and blue.”

Why Your Organization Needs an Editorial Style Guide and How to Get One

Is your meeting at two-thirty in the afternoon, 2:30 p.m. or 2:30 PM? Are you writing an email or an e-mail? Do you use a serial comma, or not? How do you know what to capitalize? How do you number and identify the figures and tables in your report? Should you use a hyphen, an en dash or an em dash? Are these questions a bit overwhelming?