Kris Spisak, Author at Kris Spisak

Writing Tip 352: “Work in Progress” vs “Work in Process”

"Work in Progress" vs. "Work in Process" painted hands - love

We as a society, as a nation, as people on this earth are works in progress, no? And, wow, do we need to get to work.

What does the ever-popular #wip stand for? Or maybe I should ask, what does it stand for to you?

This is a tricky answer, because it depends on when in the past two hundred years you’re curious about, which side of the Atlantic you’re on, or if you’re in the manufacturing or finance industries.

Yes, these responses matter. More

Writing Tip 351: “Soul of Discretion” vs. “Sole Discretion”

Neither these soles nor these souls seem very discreet. Just saying.

A sole is a type of fish that discreetly hides in the sand of the ocean floor, but it isn’t the origin of either of these phrases.

Your fingers might have the “sole” vs. “soul” debate as they dance across the keyboard, aiming for the correct spelling, but, really, it comes down to that little word “of.”

To get started, remember:

A “sole” is is the underside of a foot, the part of a shoe under one’s foot, or the previously mentioned fish; it can also be a synonym for single or exclusive as an adjective.
A “soul” is the intangible essence of someone, his or her spiritual being, spark of life, moral force, or total self. (There’s a grander debate here we don’t have room for, but you get the gist.)

But determining the difference between “sole” and “soul” is only half of the battle here.

If you are tactful and unobtrusive, the correct expression is the “soul of discretion.”

According to Google’s Ngram Viewer, this phrasing has been recorded as far back as at least 1850. Jane Austen gave the phrase to Fanny in Sense and Sensibility, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gave the phrase to Sherlock Homes as he described Dr. Watson. More recently, you could use it to describe how well you subtly changed your boss’s typo from “bunker down” to “hunker down.”

If you are the only one making a decision, the correct phrasing is “sole discretion.”

In this usage, “discretion” is not about being “discreet”; rather, it means making a responsible choice. By adding “sole” to this idea, it is to make a responsible choice by yourself.

Again, according to Google’s Ngram Viewer, this wording has been recorded as far back as at least 1723, usually in legal discussions.

Of course, if you want to hash out the differences between “discrete” and “discreet,” I won’t be the soul of discretion when I shamelessly plug a resource for that answer; whether you follow my advice is up to your sole discretion.

Too much?

Happy writing, folks!

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Writing Tip 350: “Marinade” vs. “Marinate”

Foodies can be a fascinating and feisty bunch. Don’t get them started on the layers of flavor in their last bite or the barm on their craft beer, and for the love of your taste buds, please don’t slip up in your usage of “marinade” vs. “marinate” when you’re sharing your own recipe (or pictures of it) with this oftentimes punctilious crowd.

Of course, correct word usage shouldn’t only be for the connoisseurs among us. Yes, even you with your love of peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwiches can get this spelling correct. More

Writing Tip 349: “Envelop” vs “Envelope”

"Envelop" vs "Envelope" If I were you, I’d be a bit cautious if someone wanted to envelope you in their arms. Does this mean they’re going to put you into a giant package and ship you off somewhere? Or perhaps this is just a typo. I’m guessing it’s a typo. But it’s typos like this that always give me pause. You can do better, folks. More

Authors on Editing: Interview with Jennifer Delamere

What is a question that can bring a novelist to hysterical laughter? What is sometimes a writer’s nemesis and sometimes a friend? The following interview with historical romance novelist and editor Jennifer Delamere provides the answers.

I met Jennifer at one of my Grammartopia events last fall in Durham, North Carolina, where she didn’t just compete, but her grammar prowess won the day. I admired her work before that time, of course, but getting to banter with her about the plural of mongoose and Oxford commas made me realize I’d found a kindred editorial spirit. Enjoy this interview, writers. There are a lot of great nuggets inside.

Jennifer Delamere writes tales of the past…and new beginnings. Her Victorian-set novels have won many accolades, including finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA® award, a starred review from Publishers Weekly, and the Georgia Romance Writers Maggie Award for Excellence. Jennifer earned a B.A. in English from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where she became fluent in French and developed an abiding passion for winter sports. She’s been an editor of nonfiction and educational materials for over two decades. She loves reading classics and histories, which she mines for the vivid details to bring to life the people and places in her books. More

Writing Tip 348: “Alumnus,” “Alumna,” “Alumnae” & “Alumni”

"alumnus," "alumna," "alumnae" & "alumni" Nothing makes you feel less like a graduate than failing your first real-world spelling test. Do you know the difference between “alumnus,” “alumna,” “alumnae” & “alumni”?

When people start talking Latin origins and uncommon spelling forms, tension begins to build in some secret place where childhood spelling bee angst hides. When we start adding word gender form into the conversation, there’s a tendency for hands to be tossed into the air. But sometimes, there are moments for tossing up graduation caps rather than hands. And in these cases, you need to make sure you’re prepared. More

Writing Tip 347: “Stocking” vs. “Stalking”

Is it beautiful? Sure. At least until there’s confusion over whether we’re talking about stalks, stalking, or investment opportunities.

Being someone who stocks things is good. Being someone who stocks or stalks people is bad. Being someone who stalks things could go either way—but I’m guessing there has to be a story there.

We can talk about corn stalks or agricultural stocks on the New York Stock Exchange. We can talk about stockings made of silk or a stalking horse, but whichever form you intend, make sure you’re spelling it right. Neither farmers, not investors do well when they’re careless. More

Writing Tip 346: “Gamble” vs. “Gambol”

If someone is gamboling while gambling, either the bartender should cut them off or, maybe, they’re having a really lucky muppet-arms and how-do-you-like-them-apples kind of day.

Sometimes pressing send on an important communication can feel like a gamble. When you misspell a word that spellcheck doesn’t catch—like applying to be a “manger” rather than a “manager” (ouch!)—it can really hurt the cause. Typos can sometimes sneak into our writing when you aren’t looking (or when you forget to proof yourself), and here’s one more you need to make sure to get right to make those big emails slightly less of a “gamble,” “gambol,” or otherwise.

If you’re walking into a Vegas hotel, maybe you’re getting ready to gamble. If you’re gamboling through the door of that hotel, that’s something quite different. More

Trivia: The Origin of “Turning the Tables”

There aren’t many expressions that have their origins in board games, but “to turn the tables” on someone—meaning to change someone’s fortunes—comes from exactly that source.

"turning the tables"

Share Your Best Writing Advice & Win a Book

Get a Grip on Your Grammar: 250 Writing and Editing Reminders for the Curious or Confused is turning one year old this week! Time flies when you’re having fun and scribbling up a storm. To celebrate, I’m giving away three copies of Get a Grip to whoever shares the best answers to the following question:

What is the best writing tip you’ve ever received or that you wish you’d been told?

#GetAGripWritingTip Contest Rules:

Keep your answers 3 sentences or fewer.
Be funny. Be honest. Be sincere. Be however you’d like to be. But share your best wisdom.
One entry per person (i.e., a single individual can only win one book.)
All entrants will receive Kris’s “25 Fiction Writing Redundancies” AND “25 Business Writing Redundancies,” as well as access to Kris’s monthly writing tips newsletter.
The best 3 pieces of advice, as chosen by Kris, will be announced by noon EST on April 25, 2018. The 3 winners will be notified via email and will each receive a copy of Get a Grip on Your Grammar.