Posts Categorized: Editing

A Sneaky Writing Tip to Trick Your Brain

Posted by Christi McGuire

If you’re a writer, most likely you’ve been working on a manuscript of some sort. Fiction, non-fiction, short story, or a magazine article—your ideas have been percolating in your brain and swirling around on paper for a while.

Sometimes a looong while.

You are sick of opening that document with the same title. The same unpublished title of the same unfinished, unpublished book.

The solution? Trick your brain! This tip sounds corny (well, it is!) but it helps to trick your brain and put a smile on your face each time you open that document to work on your manuscript … again.

One of my clients and good friends taught me this trick: rename your document with something goofy, silly, funny—anything but the real title of your manuscript.

For example, my above-mentioned client and friend has worked on a manuscript for many years. She got sick and tired (and tired and sick) of seeing the same title. So she changed it to “Scooby Doo.” Every time she saw the document in her folder, she smiled. Even giggled. It was enough to get her brain rejuvenated and inspire more creativity.

Seeing the title of your book in the document name yet again can be discouraging and set off your writing time with negative thoughts. Instead, bring humor to it. My client’s document soon became Scooby Doo 1, Scooby Doo 2, and so on.

Silly? Maybe. Easy? Definitely!

Bring a smile to your face each time you open that document!

I renamed my book manuscript “Tinkerbell” because it reminds me my youngest daughter flitting around with her wings, wand, and slippers. Always brings a smile to my face!

What are some crazy title names you can create for your manuscript?

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©2011- 2012 Christi McGuire. All Rights Reserved.

 You Might Need an Editor If …

Posted by Christi McGuire

Trying to get published without the help of experts in the publishing industry is like trying to sell your house without a realtor. Can it be done? Sure. But will you face more obstacles along the way without guidance of someone who knows the market? Yes. Are there tips and tricks and industry pointers that experts know that you don’t? You betcha. Is the paperwork more daunting? Yep. Would you be taken more seriously and find better success if you hired a professional?

Definitely.

The same is true in the world of publishing. Professional editors and consultants know what the “biz” is all about—and they can help you navigate your way to success.

If you are seeking publication, you might want to consult an editor if …

    • You don’t understand what the term “industry standard” is. You didn’t realize publishing was an industry, nor do you know what its standards are.
    • You believe having your mom proofread your manuscript is good enough.
    • You think Chicago Manual of Style refers to the local fashion talk show.
    • You write “This book is going to be the next Harry Potter!” in your query letter or try to convince the literary agent that you will be the next J.K. Rowling.
    • You do not research or request writer guidelines before submitting a query letter.
    • You don’t know what writer guidelines, query letter, or proposal mean.
    • You tell the literary agent that you were “born to write” or that you are positive that “God wants you to tell this story.”
    • You pitch your ideas (not a specific manuscript) to a literary agent.
    • You pitch many book manuscripts to a literary agent (not just one).
    • Your query is addressed to “Dear Agent” or “Dear Ma’am or Sir” or “To Whom It May Concern.”
    • You write the word “very” 587 times in the first 50 pages of your manuscript.
    • You blind copy your email query to several agents.
    • You have written a first draft and have not rewritten, edited, rewritten, edited, deleted, started over, written, rewritten, edited … you get the drift, right?
    • You query an agent with a genre he/she doesn’t represent.
    • You don’t know how to format your manuscript according to industry-standard format (there’s that term again!).
    • Your only publishing credit is having your poem in 5th grade published in Mrs. Smith’s monthly newsletter.
    • You are not sure about the difference between single spacing and double spacing.
    • You love to use italics, all caps, and bold font—ALL THE TIME!
    • You write in your query that Kate Hudson or Ryan Reynolds could star in your novel-based movie script.
    • You capitalize a, an, the in your book title (and they are not the first words).
    • You lowercase the word Internet.
    • You’ve never heard of an em dash or en dash but think they might be Olympic sports.
    • You don’t know what a word count is or how to do it—but you are hoping every word does indeed count.
    • Your proposal is in Comic Sans font because it’s your favorite font—it is cute, after all!

If you are passionate enough to put your heart and soul into a manuscript to submit for publication, then take the time to consult a professional to help you along the way. The publishing industry is competitive! The Christian publishing industry is rapidly growing and becoming just as competitive as the secular industry. Agents and publishers want to know why your manuscript is different from others, how you can assure success as an author, and how you can guarantee sales.

