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ASK THE EDITOR Vol. 3, Issue 3 2002 http://kevinorf.tripod.com ----- IN THIS ISSUE: ESSENTIAL WRITING RESOURCES - FROM THE EDITOR - ESSENTIAL WRITING RESOURCES - SIX BOOKS ON WRITING YOU NEED TO READ - ONLINE RESOURCES - QUOTES - QUESTION FOR READERS - PREVIOUS READER REPLIES - ASK THE EDITOR QUESTION ----- FROM THE EDITOR Thanks to everyone who filled out the annual reader survey. You provided some excellent suggestions for topics for future issues. Keep them coming. If you didn't respond to the survey, please feel free to suggest future topics, respond to the question for readers posed in every issue, or submit an "Ask the Editor" question. Your insight is what drives the content of this e-newsletter. In this issue, we identify the essential writing resources every writer should have on his or her bookshelf, as well as suggested reading and on-line resources. ----- ESSENTIAL WRITING RESOURCES Here's what every writer should have on his or her desk: - Style guides. The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual is the accepted style for journalists and every conceivable kind of corporate communication. It includes thousands of entries on grammar, spelling, punctuation, and usage. The Chicago Manual of Style is essential for book publishing and scientific writing, and also addresses a number of style issues not covered in AP, or in more depth (for example, hyphenation). - Dictionary. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary is still the reference of choice. Accept no substitutes. The Oxford English Dictionary is also a good reference if you're interested in tracing the etymology of a word back to the Norman Invasion. Twenty volumes takes up a lot of bookshelf space though… - Thesaurus. Ever notice how your thesaurus doesn't actually include the word "thesaurus"? Think about that one for a minute. Anyway, my copy of Roget's has been collecting dust ever since a thesaurus became a standard feature of my word processor. Still, I find the suggestions provided by Microsoft Word rather limited, although you can't beat its ability to quickly look up a number of synonyms. The Synonym Finder, by J.I. Rodale, is an excellent alternative to Roget's. By the way, Roget's is now on-line (www.thesaurus.com). - Usage guide. The New Fowler's Modern English Usage. Not as prescriptive as earlier editions--which is a good thing. The English language is constantly in flux, which is why references should be descriptive, not prescriptive. This is also why Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary is such an outstanding reference. (For more about the issue of "correct usage," see Ask the Editor, Volume 1, Issue 4.) - Book of quotations. Bartlett's Familiar Quotations is the standard. The International Thesaurus of Quotations and The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations are also good. You can quote me on that. ----- SIX BOOKS ON WRITING YOU NEED TO READ Most books on writing are about how to avoid bad writing. Here are six that are actually about creating good writing: 1. On Writing Well, by William Zinsser. Toss out your Elements of Style and read a book that will really teach you how to write well. A classic. 2. Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace, by Joseph Williams. Williams believes that good writing is more than the result of following a list of rules. It depends on learning to use revision to better clarify the intended meaning and address the reader's needs. A great book for learning how to write clearly and directly, while eliminating jargon and cutting through bureaucratese, legalese, and academese. 4. Writing from the Inside Out, by Dennis Palumbo. An excellent book on unleashing the writer within. You'll never have writer's block again. 5. Writing Down the Bones, by Natalie Goldberg. An interesting book on breaking through the internal censor every one of us has, being awake to the speech of our inner minds, and trusting our own voices. 6. Revising Business Prose, by Richard Lanham. I deliver seminars on helping people improve their business writing, so I've reviewed dozens of books on the subject. This is one of the few of that offers sound, practical advice. Excellent strategies on revising. Another good book on business writing is The Elements of Business Writing, by Gary Blake and Richard Bly. What, no Elements of Style, you say? It puzzles me why this book, based on a book written in 1919, is always included on must-read lists. Yes, there are some nuggets of wisdom, but I believe any approach that focuses on error does more damage than good. Every time I look at this book, I think of a piano teacher with a ruler in hand, ready to whack the fingers of a student who hits a wrong note. Linguistic science and composition theory have advanced light years from the prescriptive approach to writing advocated here. ----- ONLINE RESOURCES CIA World Factbook: http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook FedStats: www.fedstats.gov Finding Data on the Internet: http://nilesonline.com/data/ Library of Congress: www.loc.gov Merriam-Webster OnLine:www.m-w.com My Virtual Reference Desk: www.refdesk.com Newswise: www.newswise.com One Look Dictionaries: www.onelook.com PR Newswire: www.prnewswire.com ProfNet: www.profnet.com Roget's: www.thesaurus.com Your Dictionary: www.yourdictionary.com ----- QUOTES "You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write." Saul Bellow "It takes less time to learn to write nobly than to learn to write lightly and straightforwardly." Nietzsche ------ QUESTION FOR READERS What writing reference books, books on writing, or on-line resources do you use? ----- PREVIOUS READER REPLIES What kinds of things do you or your organization do to ensure quality in your writing, editing, and production processes? Loved your issue on total quality writing. I agree that many mistakes are caused by faulty processes, not individuals. When I started as an editor at our organization, there was a wall between the editorial and production staff. Errors were constantly occurring and finger-pointing was the norm. We formed a team comprised of editors and production staff. Both the editors and production staff flowcharted the entire editorial process from concept to published product. When we compared the two processes, we realized both sides had different ideas about what was occurring. Then as a team we flowcharted a process that everyone agreed on and created a tracking form that could be used for every project. We also created a policies and procedures manual that was distributed to everyone. Now everyone is on the same page--pun intended! Errors are a lot less frequent and our production time has been cut almost in half in a lot of cases. What a difference! Kim Hahn ----- ASK THE EDITOR QUESTION
What is this the correct punctuation on these sentences?
"In 2001 our total assets grew another $110 million, ending the year at $757 million."
"In 2002, So-and-so will again be the title sponsor of the Celebrity Golf Classic, which raises vital financial support for leukemia research."
The rub is in the comma after our "In 2001" and "In 2002,"
Help! Greg Erickson Account Manager, Kleckner Advertising
Follow AP's rule (and I think the Chicago Manual of Style says the same thing), which is this: The comma may be omitted after short introductory phrases if no ambiguity would result. In other words, go with your first sentence.
"The Editor"
Another comma question... (have I mentioned that I hate commas?) Our people are great people, attracted by our collaborative, nurturing workplace.
-or-
Our people are great people attracted by our collaborative, nurturing workplace.
and...
For our business banking customers, our products and services run the gamut, from cash management services and standby lines of credit to SBA loans through our SBA Department, employee benefit planning through Anchor Trust, and our new Business Instant Cash & Check card.
-or-
For our business banking customers our products and services run the gamut, from cash management services and standby lines of credit to SBA loans through our SBA Department, employee benefit planning through Anchor Trust, and our new Business Instant Cash & Check card.
Greg Erickson Account Manager, Kleckner Advertising
Using commas is as much art as it is science, probably more so. Improving ease of reading and reducing ambiguity are your main objectives. I'd use one in your first example because you have a nonrestrictive clause, plus the sentence is more ambiguous without one. I'd use a comma in the second example, too. If it were a really short introductory phrase--e.g., "For customers"--you could omit it, but I'd use one here.
"The Editor" Stumped by a style issue or perplexed by a punctuation problem? In each issue, I answer a question submitted by a reader. Send your question today! ***** Copyright 2002 Kevin Orfield Need an immediate quote on a writing project? Or need an estimate for a customized business writing seminar? Call a writing consultant you can depend on. Kevin Orfield, MA Writing Consultant 262-236-0110 Fax: 262-236-0120
Orfield Communications 319 Woodside Ln. Thiensville, WI 53092 Visit our Web site! http://kevinorf.tripod.com ***** As a customer of Orfield Communications, you get a free subscription to the quarterly e-mail newsletter, Ask the Editor. Each issue tackles common problems all writers--from business professionals to professional writers--often face. You can also get expert opinion on any writing problem. Just "Ask the Editor." Subscription Notes: Feel free to pass this newsletter on to friends and colleagues. - To subscribe others, just have them send an e-mail to kevinorf@netwurx.net with "Subscribe to Ask the Editor" in the "Subject" box. - To unsubscribe at any time, simply send an e-mail to kevinorf@netwurx.net with "Unsubscribe to Ask the Editor" in the "Subject" box. But then, why would you want to miss out on free advice? ***** |
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