Writing Workshops & Seminars Copyright by Stephen Wilbers, Ph.D. |
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Seminars & email courses
Index to Syndicated Columns
by Stephen Wilbers
Author of 1,000 columns
published in the
Minneapolis Star Tribune & elsewhere
Includes more than 900 weekly columns,
dating from December 13, 1991,
arranged by column number, date, and first
appearance in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
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+Memos; 3-step; Memo.
1. December 13, 1991 Col To keep your readers’ attention, get to the point
54. January 22, 1993 Web The three-step memo gets the job done in a pinch
137. October 28, 1994 Keys Write quickly, freely to overcome writer’s block
234. November 15, 1996 Use the 3-step memo to get your message across
320. October 2, 1998 Keys Leave nothing to chance when writing persuasively
436. March 9, 2001 How to avoid mistakes when writing in a hurry
604. September 17, 2004
687. June 19, 2006 Writer’s block? Just start writing
778. July 7, 2008 803. July 6, 2009 The bottom line doesn’t always go on top
955. December 8, 2015 From email to executive summaries we go back to the future
+Concise writing and simple language; wordiness.; wordy.; concise.
4. January 3, 1992 Keys Give readers a break B keep it plain and simple
5. January 10, 1992 Use language that your readers know, expect
10. February 14, 1992 How to avoid succumbing to acute prolixity
32. July 17, 1992 So many words, so strong the urge to Aredunderize@ GD 33. July 24, 1992 Simple suggestions for simplifying sentences
34. July 31, 1992 How to write ambiguously to cover your amphibology
36. September 11, 1992 Keys Metaphors are fine, but avoid clichés like the plague Web 58. February 19, 1993 In most cases, one page should do for a report
61. March 12, 1993 (Orson Welbers) Keys The war of the words B invasion of the bureaucrats
76. June 25, 1993 New SlumberWrite software Arevolutionizes@ writing Web 78. July 9, 1993 Send your boss to Language Efficiency School
82. September 3, 1993 Pseudo-sophistication no justification for obfuscation
85. September 24, 1993 AElegant variation@ is an affectation to avoid
103. February 4, 1994 Keys To write with emphasis, trim your endings
105. February 18, 1994 Col Talking turkey and dressing down your reader
176. September 1, 1995 Col Windows 95 overlooked SlumberWrite software
240. January 3, 1997 Keys Here are five techniques for writing concisely
313. August 14, 1998 Keys To write with emphasis, make every word count
316. September 4, 1998 Keys Get to the point B don’t waste your readers’ time
326. November 13, 1998 Besse Plain-Talk Dentura offers lesson for writers
390. March 17, 2000 Col Message is muddled by meaningless modifiers (Key West) MC 428. January 12, 2001 For clarity and emphasis, make every word count
455. August 10, 2001
468. November 16, 2001 Col Get (right) to the point to connect with readers
482. March 1, 2002 Col A prolix, verbose talk with Perry Phrastic
548. July 18, 2003 GD Wordiness is a waste of time
557. September 19, 2003 Modifiers are the trickiest part of speech
571. January 16, 2004 MC
587. May 7, 2004
590. May 28, 2004 MC
612. November 29, 2004
648. September 5, 2005 Some enlightened thoughts from Perry Phrastic
658. November 14, 2005
698. September 18, 2006 MC
706. November 13, 2006
749. October 15, 2007 Web Eliminate wordiness to write with power
837. February 14, 2011 MC Charge yourself $5 for every word you write
910. March 18, 2014 Until such time as you eliminate wordiness, you’ll lose your reader
+Customer relations or PR./PR letters; customer.; correspondence. (See angry letters, bad-news letters, & complaint letters below)
6. January 17, 1992 Secret ingredients of a customer relations letter
35. September 4, 1992 In customer relations letters, put the reader first
139. November 11, 1994 Web Customer relations letters are good for business
219. August 2, 1996 Web A carefully written apology can create goodwill
338. February 12, 1999 How to say no without sounding like a bureaucrat
355. June 11, 1999 Keys What to say, and not to say, in openings and closings
375. December 3, 1999 Col Letters from a Nut a test of customer service Web 403. July 14, 2000 Col Closings can reinforce or detract from your message
451. July 13, 2001
465. October 26, 2001 Col Open and close with words of affirmation
471. December 14, 2001 If you must complain, do it with a cool head
481. February 22, 2002 Attorney General’s office does it right
602. September 3, 2004 Col Hello, goodbye warrant care
637. May 23, 2005 Greeting your reader is key
638. May 30, 2005 Parting can be so sweet
695. August 28, 2006
817. February 22, 2010 With good writing, the future looks bright
866. June 19, 2012 (China Connection)
Web
Choose your closing with an eye – and an ear – to relationship
+Parallel structure; parallel.
