What writers really want for the holidays
This year’s holiday post on “gifts for the writer in your life” doesn’t include any physical items. Though there are plenty of books, games, apps, and coffee mugs out there for writers to covet and for their loved ones to purchase, listing these felt wrong for 2020. After the year we’ve all had, doing something kind for the writer you love seems more meaningful than buying them a t-shirt that says, “I’m silently correcting your grammar.”
With this in mind, my 2020 holiday post includes a list of 10 things you can do to soothe the writer in your life. Okay . . . technically, it’s a list of 10 things to stop doing. But keep reading, and you’ll get the idea.
Random capitalization
When did random capitalization become acceptable? Capitalizing a word when it shouldn’t be doesn’t make it more important. Capitalization rules have existed for centuries — and are some of the easiest writing rules to follow — so why do so many people get it wrong? Stop it.
Words that aren’t words
Irregardless. Signage. Utilize. (Utilize is a word, but there is no reason to use it, ever.)
Worthless verbs
Please stop it with the lazy, meaningless verbs. Utilize, implement, leverage, and disseminate jumble writing and weaken messages. Use clear, active verbs instead of the soul-crushing ones. (Carry out instead of implement; improve instead of ameliorate.) Also, impact is not a verb. Neither is Powerpoint.
Every time you use an apostrophe to make something plural, a puppy dies.
Remember that when your tempted to write 1990’s or 50’s or ATM’s.
Using “over” with quantity
The use of “over” with a quantity — over $65 million or over 10 percent — isn’t technically wrong, just bad form. “Over” should be used to indicate direction, “more than” to indicate an amount. More than $65 million or more than 10 percent.
A very unique gift
Unique is just unique. Something is either unique or not. Very unique is meaningless. Other words with meanings that are absolute and can’t be modified include complete, equal, infinite, and perfect.
One space or two?
It’s one space after a period, not two.
Fewer or less?
At least my local grocery store gets this right. Use less to refer to quantities that can’t be counted and fewer to refer to numbers. There were fewer people in the office today. There was less traffic on the roads.
Describing people as “seasoned”
Have you ever heard your boss, executives, or co-workers described as “seasoned”? Ann is a well-seasoned marketing executive. Grrrrr. “Seasoned” describes food. Pork ribs can be seasoned; people cannot. Accomplished or established are better alternatives.
Exclamation points
When used — and that should be sparingly — only one is necessary.
How about it writers? Are there any other writing gaffes you would wish away?
