Comma-tose

Too many commas make me seasick. I don’t do well with sudden and frequent near stops. Ocean waves and curvy roads can be my undoing. (I’m even getting a little nauseated just conjuring up these images).

You can imagine what too many commas do to me. Let’s not even get into semi colons, or I’ll end up in urgent care.

I love the smooth ride, the smooth read. Commas should be used sparingly and correctly. There are specific times to use a comma.

My husband says one of the worst things teachers tell students is to put in a comma to indicate a pause. “Let’s call it garbage,” my writer/editor husband says in keeping with the name of this blog. “The pause rule is just too damn vague,” he says.

Use a comma:

• after an introductory clause.
• in a series.
• between independent clauses that use a coordinating conjunction.
• to offset a non essential clause.

Otherwise you have disrupted your writing flow, and that’s never a good thing.

A buddy of mine wrote something along the lines:

“On Jan. 12 the University of Gibbonsville, will start its newest adventure. That day, a new class on writing will be offered.

I am very proud to say that I will be leading the efforts, of the new writing class.”

He would tell you that he put commas where he paused. Hmmm.

Of the three commas used in these three sentences, one is used correctly. (There’s a possible case to be made for using one after “On Jan. 12,” although I tend to leave commas out in two-to-three-word introductory clauses).

Do you know which commas are used incorrectly?

Unless it’s one of the four instances outlined above, and you’re in doubt, leave the comma out.

Yours in the new year,
WMW

It Makes An A - - Out of You and Me

Too many of the bloggers of the world either think no one is reading their blog or everyone is. If you're journaling for yourself, okay, but if you want to share you thoughts, you need to be clear.

Besides the grammar, spelling and sentence structure mistakes that confuse readers, too many bloggers assume the reader knows what they are talking about. Not so.

When many of us pull up a blog we're lost. There isn't any background or context to give meaning to what's newly written.

Bloggers need to find a few words to explain why the reader should be reading this post, what's new about this information, how does it relate to what's been said before and how/why it matters.

Before hitting the send button, you, the blogger, need to ask yourself if what you've written can stand alone. Would someone who's finding your blog for the first time understand your latest entry? (Hint: if a reader needs to read all entries to understand your latest, you'll likely lose them.)

Yours,
WMW

The Twitter Explosion | American Journalism Review

The Twitter Explosion  | American Journalism Review

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Let Me Help You

Beyond my tips, please consider hiring me to help you communicate better through your writing, whether in your workplace or your everyday life. I want to help.

If you don't want to hire me, cool, but keep reading the blog and offer suggestions on what you'd like me to write about.

Yours in Waste Management,
Christia
christia@writeimage.org

That's It -- Period

I've recently been thinking there really are just two little things that would improve any kind of writing from e-mails to business letters to letters to insurance companies to whatever it is you need to write.

Don't bother with colons and semi colons, stick to periods. And, divide your writing into shorter paragraphs.

Keeping it simple means keeping things more understandable.

Take the first graph above. Here's how it could be better:

I've recently been thinking there really are just two little things that would improve any kind of writing.

They work well whether you're writing e-mails, business letters, letters to insurance companies or whatever it is you need to write.

See what I mean? There's beauty in simplicity.

Yours in waste management, WMW

Spell it wrong at your peril

Words have power; misspelled words have the powere to make you look stupid. Texting aside, you need to spell correctly. It’s a competitive world out there. Somebody else can … spell correctly, that is.

I recently received some writing in which quizzes was spelled quizes and knowledgeable was spelled knowledgable. Misspelling undercuts your message. It’s difficult to take the poor speller seriously.

It’s never been easier to spell correctly. Use spell check – although pay attention to too, to, two; their, there, they’re; and your, you’re.

Buy a dictionary. There is a ton of good information in the book and everything is spelled right.

Yours in waste management, WMW

Road Signs: Trouble ahead.

Tell your reader what to expect. It keeps them engaged and appreciative that you’re not wasting their time. Who wants to get to the end of a letter, policy, e-mail, memo, whatever only to realize there is nothing that truly interests or pertains to them?

Lay it out pretty high in whatever you’re writing.

I got a Christmas letter this season that teaches the lesson well.

The daughter-in-law of one of my best friends charmingly warns to expect Smiley faces and exclamation points as she tells the tale of her family’s year. (Knowing this up front greatly reduces how annoying they can be.)

She goes a step further and lets the letter reader know there will be headings in case one wants to skim to the parts he or she is most interested in.

We can all learn from her thoughtfulness and respect for her reader.

Yours in waste management, WMW