7. January 24, 1992 Keys Honoring your contract with the reader Col 161. April 21, 1995 Use parallel structure for emphasis, power
225. September 13, 1996 Keys The beauty and utility of language are connected Web 311. July 3, 1998 Keys Parallel structure is simple but powerful technique
458. August 31, 2001 MC Keep words running on a parallel track
555. September 5, 2003
599. August 13, 2004 Tips Two-liners can be unforgettable (quotes)
653. October 10, 2005 Tips Nonparallel structure is awkward MC 751. October 29, 2007 Writers are not always magicians
825. July 19, 2010 Avoid the number one error in PowerPoint
906. January 21, 2013 Maintain parallel structure for consistency, clarity, and emphasis
946. August 4, 2015 Keep things parallel to be healthy, wealthy, and a wise writer
+Schemes. (other than parallel structure) 909. March 4, 2014 MC Use antimetabole and chiasmus to make your sentences memorable
+Writer’s block.
11. February 21, 1992 Keys How to make writer’s block less of an obstacle Web 12. February 28, 1992 Keys ABulldozing@ leaves no time to be critical of writing
13. March 6, 1992 After spontaneous start, you need an outline
54. January 22, 1993 Web The three-step memo gets the job done in a pinch
70. May 14, 1993 To overcome writer’s block, silence inner critic
137. October 28, 1994 Keys Write quickly, freely to overcome writer’s block
190. December 15, 1995 Keys To overcome writer’s block, write with honesty
236. December 6, 1996 Keys The dread of writing comes from multiple causes
GD 290. February 6, 1998 Keys To overcome writer’s block, compose yourself
327. November 20, 1998 If writing were easy, you wouldn’t be reading this
376. December 10, 1999 Keys To save time, think before you rush to begin writing
424. December 15, 2000 Writing can be a breeze with the AQ&A@ format
461. September 28, 2001 Encouraging words to improve attitude
497. June 21, 2002 Don’t create obstacles before you get started
539. May 16, 2003 When drafting, just keep moving forward
561. October 17, 2003 Just forget the words and write
622. February 7, 2005 Keep the door open to writing
655. October 24, 2005 Web How deadlines can help you write
687. June 19, 2006 Writer’s block? Just start writing
836. January 17, 2011 Think first, then write, to overcome writer’s block
880. January 22, 2013 Two reasons why men shouldn’t write advice columns
+Telephone motif; Mr. President (Gordon Mac.)
11. February 21, 1992 Keys How to make writer’s block less of an obstacle Web 12. February 28, 1992 Keys ABulldozing@ leaves no time to be critical of writing
13. March 6, 1992 After spontaneous start, you need an outline
70. May 14, 1993 To overcome writer’s block, silence inner critic
299. April 10, 1998 Keys Principles of composition are not elements of style
321. October 9, 1998 Keys There’s always one more word to say about words
+Communication and management skills; manager., manage., managerial.
14. March 13, 1992 Col To write or not to write: A question of good management
45. November 13, 1992 How to say Ano@ without turning friends into enemies
113. April 15, 1994 Col The seven sins of highly ineffective writers
120. June 3, 1994
183. October 20, 1995 Col Communication skills are key to good managers (Munter) Web 199. February 16, 1996 Col Good managers know how to tell good stories Web 225. September 13, 1996 Keys The beauty and utility of language are connected Web 275. October 3, 1997 Web Good managers deliver bad news in a nice way
366. September 24, 1999
470. December 7, 2001 Col Good managers use words to build relationships
475. January 11, 2002 Clear communication is key in tough times
748. October 8, 2007 Good writers make good workers
905. January 7, 2013 A good manager is someone who cares and communicates
915. May 27, 2014 In baseball or the office, words that hit a homerun
951. October 13, 2015 Choose your words to be the leader, and the person, you aspire to be 967. May 24, 2016 To be a fully developed person (and leader), you need to dream
+General principles., approaches, habits (See Writing as Process below)
14. March 13, 1992 Col To write or not to write: A question of good management
86. October 1, 1993 Some operating principles that apply to writing
100. January 14, 1994 Col Lessons learned after 100 columns on writing
113. April 15, 1994 Col The seven sins of highly ineffective writers
120. June 3, 1994
200. February 23, 1996 Lessons learned from 200 columns on writing
300. April 17, 1998 Lessons learned from 300 columns on writing
334. January 15, 1999
337. February 5, 1999 How to develop habits for highly effective writing
395. April 21, 2000 To communicate effectively, consider your options
400. June 23, 2000 Lessons learned from 400 columns on writing
485. March 22, 2002 Even busy people can improve their writing
600. August 20, 2004 Bottom line is: Writing matters
+When to write.