Bottom line: the publishing industry is a business. A business’ goal is to make money. If your manuscript looks unprofessional, is filled with grammar mistakes, and has not been submitted according to industry standard, you will not stand out among the thousands of others wanting to get published, too.

Seek professional expertise—an editor is worth the investment in your publishing career!

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©2011- 2012 Christi McGuire. All Rights Reserved.

Grammar and Your Reputation

Posted by Christi McGuire

Who cares about grammar?

If I don’t notice mistakes, no one else will either.

Grammar has nothing to do with my business.

I don’t have time or money to hire an editor.

I know what I’m doing.

Grammar? Who cares about that?

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These are all comments I’ve heard from people about grammar. Does grammar matter? Does it affect your business, sales, product, service, or platform?

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Absolutely.

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Look at the example below. Do you see the glaring mistake?

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(Please note that this is not a post about pro-life vs. pro-choice. This is merely the example I’m using. If you are interested in reading my personal opinion on this matter, please click here.)

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This photo has been passed around on Facebook. The originator of this photo obviously feels passionate. But how is he or she portrayed based on this one sentence? The use of “your” is incorrect. “Your” is possessive (example: your shoe). “You’re” should have been used, which means “you are.” This person’s conviction becomes discredited when a grammar mistake is present. Not many will listen to or be swayed to agree with his or her views. A simple grammar mistake can … pardon my frankness … make you look like an idiot!

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Grammar absolutely affects how people look at you and whether you are effective and successful at what you do. It affects your …

    • Business
    • Website
    • Sales
    • Products
    • Service
    • Platform
    • Debate
    • Argument
    • Case
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Do you get the idea? Whenever you speak or write, how you do so matters—a lot! I’ve worked with many businesses who have asked me to review their websites and business material. What did I find? Mistakes, mistakes, and many more mistakes. All of these companies did not think that their sales, whether products or services, were affected by grammar. However, their reputations are on the line with each customer interaction. Every time a customer views a business’ website, flyer, mailer, advertisement, pamphlet, booklet, contract, or brochure, the company can either look competent and professional, or it can look incompetent and ignorant—all based on grammar.

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Take the time to learn proper grammar, punctuation, word choice, and style. However, if you know you’re not an expert on these matters, then hire someone who is. There are many things I know nothing about—cars, plumbing, electronics. So I either learn about them or hire an expert who knows to get the job done correctly.

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If you want to learn a little more about grammar, check out these previous posts:

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The next time you put out a post, newsletter, website, blog, advertisement—anything!—check for proper grammar. It can affect your reputation more than you think.

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Share with us—what is the funniest grammar mistake
you’ve ever noticed?

Spiritual Style

Posted by Christi McGuire

*Style guides have been updated since this post was published. Be sure to read the updated post here.

I’ve been in Christian publishing for over 10 years, first as an editor at LifeWay Christian Resources, and now as a freelance contributor. In addition to stylebooks, such as the AP Stylebook and the Chicago Manual of Style, those who work in Christian publishing have additional style guides for religious terms. For example, how do you know whether to capitalize “godly” since it refers to God? Is “Bible” always capitalized? One of the best resources is “The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style” by Robert Hudson (Zondervan, 2004). However, each publishing house will have its own style guide, as well. LifeWay may style curriculum and resources differently than Zondervan or Thomas Nelson. But most of them agree on the following styles below.

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Whether you are a writer, editor, or you merely refer to religious and spiritual terms as a Christian, these following tips can serve as a helpful guide.

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Capitalize Words That Refer to God

Examples: Lord, Almighty, Baby Jesus, Christ, Comforter, Counselor, Creator, Father, Godhead, Judge, King, Providence, Redeemer, Savior, Servant, Son, Sovereign, Trinity

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Lowercase General References to Jesus

Examples: friend, person, baby, child, boy, and man (Jesus is my friend.)

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Capitalize Adjectives That Are Part of God’s Name

Examples: Almighty God, Anointed One, Divine Savior, Good Shepherd, Great Physician, Heavenly Father, High Priest, Holy Father, Holy Spirit, Promised One, Sovereign Lord, Suffering Savior, Suffering Servant, Supreme Being, Wise Creator

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Refer to the Holy Spirit as “He,” not “It”

Examples: The Holy Spirit comforts me; He brings peace into my life.

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Capitalize pronouns (except relative pronouns) that refer to God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit

Examples:

God gave His Son for our sins.

God loves His children; He loves us with an everlasting love!

When Christ died on the cross, He gave Himself for our sins.

O Lord, You are holy!

