Let’s Learn a New Word (3/8/22)
Are you familiar with the Latin term “mea culpa”? According to Merriam-Webster, “mea culpa” is a formal acknowledgment of personal fault or error.
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How to Write Internal (Unspoken) Dialogue
Do you know how to write out internal or unspoken dialogue (like thoughts) in your book? You can actually choose to use either italics or quotations, as long as you remain consistent. I personally prefer italics, as I like how italicizing better differentiates unspoken dialogue from spoken dialogue. Just remember to also italicize the terminal
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A Rule Regarding Colons (Pt. 3)
I’ve got another colon rule today, and it’s short and sweet. A colon can come after a closing parenthesis or quotation mark, but never before.
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A Rule Regarding Colons (Pt. 2)
Yesterday I talked about how the text preceding a colon must constitute a complete sentence. Today I have another colon rule for you. Do you know if you should capitalize or lowercase the first word following a colon? It actually depends. If you’re following the Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS), the first word following the
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A Rule Regarding Colons (Pt. 1)
Something a lot of people don’t realize about colons is that the text preceding a colon must stand as a complete independent clause (it must constitute a grammatically complete sentence). Let’s look at these two examples. The following are some Netflix shows we watched last year: Squid Game, Cowboy Bebop, and Hellbound. This text before
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Let’s Learn a New Word (2/25/22)
Wanna learn a new word today? How about acerbic? According to Merriam-Webster, acerbic is an adjective meaning sharply or bitingly critical, sarcastic, or ironic in temper, mood, or tone, such as acerbic commentary or an acerbic reviewer.
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Putting Yourself Out There
When I was starting out in this field, I remember reading an interview with a successful editor. They said something that has stuck with me: “If you put yourself out there enough, people will find you.” A common challenge freelancers face is finding clients. But I’ve found that simple advice to be true. Even though
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Moira Rose’s Vocabulary
We have been binging Schitt’s Creek on Netflix as of late. It’s a hilarious show and one I recommend fellow word nerds check out. The character Moira Rose (played by the wonderful Catherine O’Hara of Home Alone fame) has an extensive vocabulary, and you’re sure to learn dozens of fun words just by listening to
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The Uncomfortable Nature of Freelancing
I’m learning that part of being a freelancer means being okay with feeling uncomfortable. Freelancing is not like a normal nine-to-five where your hours are set, your income is steady, and you more or less know what to expect from day to day. There are times when I’m nearly bored work-wise, and then there are
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T-shirts
Wanna know a weirdly regular thing I find myself correcting during proofreads? The correct way to write “T-shirt.” According to Merriam-Webster, this is the correct way to write out this noun, with a capital “T.” I think the most common way I see writers spell it out is with a lowercase “t.” But that’s actually