14. March 13, 1992 Col To write or not to write: A question of good management
389. March 10, 2000 Col Effective communication requires time to think
395. April 21, 2000 To communicate effectively, consider your options
507. September 13, 2002 Know how, what, and when to write
924. October 14, 2014 Ask yourself nine questions before you risk writing
+Anger., angry., & angry letters (See customer relations & PR letters above, bad-news letters below)
15. March 20, 1992 How to make enemies and start wars with your writing
40. October 9, 1992 Venting your anger and psyching out your enemy
212. May 17, 1996 Web Angry letters are risky but sometimes necessary
365. September 17, 1999 Write with Arespectful exasperation@ to get your way
471. December 14, 2001 If you must complain, do it with a cool head
560. October 10, 2003 Col Angry letters by the bagful
+Proofreading.; proofread.
17. April 3, 1992 Web How to proofread and never miss a single errror
18. April 10, 1992 Web How did you do on last week’s proofreading quiz?
21. May 1, 1992 Web APorn and Beans@ and other proofreading classics
106. February 25, 1994 Proofread to eliminate those embarassing errrors
107. March 4, 1994 How would you grade your proofreading prowess?
157. March 24, 1995 Create a personalized proofreading checklist (link to error checklist)
205. March 29, 1996 Proofreading checklist eliminates common errrors
246. February 14, 1997 Proofreading errrors under mine your credibility
291. February 13, 1998 Web Techniques for proofreading word-processed text
335. January 22, 1999 Watch for Aeeking snout hogwash@ when proofreading
368. October 8, 1999 Proofreading horror stories need not be repeated
371. October 29, 1999 Here’s the best of the worst proofreading lapses
450. July 6, 2001 Revising is not the same as proofreading
513. October 25, 2002 Proofread to avoid embarrassing errors
607. October 8, 2004 Find 12 proofreading errrors in this text
666. January 9, 2006 A proofreading puzzle for the new year
743. August 27, 2007 Proofread this column for a word puzzle
796. March 30, 2009 Proofread this column to solve a puzzle
814. January 4, 2010 A proofreading puzzle for the new decade
844. July 18, 2011 Careful proofreading helps you avoid arousing your reader
863. May 8, 2012 Web If you’re editing only on screen, you’re missing the big picture
952. October 27, 2015 Watch for secreting banks and swimming trains when proofreading
+Promoting good writing, editing relationships, and working with an editor; promote; critic. (See Editing & revising text [techniques, not editing relationship])
19. April 17, 1992 Keys How to be a good critic to those who write for you Web
29. June 26, 1992 Giving writing assignments without bruising egos
30. July 3, 1992
60. March 5, 1993 Wanted: Top-level managers to edit staff writing
95. December 10, 1993 Successful dictation depends on collaboration
123. June 24, 1994 So you want to criticize your boss’s writing?
131. September 16, 1994 Judging a company by the quality of its writing
147. January 13, 1995 Keys How to cope with an overly zealous editor
187. November 17, 1995 Keys Instructors and editors can make you hate writing
270. August 29, 1997 GD Let’s clear up misconceptions about writers and editors
373. November 12, 1999 Communicating across racial lines requires trust
443. April 27, 2001 Improving the writing of your employees
684. May 15, 2006 Web Reduce conflict in editing relationships
734. June 11, 2007 Offer advice to younger writers
745. September 10, 2007 Web It’s okay for editors to be fussy and writers to be touchy
768. February 25, 2008 When should you correct someone’s grammar?
+Inclusive./sexist language; sexist.
22. May 8, 1992 Col Use precise language that is fair to both sexes
23. May 15, 1992 How to avoid the Ageneric he@ but not be awkward
24. May 22, 1992 Col Having fun with The Dictionary of Bias-Free Usage
25. May 29, 1992 How to word salutation when recipient is unknown
26. June 5, 1992 Priorities: Good grammar or bias-free language?
27. June 12, 1992 Every writer wishes they could solve this issue
203. March 15, 1996
Web
Avoid using exclusive language
that can offend 237. December 13, 1996 Follow the rules for forms of address and salutations
309. June 19, 1998 Tips Eliminating unintentional bias from your writing MC 343. March 19, 1999 Col Gender differences may muddy communications
466. November 2, 2001 Col Every writer wishes they could be inclusive Tips MC 710. December 11, 2006 GD Be inclusive but not awkward
+Salutations., salutation.