Christ is the One in whom we find salvation

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Lowercase Relative Pronouns (who, whom, whoever, whomever) referring to God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit

Examples:

The God whom we serve is faithful.

God, who is most faithful, loves us unconditionally.

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Lowercase Most Derivatives Referring to God, (Whether Nouns or Adjectives)

Examples:

godly (He is a godly man.)

fatherhood messianic

lordship

saviorhood

sonship

Exceptions:

Capitalize these words: Christian, Christlike, God-fearing, Godlike, Godhead

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Always Capitalize “Bible” and “God’s Word”

Examples:

The Holy Bible is God’s Word.

God speaks through His Word, the Bible.

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Always Capitalize “Scripture”

Examples:

The Scripture says, “Great is thy faithfulness!”

The Scriptures are God’s truth to His people.

Read the Scriptures daily to know God.

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Gospel: Whether to Capitalize Depends on Meaning

    • “Gospel” meaning “good news” is not capitalized.
      Examples:
      Tell others the gospel message of Christ!
      I love good old gospel music!
    • “Gospel” meaning first four books of the New Testament is lowercased, except when it is included in the name of the book.
      Examples:
      The four gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
      The Gospel of John is my favorite book.
      John’s gospel is my favorite book.
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Lowercase Names of Places

Examples: heaven, hell, paradise, garden of Eden, kingdom (God’s kingdom; kingdom of God)

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Which of these styles do you use most in your everyday life?
Do you blog about “God” or how the “Scriptures” impact your life?
Do you have a question about how to style a particular word or phrase?
Let me know by commenting below!

Capitalization Tips

Posted by Christi McGuire

As I was working on a manusript this weekend, I had look up a few words to see whether or not they should be capitalized. I discovered that “Founding Fathers” is always capitalized. Here are a few other capitalization tips.

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Family Titles

Capitalize family titles when they can stand alone or are followed by a personal name. Do not capitalize family titles when they are preceded by a possessive.

Examples:
I’ll ask my mom if I can go.

I’ll ask Mom if I can go.

I’ll ask my aunt if I can go.

I’ll ask Aunt Anna if I can go.

But I really want to go, Mom!

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 Capitalization and Numbers

Capitalize a noun followed by a number or a letter that indicates sequence. However, there are exceptions. Do not capitalize: line, note, page, paragraph, size, step, or verse.

Examples:
Account 100
Act 2
Appendix B
Book IIV
Chapter VII
page 10
line 10
Room 100
verse 10

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Items in a Bulleted List

Capitalize each item in a list or an outline.

Example:
Here are the items I need:
• Paper.
• Pen.
• Books.

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States

Capitalize the word “state” only when it follows the name of the state or is part of the nickname.

Examples:

Florida State is also called the Sunshine State.

The state of Florida is a peninsula.

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Compass Points

Capitalize compass points (and any derivative words) when they designate a definite region of the world or a proper noun. Do not capitalize compass points when they merely indicate direction or general location.

 Examples:

Many people have relocated from the East Coast to the Midwest. (regions)

Go west on Route 66 and turn south at the stoplight. (direction)

The west coast of the U.S. is on the Pacific. (not a region)

Amy lives on the West Coast. (region)

I have just visited the Far East. (region)

How far east do you go to get to the shore? (not a region)

Santa Claus lives at the North Pole (proper noun)

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Poetry

Capitalize each line in a poem. However, if you’re quoting a poem, then follow its style.

Example:
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.
You’re on your own.
And you know what you know.
You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.
~Dr. Seuss

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Common Nouns

Some expressions were created from proper nouns but are now common nouns and are not capitalized. (Note: Microsoft Word will most likely try to automatically correct these!)

Examples:
charley horse
plaster of paris
manila envelope
bone china
napoleon (the dessert)
boycott
diesel
macadam
ampere
watt
joule
kelvin
texas leaguer
arabic numbers
roman numbers

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Proper Names

Capitalize nicknames that designate specific persons, places, or things.

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Examples:
the Founding Fathers
the First Lady
the White House
the Oval Office
the Stars and Stripes
the Gopher State (Minnesota)
Mother Nature
a Good Samaritan
Big Mac
Down Under
a Green Beret
the Little Dipper
the Top 40
Bloody Mary
the Third World

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Question Within a Sentence

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Capitalize an independent question within a sentence.

Example: The question is, How far are you willing to go?

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 These are only a few tips in capitalization. What words do you wonder whether or not they are capitalized?

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One Space or Two?

