What’s the point of an editor?
The big question for many people working for the first time with an editor is, why? Why is this step needed? Why must I allow my finely honed work to be trod on by someone who’s not a subject matter…
Seven challenges for the word lover
What’s not to love about a short quiz on some favourite head-scratchers in the English language? Answers are at the end. Award yourself a chocolate truffle for every question you answer correctly. 1. Which is correct? a) I’ve been racking…
Marathon: A word to run with
marathon: (n.) A long-distance running race, strictly one of 26 miles 385 yards (42.195 kilometres). A long-lasting or difficult task or activity; an endurance contest. Al Howie: The short warm-up run ahead of a very, very long outing. During a…
Join the exaltation of editors flocking to Toronto
From June 12 to 14, the Editors’ Association of Canada is hosting its annual conference, this year in Toronto (and this year co-presented with the Professional Writers Association of Canada). Dubbed “the first global conference of editors,” the Editing Goes Global…
Time to get off the busyness train?
These days the discussion about busyness, that long-lauded work-ethic virtue, doesn’t focus on how to become busier (most of us could write the ebook 10 Ways to Achieve a 16-Hour Work Day… if only we had time). Rather, the new…
Ring out some old rules
In his new grammar and style guide, For Who the Bell Tolls, David Marsh of The Guardian newspaper offers a host of suggestions for navigating the ever-changing grammatical peals of the English language. He recommends, for example, not fussing over split infinitives, conjunctions…
Humbug to book snobs
During December’s gift-giving tradition, book sales skyrocket. This is good news for book lovers and for all promoters of the value and joy of reading. According to BookTrust columnist Matt Haig, though, book snob grinches lurk everywhere. “If books ever…
The fine art of English spelling
If you’ve ever puzzled over why “limb” and “debt” have a silent b, and what’s with the “i before e except after c” dictum when there are so many departures from the so-called rule, here’s the book for you. “For every quirk of spelling, there's…
Boo to language bullies
When it comes to exercising your command of English grammar and usage in public, are you a respected but restrained and constructive source of knowledge … or a boorish, bullying show-off? What’s the difference between being helpful and being insufferable?…