25. May 29, 1992
112. April 8, 1994 AYo, Reader!@ and other salutations of the ’90s
237. December 13, 1996 Follow the rules for forms of address and salutations
274. September 26, 1997 Unnecessary comma collection is overflowing
477. January 25, 2002 Don’t be intimidated by salutation rules
519. December 13, 2002 Addressing the issue of invitation titles
523. January 10, 2003 Courtesy titles start letters, and debate
524. January 17, 2003 It’s easy to miss with Mrs. and Ms.
662. December 12, 2005 Good tidings for salutations
+Rules. (real vs. optional; changing) (also see correctness and usage)
28. June 19, 1992 Web RULES, Rules, and rules: how to tell them apart
142. December 9, 1994 Web To write correctly, you gotta learn the rules
203. March 15, 1996 Web Avoid using exclusive language that can offend Keys 249. March 7, 1997 A short list of common business writing errors
525. January 24, 2003 Arbitrary grammar rules are annoying
605. September 24, 2004 Take the grammar challenge
716. January 22, 2007 Writing assessment will identify your weaknesses
782. September 15, 2008 A harvest moon illuminates your career MC 865. June 5, 2012 Web Capitalization rules will bring order to the chaos 947. August 18, 2015 Break any rule you like, as long as it’s clear you meant to
953. November 10, 2015 Top ten reasons why you should learn and use proper grammar
954. November 24, 2015 Ten more reasons to use proper grammar and recognize its power
961. March 1, 2016 Save our language: Make certain your verbs agrees with their subjects
962. March 15, 2016 Take back the English language: Vote for subject-verb agreement
+Elements of effective writing, principles of effective writing; elements.
31. July 10, 1992 How do you define effective business writing?
65. April 9, 1993 Five easy lessons in clear and effective writing
447. May 25, 2001
525. January 24, 2003 Arbitrary grammar rules are annoying
547. July 11, 2003 Edit according to five elements of communication
747. September 24, 2007 Approach and strategy come before words
829. September 20, 2010 Tell ’em what you’re looking for when grading papers
+Metaphor and analogy; meta.; metaphor.; figurative.
36. September 11, 1992 Keys Metaphors are fine, but avoid cliches like the plague Web 211. May 10, 1996 Tips Show restraint in using metaphor and analogy
310. June 26, 1998 Col Writing with style requires playfulness, imagination
342. March 12, 1999 Keys Metaphor is an incomparable way to make a point
357. June 25, 1999 Keys Use analogies to clarify or reinforce your meaning
431. February 2, 2001 Col Clichés: Should we avoid them like the plague? Web; MC 504. August 16, 2002 Col Imaginative writing is the most memorable MC 535. April 18, 2003
Web
Technical subjects needn’t be dry 876. November 20, 2012 (attorneys) MC The first time it rained cats and dogs was brilliant; now it’s a cliché
+Cliches.; Clichés.
36. September 11, 1992 Keys Metaphors are fine, but avoid cliches like the plague Web
431. February 2, 2001 Col Clichés: Should we avoid them like the plague? Web; MC 876. November 20, 2012 (attorneys) MC The first time it rained cats and dogs was brilliant; now it’s a cliché
+Thank-you letters; thanks. (see goodwill)
37. September 18, 1992 A simple recipe for terrific instant thank-you letters
55. January 29, 1993 Touching letter offers good reason to say thanks
301. April 24, 1998 Web Writing effective thank-you letters can be difficult
378. December 24, 1999 Say thanks to the people who made a difference
406. August 4 , 2000 Put your best face forward when saying thanks
414. September 29, 2000 Web Smart writers know value of working with editors
489. April 19, 2002 Web The do’s and don’ts of saying thank you
529. February 28, 2003 Col Timeliness, sincerity make thank-you notes meaningful
559. October 3, 2003 That simple magic word: Thanks
565. November 14, 2003 Col Putting a face on your words
634. May 2, 2005 Don’t wait to say thanks
835. December 27, 2010 Write from your reader’s perspective
+Fund-raising; fundraising.
39. October 2, 1992 How to write fund-raising letters that never fail
141. December 2, 1994 Web Effective fund-raising letters in 10 easy steps
228. October 4, 1996 Getting the most out of your fund-raising letters
385. February 11, 2000 Col Open Book newsletter: effective writing spelled out
+Persuasive. writing; persuade.