Posted by Christi McGuire

As I edit, whether it’s college English papers or marketing copy for business owners, there is one common blunder in most copy: two spaces between sentences.

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Years ago, we were all hounded by our English teachers to put TWO spaces between sentences. Two spaces. Two spaces. Two spaces. But what were we using years and years ago before everybody had a personal computer (or two or three)? Yep, you guessed it—typewriters.

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I learned to type in high school in Keyboarding class on a typewriter. Seems like it must have been the Stone Age, doesn’t it? Typewriters only had one font: monospaced font. If you open Microsoft Word and use “Courier” font, you can visibly reminiscence about the days of the typewriter. Monospaced font was not proportional, meaning that each letter and character occupied the same amount of space. The typewriter, God bless its ancient soul, moved the same distance forward after each letter was typed. Because of that, typists inserted two spaces between sentences so that the page didn’t look all smashed together and very difficult to read.

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Today’s word-processing programs have hundreds, if not thousands, of fonts that are proportional, where each letter or character has its own width. This allows for better readability and a more professional-looking page. Therefore, two spaces are no longer needed—at all. Nada. Nope. Never. Ever. (Ever!)

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Breaking the habit of adding two spaces between sentences can be hard. But no worries! You can easily change an entire document in mere seconds with the “find/replace” function.

  • Press “Control” and “F” and the “Find and Replace” box will pop up.
  • Click on the “Replace” tab.
  • In the “Find What” row, press the space bar twice.
  • Then in the “Replace With” row, press the space bar once.
  • Now click “Replace All.”

Every single page will be adjusted immediately, and it will tell you how many replacements were made. You may want to do this several times until the program says “0” replacements. I’ve worked with some professionals (who will remain nameless) who put more than two spaces between sentences, so I’ve had to “find and replace” over and over again to make sure only one space is between each sentence.

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No matter what you write—whether emails or blogs, college papers or professional copy—stop typing two spaces between sentences, as if in the Dark Age of typewriters. Join the technologically-advanced age of ONE space between sentences! Editors will thank you!

Positive Proofreading

Posted by Christi McGuire

What was one of the things your teacher always told you in school? Do your best. Keep your hands to yourself. Practice makes perfect. Raise your hand before speaking. Yes, these are all valid. But the particular one I am thinking about is: Double check your work.

As an editor, that’s pretty much what I do all day long: Double check other people’s work! Was it only applicable in seventh grade? Nope! Anybody who writes a letter, word, or sentence needs to double check—triple check—his or her work. Whether or not you are a grammar goddess or spelling bee queen, you need to proofread everything you write.

Proofread, proofread, proofread!

You may never be congratulated for using proper grammar, but you sure may be ridiculed if someone finds a mistake in your marketing copy, your resume, a business email, or even a restaurant menu. Incorrect copy, misspelled words, and improper sentences can cost you a sale, a job, or even your reputation.

The cure? Proofread! No matter who you are or what you do, anything you write needs to be double checked for correctness. So how can you proofread accurately to catch mistakes?

1. Take a break for at least 24 hours.
Write your copy, and then leave it alone for at least full day. Writing is like having blinders on—your brain knows what it wants to see, and it can’t always see the mistakes. Not looking at it for a while will give you fresh eyes when you pick it back up again.

2. Block out noise.
Proofreading = precision. It’s hard to work precisely with noisy distractions. I can often write with music on, the TV blaring, and the kids playing. But I absolutely cannot edit when it is noisy around me. I need a quiet place to focus and concentrate on each word.

3. Read out loud.
OK, I know, this seems silly. But it does work! (Although you might want to do this when nobody is around!) Read your work out loud, and you will catch the mistakes and the parts that don’t flow well, seem awkward, and not what you originally wanted to say.

4. Print a hard copy.
I always edit on paper. Maybe I’m old school, but it really does help me edit better. Reading on a screen, my eyes become tired and glance over mistakes. When I print out a manuscript, article, or any other copy, it is easier and more effective to edit properly.

5. Read it backward.
It may sound like Jabberwocky, but reading backward will help you catch misspelled words.

6. Use color.
When you print out a copy to proof, use colored ink to make your corrections. It’ll help you as you enter in the corrections.

7. Take a break.
Proofreading and editing takes focused, concentrated effort, so take a break every 10 minutes or so, just to give your eyes and brain a quick rest.

8. Let someone else read it.
After you’ve done the previous seven tips, the last (and best) thing to do is ask a friend to read your copy. Ask them, “Does it make sense? Do you see any mistakes? Do you understand the point I am trying to make?” Someone reading a document for the first time will more likely be able to catch mistakes and give you feedback (whether positive or negative) better than you, especially when you have read the same sentence twenty-five times.

