Peter Piper didn’t pick a “pack” of pickled peppers. Peter Piper picked a “peck” of pickled peppers. But have you ever wondered what the heck a peck was?
It’s a bafflement of generations. We practice the tongue twister, never teasing the meaning from the lines. But it’s time to elevate our comprehension.
If I were a rich man… If I were a boy… Whether you want to start this “if I was” vs. “if I were” conversation with Fiddler on the Roof or Beyoncé, it’s a conversation we need to have.
Let’s talk unreal conditionals and the subjunctive mood. Actually, no, let’s not. That doesn’t sound very exciting.
Let’s talk music and musicians who get grammar. More exciting? Almost. But bear with me.
People don’t always think of wordsmiths as adventurers, of book writing as exploration, or of fine-tuning a manuscript as a process of discovery, but if that’s the case, they probably haven’t heard from award-winning, bestselling, documentary-producing author Dean King.
From the subject matter he chooses to investigate to his extensive research to the captivating storytelling that results, Dean is a master writer. I’m thrilled to welcome him to my Authors on Editing interview series.
When the discussion gets heated, are tempers “inflamed” or “enflamed”? Is there a difference? Which one should you use? Some days, it might feel hard to keep yourself in check, but before passions flare (or is it “flair”?), let’s settle this once and for all.
Oh, I see you, letter E, making your big difference between these two words. The question is, does everyone else see you too?
When I stumble upon a writing blog or a Twitter post, where someone is talking about the “heroin” of their novel, I just want to chime in. Not because I’m an editor. No, I’m sure it’s not a typo. I’m sure that wordsmith just feels like writing is such a drug, an addition, something for better or worse you just can’t shake, something that gets into your blood stream and makes you buzz sometimes, makes you giddy and exhilarated, something that makes you hallucinate and hear voices of characters when reality tells you they just aren’t there…
Discussions of “Rights” are sometimes tricky. Discussions of “Rites” are often equally complicated. Discussions of why I capitalized both of those words might be intimidating. But discussing the differences between “rights” and “rites” shouldn’t be a matter that mystifies us.
Some writers pen works you fall head-first into, making you not want to climb out until the very last page. Lisa Wingate is one such author, who has been able to achieve this feat time and time again. Lisa’s novels have been translated into over thirty-five languages, and on top of her skills as a novelist, the group Americans for More Civility, a kindness watchdog organization, selected Lisa along with six others as recipients of the National Civics Award, which celebrates public figures who work to promote greater kindness and civility in American life.
For these reasons, and many more, I am absolutely beside myself to present the following interview, which is full of inspiration and valuable writing and editing advice.
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.
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.”
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.