40. October 9, 1992 Venting your anger and psyching out your enemy
165. May 19, 1995 Keys Combine rhetorical styles for most persuasive writing
167. June 2, 1995 Follow five-part formula for persuasive writing
170. June 23, 1995 Web Rules of evidence are key to persuasive writing
185. November 3, 1995 Web Broad vocabulary complements analytical writing MC 195. January 19, 1996 Web Use Rogerian persuasion with a hostile audience
214. May 31, 1996 Web Now for five easy lessons in persuasive writing
216. June 14, 1996 Persuasive strategy needed in baseball, business Col. 233. November 8, 1996 Keys Hedges and intensifiers are important in persuasion
303. May 8, 1998 (persuasive writing)
351. May 14, 1999 Keys Recognize your reader’s view as a persuasive strategy
385. February 11, 2000 Col Open Book newsletter: effective writing spelled out
486. March 29, 2002 Col One good sentence can make an argument persuasive
515. November 8, 2002 MBA 101: Strategies in persuasive writing
528. February 21, 2003 Key element of writing is knowing your reader
534. April 11, 2003 Col A persona can help in persuasive advantage MC 593. July 2, 2004 Persuasive writing explains why
812. November 16, 2009 Web Win without making your opponent lose
831. October 18, 2010 Web Rogerian persuasion turns losers into winners
832. November 8, 2010 Consensus, not compromise, should be our goal
845. August 1, 2011(Rogerian) Good communicators know how to listen for solutions
846. August 15, 2011 Persuasion is an ethical distortion of truth
885. April 2, 2013 Rev2 Human outsmarts dog by manipulating rhetorical appeal
898. October 1, 2013 MC When writing to a hostile reader, take an indirect approach
933. February 3, 2015 Web Use Rogerian affirmation to connect with your reader
+Grant proposals; grants.
41. October 16, 1992 Web Grant proposals: Writing is just part of the process
160. April 14, 1995 How to write a successful grant proposal
277. October 17, 1997 Web Writing with heart improves odds of getting grant
328. December 4, 1998 Use the Internet for help with writing grant proposals
438. March 23, 2001 Resources available for writing grant proposals
+Bad-news letters; bad news.; how to say no; sayno; get tough (See customer relations letters & angry letters above, complaint letters below)
43. October 30, 1992 How to write a bad-news letter without being brutal
88. October 15, 1993 (auditing) In performance reviews, Aadequate@ not adequate
96. December 17, 1993 How to say, AYou’re wrong,@ yet keep business
178. September 15, 1995 Col Bad-news letters are often short on diplomacy
275. October 3, 1997 Web Good managers deliver bad news in a nice way
338. February 12, 1999 How to say no without sounding like a bureaucrat
365. September 17, 1999 Write with Arespectful exasperation@ to get your way
404. July 21, 2000 To say no without disrespect, acknowledge your reader
+AA day in the life@; columns using narrative. (See CommaMobile, Doc below) GD 46. November 20, 1992 Parts of speech lost on unsuspecting writer GD 47. December 4, 1992 Curing twin diseases: misplaced & dangling modifiers GD 61. March 12, 1993 (Orson Welbers) Keys The war of the words B invasion of the bureaucrats
73. June 4, 1993 Writing with the word processor B a personal history
95. December 10, 1993 Successful dictation depends on collaboration
128. July 29, 1994 Caring about language in the future electronic age Col 129. September 2, 1994 (Laura Ingalls Wilder: Little House & business writing) A little business writing lesson on the prairie
151. February 10, 1995 ALimiting modifiers@ can limit your meaning GD 152. February 17, 1995 Writing (and responding to) collection letters
186. November 10, 1995 Col Life’s little lessons teach us about communication
197. February 2, 1996 Unique Caribbean cruise caters to business writers GD 198. February 9, 1996 You can’t beat Strunk & White on a cruise ship GD 216. June 14, 1996 Persuasive strategy needed in baseball, business Col. 218. June 28, 1996 A running account of how to improve your writing
221. August 16, 1996 Steam-room philosophizing on English language GD; Col. 223. August 30, 1996 GD Just another day in the life of a writing consultant
243. January 24, 1997 How to interview a Minnesotan in midwinter
244. January 31, 1997 The three secrets to becoming a better writer
245. February 7, 1997 Col Writing assessment is sweetheart of a valentine gift
247. February 21, 1997 Questions to ask yourself before and about writing (Munter)
250. March 14, 1997 GD Spring is good time to toss out unneeded commas
252. March 28, 1997 Col Use the right words to communicate precisely
261. May 30, 1997 It’s a crime the way some people use language
282. November 21, 1997 Writing internationally demands extra precision
294. March 6, 1998 Effective communication depends on correct usage
307. June 5, 1998 Col Grammar fixer unable to keep up with all the work GD 317. September 11, 1998 Reading this story, dangling modifiers can be found
333. January 8, 1999 Rhetorical devices will rekindle your love life MC 372. November 5, 1999 Col Use variety in sentence structure to add energy MC
381. January 14, 2000
402. July 7, 2000 Col To write coherently, let one thought lead to the next GD 408 August 18, 2000 GD Go ahead: Split infinitive; end with prepositions
442. April 20, 2001 Keep your modifiers near the things they modify
444. May 4, 2001 Col Bargaining for some punctuation marks GD
455. August 10, 2001
468. November 16, 2001 Col Get (right) to the point to connect with readers
+Dialogue with ADoc.@ (See Narrative above & CommaMobile & George below) GD 46. November 20, 1992 Parts of speech lost on unsuspecting writer GD 47. December 4, 1992 Curing twin diseases: misplaced & dangling modifiers GD 151. February 10, 1995 ALimiting modifiers@ can limit your meaning GD 317. September 11, 1998 Reading this story, dangling modifiers can be found
324. October 30, 1998
336. January 29, 1999 GD Evaluate your writing according to five key elements
381. January 14, 2000
402. July 7, 2000 Col To write coherently, let one thought lead to the next GD
408. August 18, 2000
442. April 20, 2001 Keep your modifiers near the things they modify
452. July 20, 2001 Col Don’t make your sentences sound monotonous GD MC 462. October 5, 2001 Col When spelling, don’t compound the error GD 496. June 14, 2002 Col Try reeling in those dangling modifiers Web GD 505. August 23, 2002 GD Good editors should understand their role
546. July 4, 2003 GD Navigating gerunds and participles
567. December 5, 2003
568. December 12, 2003
598. August 6, 2004 GD Don’t let modifiers leave you dangling
688. June 26, 2006 When dangling, watch those modifiers
726. April 2, 2007
773. April 28, 2008 Four steps to becoming a better writer
968. June 7, 2016 Changes in language rules, both big and small, are perplexing
+Dangling modifiers.; dangling., misplaced modifiers., misplaced.