Please proofread! Make your seventh-grade teacher happy, don’t forfeit the job interview, secure the sale, and, most of all, look like an intelligent, competent person with correct copy by proofreading, proofreading, proofreading!

Freelance Tips #3 and #4

Posted by Christi McGuire

“The Wealthy Freelancer” by Steve Slaunwhite, Pete Savage, and Ed Gandia is a valuable resource for all freelancers. The authors not only conduct an online training site for all freelancers, but they have founded International Freelancers Day, which is on this Friday, September 23. This all-day online conference is totally free for freelancers, but you must register on their site for access to all the conferences.

There are four top tips this resource has given me to help me on my freelance journey. If you missed the first two, you can click here to go to that post. As promised, here are two more useful tips:

  • Schedule Your Work and Focus on It (pages 164 to 177)

Probably the #1 reason you became your own boss was the flexibility: you can work whenever you want to. The #1 downfall to running your freelance business is you can work whenever you want to! Working at home is wonderful. I love sipping my coffee while wearing yoga pants with no makeup on and a ponytail (lovely image, I’m sure). But then I think, “I’ll just check my email … then click over to Facebook … well, better check Twitter this morning.” Before I know it, I’ve lost an hour of precious time that needed to be spent accomplishing a particular task. Checking email and all forms of Social Media are worthy, as well as necessary. But without focus, a freelancer’s day can be unproductive.

Steve Slaunwhite suggests using the “50-Minute Focus” to double your productivity. For just 50 minutes, remain totally focused on one thing (and only one thing). Don’t check email, take a break, or wander aimlessly around cyber space. Focus one on task for 50 minutes, and then take 10 to 20 minutes to refresh your mind, take a break, throw laundry in the dryer, and check email. Many freelancers (including myself) can be easily distracted. This 50-minute focus helps me accomplish more in a typical day.

  • Set Regular Business Hours (page 192)

The glory of being a freelancer is that you can work anytime you want or need to. This is great for a mom like me with young children. I am able to be present and engaged in their lives and fit my work around our family schedule. That means I work a lot of late nights and weekends. However, the trick is not to let clients know you work outside of typical business hours. Never schedule conference calls (unless absolutely necessary due to different time zones) or send emails outside of business hours. Once you do, you give the perception that you are “on” all the time, around the clock, at the client’s beck and call. Clients will begin to expect a response at all hours.

When I read “The Wealthy Freelancer,” I realized I struggled with this concept. I was doing exactly this! Since I do a lot of work on the weekends, I would email it to a particular client as soon as I completed each project so that it was crossed off my to-do list. What transpired was that this client sent me projects at night and over the weekend, as this client knew I was working. This client would send me as assignment on Saturday and expect it returned on Monday, which should be considered a “rush” job with an additional fee. The expectation had been set that I was available at night and weekends, after typical business hours.

After I read the tip “Train Clients to Respect Your Time” and set boundaries of my availability to clients, I was much happier and less stressed. I felt like my time was my own again. Even if I finish a project at night or on the weekend, I send it in a scheduled email via Microsoft Outlook to go out the next business day at 9 a.m. (go to “Options” and then “Delay Delivery” to schedule emails). I do not reply to client emails after 5 p.m. on weekdays or on the weekend. If I receive a project from a client after 5 p.m. on a weekday or on the weekend, I consider it received the next business day.

These tips have helped my freelance business become more successful and have allowed me to be a happier writer and editor.

If you are a freelancer (whether writer, editor, designer, photographer, consultant, or other) tell us your best tips to grow your own business.

Freelance Tips #1 and #2

Posted by Christi McGuire

If you are a freelancer—whether a writer, editor, photographer, designer, consultant, or contractor—the book “The Wealthy Freelancer” by Steve Slaunwhite, Pete Savage, and Ed Gandia (Alpha Books, 2010) is a great resource. It shares 12 secrets to shorten the learning curve of starting your freelance business and dozens more tips and insights to grow your existing freelance career. The co-authors are also co-founders of International Freelancers Academy. Check out all of the free training courses for all types of freelancers at their site.

Much of my copy of this book is highlighted and has made a positive impact on my personal freelance business. If you have read my biography, “Christi Who?” you may know that seven years ago I resigned as editor of ParentLife Magazine to move to Florida and begin a freelance career as an editor and writer. But only in the last few years has my freelance taken off. The secrets, tips, and insights from this resource have been a big part of that growth and success. There are four tips that have personally been the best for me. Today, I’ll share two of those tips.

