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Mad as a Hatter
Image by John Tenniel Remember the Mad Hatter in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland? Did you ever wonder why he was called the Mad Hatter? In Lewis Carroll’s day, people wore hats much more than they...
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Fingers are Handy
Our digits come in very handy at times. You might say our fingers were the original “digital” age. The human thumb is very useful, especially since it is opposable. Next to it is a finger that, long...
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February Trivia
Did you know that the Romans thought of February as a month of purification? It comes from the Latin word “februo” which means to purify by sacrifice. The kind of sacrifice is a matter of guesswork. It...
View ArticleOne Word or Two?
The compound words in this post are ones that give most people trouble. Should they be written as one word or two? Everyday or every day? When you want to say “casual” or “ordinary,” as in “everyday...
View ArticleInto or In To?
I often have to hesitate when I want to use “into,” struggling with which is correct – “into” or “in to.” The main deciding factor is whether there is motion, or action going towards something. Going...
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Funny, But Not
I’m reading a horror of a book right now (and it’s not a horror story, but rather a story about relationships). The author has written several books, but I know I won’t buy another of hers. I’m sad to...
View ArticlePolishing That Final Draft
I am a copy editor. Like most people, when I’m not working, I read novels for enjoyment. When I come to a mistake in the writing, I grimace and then go on, hoping that this was one of the rare times an...
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Dialogue Problems
I’ve written about dialogue several times before, and yet I keep feeling the need to stress, once again, that poor dialogue skills can ruin a manuscript. My standard guideline is that all we really...
View ArticleEerie Coincidences
Has this kind of thing ever happened to you? It would make a great Twilight Zone episode. A Letter for Me
View ArticleMore Misused Words
I thought it was time to hit you with a few more words that are often confused. I keep seeing them misused, so there must be a need for a review of at least some of them. The mangled body was evidence...
View ArticleJerry, Gerry, and Jury
I came across a word whose meaning I hadn’t really ever understood. Lately it seems to be used a lot. It is “gerrymander.” I looked it up and it said ” to distort or redraw to one’s advantage. Used...
View ArticleWrong Word
Groaners I find when I’m reading If an actor is really angry about the part he is asked to play and he’s somewhat crazy and trying to make a point, he might crumple up his script and eat his role. But...
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Laying Down the Law
Looking back over the use of lay/lie and all its forms, I realize that it might be better to only concentrate on one form at a time. So today I’d like to start with Henrietta. When you set something...
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