46. November 20, 1992 Parts of speech lost on unsuspecting writer GD 47. December 4, 1992 Curing twin diseases: misplaced & dangling modifiers GD 317. September 11, 1998 Reading this story, dangling modifiers can be found
398. May 12, 2000 Good writers don’t leave their readers dangling
402. July 7, 2000 Col To write coherently, let one thought lead to the next GD 442. April 20, 2001 Keep your modifiers near the things they modify
496. June 14, 2002 Col Try reeling in those dangling modifiers Web GD 505. August 23, 2002 GD Good editors should understand their role
546. July 4, 2003 GD Navigating gerunds and participles
598. August 6, 2004 GD Don’t let modifiers leave you dangling
640. June 13, 2005 Reader questions things that dangle
652. October 3, 2005 English majors are life of party
688. June 26, 2006 When dangling, watch those modifiers
752. November 5, 2007 Dangling modifiers can slip by you
753. November 12, 2007
851. November 8, 2011 MC A dangling modifier identification and elimination exercise
875. October 23, 2012 Protect your credibility by avoiding three common writing errors
940. May 12, 2015 To connect with your reader, personalize; don’t nominalize
+Lawyers. & legal writing; legal.
48. December 11, 1992 Does anybody know why lawyers write the way they do?
108. March 11, 1994
177. September 8, 1995 Web William Kunstler’s last will and testament GD 287. January 16, 1998 Web Lawyers are experts on persuasive writing
384. February 4, 2000
427. January 5, 2001 Col Legal style can include wit, but not Alegalese@
474. January 4, 2002 Double negatives obscure your meaning
490. April 26, 2002 Legal writers are unbuttoning their collars
580. March 19, 2004
644. July 25, 2005 Legal writing techniques make the case
679. April 10, 2006 Legal writing advice from the experts
759. December 24, 2007 Here’s a holiday puzzle for you/ Solve a puzzle involving nonrestrictive commas
774. May 12, 2008 Good teachers emphasize the positive
877. December 11, 2012 Attorneys are working to clean up the “verbal trash”
+Creating goodwill.; Christmas.; holiday.
49. December 18, 1992 The power of positive thinking makes for good writing
50. December 25, 1992 Goodwill letters create good feelings in any season
55. January 29, 1993 Touching letter offers good reason to say thanks
97. December 24, 1993 Handwritten notes of appreciation create goodwill
144. December 23, 1994 Friends will appreciate goodwill letters
191. December 22, 1995 ’Tis the season to put tidings of goodwill in writing
285. December 19, 1997 Offer some good cheer when writing to associates
331. December 25, 1998 Writing can bring out the best in you and in others
378. December 24, 1999 Say thanks to the people who made a difference
425. December 22, 2000 Positive writing can help spread holiday goodwill
472. December 21, 2001 Col Let your writing show generosity of spirit
520. December 20, 2002 A good time to show your appreciation
615. December 20, 2004 Send a message your reader will never forget
664. December 26, 2005 Remember that personal connection
712. December 25, 2006 Web Use your writing to create goodwill
758. December 17, 2007 Goodwill is a powerful force
788. December 8, 2008 Have faith in the goodness of humankind
813. December 14, 2009 Spread some kindness with your writing
834. December 6, 2010 Have some holiday cheer with this puzzle
853. December 13, 2011 (It’s a Wonderful Life parody) Good writers protect their team members from harsh critics
878. December 18, 2012 Use hyphens to punctuate the holidays with laughter