  • Itemize Your Services on Your Website (page 95)

When people discover I am a freelance writer and editor, they don’t quite understand what I do. They typically ask is: “What do you write? What does an editor do?” It’s not enough to say writer or designer; you will gain more clients by being specific about what services you provide. Potential clients don’t want to waste time by contacting you to see if you fit their needs. My website lists my services as: Magazine Writing, Curriculum Writing, Business Writing, Book Publishing, and Speaking. The authors of “The Wealthy Freelancer” would probably recommend being even more specific than that. I could break down the category of “Business Writing” to be: marketing campaigns, email copy, website copy, newsletters, correspondence, brochures, annual reports, proposals, and resumes. Your clients want to know as much about you as possible before taking the time to contact you. Answer all their questions by being specific about your services.

  • Create a Fee Schedule (page 96)

As noted above, potential clients want to know if it’s worth their time contacting you for a particular job. If they are on a low budget, and your services cost three times as much as they are willing to spend, then they’ll know whether or not to contact you. Personally, having a set fee has helped the awkwardness of talking about “price” with potential clients. Publishing your services and standard fees alleviates time wasted by negotiating with clients. It also sends a message: “I am a professional who provides services for a fee.”

I once experienced an awkward moment with a client who wanted a professional writer for only $10 an hour. I was able to refer to my list of services and fees. There is much written in the freelance world about fees being per project or per hour. For example, typical editing services begin at $30 per hour and writing for marketing campaigns can start at $75 per hour. However, when you have an established career, you are more able to charge per project because you have experience in knowing what a certain project will take to complete. Charging a fixed rate per project is more appealing to clients who want to know the total cost upfront. It’s difficult to charge clients an hourly price but not know how many hours a project will take.

Check in on Wednesday for the next two tips—don’t miss them!

If you are a freelancer, share your best tips to grow your business.

 

Break the Rules!

Posted by Christi McGuire

Rules, rules, rules. The English language is full of rules. “I” before “E” except after “C” (and in a bunch of words that are exceptions). Never capitalize a, an, or the in a title unless it’s the first word. Make sure your subject and verb agree (as if they don’t get along). So many rules to remember … and so many exceptions.

But here are a few rules that you can get away with breaking. (I just broke one of them in that sentence!)

1. Never end a sentence with a preposition.

Nope! Not valid anymore. It used to be “proper” not to end sentences with prepositions; however, it made language very awkward. For example, the sentences “Where should we eat at?” or “Who do I give this to?” would have been considered illegal (well, at least ungrammatical). Teachers forced us to alter sentences to “At where should we eat?” and “To whom do I give this?” We all sounded as formal as the British monarchy! Syntax (the rules for putting together phrases and sentences) has become less archaic and more relaxed in order to be readable, so this rule has nearly become extinct. Instead of saying “To where has it gone?” go ahead and break the rule to say “Where has it gone to?”

2. Do not begin a sentence with so, and, but.

But why? Because most of us were taught never to start a sentence with a conjunction. A conjunction is a part of speech that joins together sentences, phrases, or clauses. These are seven little conjunctions: and, but, or, yet, for, nor, so. Poor little words! Why can’t they be important enough to begin a sentence? There is “no historical or grammatical foundation” to this rule, so says the Chicago Manual of Style (see the 16th edition, page 257). Using a conjunction to begin a sentence can add emphasis, especially in dialogue. So go ahead—use a conjunction. But just don’t overdo it. (Like the last two sentences!)

3. Never split infinitives.

First of all, what is an infinitive? Well, I’m glad you asked! An infinitive is a verb phrase that consists of a “to” + “verb” (for example: to do, to see, to be, to have).

In the English world, as well as publishing, there has been a strict rule not to split infinitives. Guess what? You can get the scissors out and cut the apron strings: infinitives can be separated. Infinitives can be split for the sake of readability, comprehension … and just ‘cause it sounds better! So instead of writing “there is a strict rule not to split infinitives,” I can write “there is a strict rule to not split infinitives.”

Another example: To never stop learning is a crime! (“to” and “stop” combine to make the infinitive “to stop.”) If you wrote “Never to stop learning is a crime” only to avoid splitting the infinitive, it would sound a little ridiculous. So split away!

Ahhh … how freeing is it to break a few rules
where there are so many laws of the language!

What rule (grammar or otherwise) do you wish could be broken?