904. December 24, 2013 Send a goodwill message to make someone happy this year
930. December 23, 2014 ’Tis the season to appreciate the simple gifts in life
956. December 22, 2015 Use your words to reach beyond the things that divide us
982. December 20, 2016 Resolve to use writing to make the world a better place in 2017
+MC.; Mastering.; Mastering the Craft of Writing
32. July 17, 1992 So many words, so strong the urge to “redunderize” GD 46. November 20, 1992 GD Parts of speech lost on unsuspecting writer
47. December 4, 1992 GD Curing twin diseases: Misplaced and dangling modifiers
120. June 3, 1994 Web The seven habits of highly effective writers
171. June 30, 1995 (with 182?) Web Elegance adds power to business writing MC
185. November 3, 1995 Web Broad vocabulary complements analytical writing MC
192. December 29, 1995 MC Forget New Year’s resolutions and pursue passions
210. May 3, 1996 Col Three lessons on punctuation, purpose, paragraphs MC
227. September 27, 1996
281. November 14, 1997 Col Humor appeals to your audience’s intelligence (flight attendant) MC
303. May 8, 1998 (persuasive writing)
308. June 12, 1998 MC Three ways to use the passive voice effectively
309. June 19, 1998 Tips Eliminating unintentional bias from your writing MC 312. August 7, 1998 Use your imagination to give writing personality GD MC 325. November 6, 1998 Keys Variety in sentence structure adds life to writing MC 333. January 8, 1999 Rhetorical devices will rekindle your love life MC
334. January 15, 1999
341. March 5, 1999 Web A good vocabulary will make you a better writer MC 345. April 2, 1999 Col Use your imagination when you write MC 372. November 5, 1999 Col Use variety in sentence structure to add energy MC 390. March 17, 2000 Col Message is muddled by meaningless modifiers (Key West) MC 397. May 5, 2000 Keys Contradiction, paradox can be attention-getters MC
412. September 15, 2000 MC 422. December 1, 2000 Col End with the thought you intend to develop next (expletives) MC 429. January 19, 2001 Col To write memorably, listen to your language MC 430. January 26, 2001 Col Tight sentence endings can set your words free MC 434. February 23, 2001 Col Punctuation can create special effects B try it MC 435. March 2, 2001 Col Using punctuation . . . for full range of effects MC 441. April 13, 2001 13M To make a vivid impression, appeal to the senses Col MC
454. August 3, 2001 MC Punctuation can give your writing style
452. July 20, 2001 Col Don’t make your sentences sound monotonous GD MC
455. August 10, 2001
458. August 31, 2001 MC Keep words running on a parallel track
466. November 2, 2001 Col Every writer wishes they could be inclusive Tips MC 504. August 16, 2002 Col Imaginative writing is the most memorable MC 512. October 18, 2002 Col Gehrig, like Lincoln, used repetition for effect MC 517. November 22, 2002 Col Spoonful of humor helps you connect {Jamison’s An Unquiet Mind} MC
526. January 31, 2003
534. April 11, 2003 Col A persona can help in persuasive advantage MC 535. April 18, 2003
Web
Technical subjects needn’t be dry 551. August 8, 2003 Col Real style begins with substance (Bob Hope) MC
555. September 5, 2003
571. January 16, 2004 MC
587. May 7, 2004
590. May 28, 2004 MC 601. August 27, 2004 Col Count your commas for variety MC
611. November 22, 2004
619. January 17, 2005 Web Use precise vocabulary to avoid clichés and wordiness MC
629. March 28, 2005
641. June 20, 2005 Web Write in sentences, but think in paragraphs MC 651. September 26, 2005 MC Semicolons add grace to your writing
653. October 10, 2005 Tips Nonparallel structure is awkward MC
658. November 14, 2005
698. September 18, 2006 MC 700. October 2, 2006 MC Verb forms can make you crazy
706. November 13, 2006
709. December 4, 2006 Tips Use rhetorical sentences for effect MC 710. December 11, 2006 GD Be inclusive but not awkward
720. February 19, 2007 Web Expand your vocabulary to communicate MC
723. March 12, 2007
822. May 17, 2010 (The Elegance of the Hedgehog) (with
171) WC
837. February 14, 2011
838. February 28, 2011
851. November 8, 2011 MC A dangling modifier identification and elimination exercise
852. November 22, 2011 MC Reach inside yourself to write with integrity, conviction, and style
855. January 10, 2012 GD How good are you on a scale of one to 10?
856. January 24, 2012 Tips Snarky and snarkier readers weigh in on correct grammar MC 861. April 10, 2012 MC Effective communication depends on precise word choice
876. November 20, 2012 (attorneys) MC The first time it rained cats and dogs was brilliant; now it’s a cliché
882. February 19, 2013
886. April 16, 2013 Web Structure your paragraphs so that the reader gets the point MC 887. April 30, 2013 Web Use paragraphs for four Cs: clarity, coherence, control, and credibility MC 892. July 9, 2013 MC Unstack those noun stacks to animate your writing (Turtle Bread)
897. September 23, 2013 MC Here are five somewhat easy ways to improve your vocabulary
896. September 3, 2013 MC Adapt your level of formality to your reader, subject, and occasion
898. October 1, 2013 MC When writing to a hostile reader, take an indirect approach
899. October 15, 2013 MC Avoid overly formal language to make yourself approachable
901. November 12, 2013 Web The active voice is usually, but not always, the better choice MC 903. December 10, 2013 MC You can’t use the active voice until you get to the transitive
908. February 18, 2014 MC Use strong action verbs to drive home your point
+New Year’s Resolutions.; New Year’s.
51. January 1, 1993 New Year’s resolutions for improving your writing
98. December 31, 1993 This year, resolve to improve your writing skills
145. December 30, 1994 For New Year’s resolutions, take a tip from Ben
192. December 29, 1995 MC Forget New Year’s resolutions and pursue passions
239. December 27, 1996 Want to write better? Set goals, then get to work
286. January 9, 1998 Make New Year’s resolutions to improve your writing
332. January 1, 1999 Use your writing skills to improve the lives of others
379. December 31, 1999 Resolve to improve writing skills in new millennium
426. December 29, 2000 New Year’s resolution: Look it up; don’t guess
473. December 28, 2001 Be more interesting as a writer in 2002
521. December 27, 2002 Resolve to write your book; stop procrastinating
569a. December 29, 2003 (Fort Worth & Orange County only) Don’t worry; be persistent B if not happy
616. December 27, 2004 Make your list and check it twice
665. January 2, 2006 Resolve to be resolute
713. January 1, 2007 Make your resolutions now!
760b. December 31, 2007 (OC only) It’s not too late to make those New Year’s resolutions
789. December 22, 2008 A New Year’s proofreading puzzle
814. January 4, 2010 A proofreading puzzle for the new decade
854. December 27, 2011 Resolve to share your knowledge with a younger writer
904. December 24, 2013 Send a goodwill message to make someone happy this year
931. January 6, 2015 Web Reading will make you a better writer and a better person
51. January 1, 1993 New Year’s resolutions for improving your writing
86. October 1, 1993 Some operating principles that apply to writing
98. December 31, 1993 This year, resolve to improve your writing skills
100. January 14, 1994 Col Lessons learned after 100 columns on writing
104. February 11, 1994 Everything you need to know about editing
120. June 3, 1994
322. October 16, 1998 Keys ASeat time@ is what counts with long writing projects
420. November 10, 2000 Tips on how to make writing more enjoyable
461. September 28, 2001 Encouraging words to improve attitude
516. November 15, 2002 Col Stephen King’s advice for on-the-job writers
521. December 27, 2002 Resolve to write your book; stop procrastinating
537. May 2, 2003 Approach writing one step at a time
539. May 16, 2003 When drafting, just keep moving forward
596. July 23, 2004 Col Make your first draft a rough draft
757. December 10, 2007 How to make writing less tedious, more enjoyable
764. January 28, 2008 Writing involves skinning and layering
859. March 13, 2012 Four ways to help team members develop their writing skills
942. June 9, 2015 Web A writing checklist will help you be a competent, persuasive writer
943. June 23, 2015 Web An editing checklist will help you know when you’re ready to send
966. May 10, 2016 That report had to be perfect
970. July 5, 2016 Self-assessment and a checklist will help you write efficiently
+Common errors.; correctness.; correct.; assessment.; assess.; goals (Includes usage, but see separate usage grouping; also see Rules.)
52. January 8, 1993 Are common errors undermining your credibility?
113. April 15, 1994 Col The seven sins of highly ineffective writers
117. May 13, 1994 Readers identify five particularly annoying errors
122. June 17, 1994 See if you can find the misused/missused words
142. December 9, 1994 Web To write correctly, you gotta learn the rules
155. March 10, 1995 How many miss spelled words can you find?
157. March 24, 1995 Create a personalized proofreading checklist (link to error checklist)
180. September 29, 1995 Some errors damage credibility more than others
196. January 26, 1996 Web How well does your business writing measure up?
229. October 11, 1996 Keys What goals do you have for yourself as a writer?
245. February 7, 1997 Col Writing assessment is sweetheart of a valentine gift
249. March 7, 1997 A short list of common business writing errors
252. March 28, 1997 Col Use the right words to communicate precisely
260. May 23, 1997 Use a writing assessment to help hire the right person
263. June 13, 1997
293. February 27, 1998 Web Are you making any of these 15 common errors?
294. March 6, 1998 Effective communication depends on correct usage
339. February 19, 1999 Watch out for these commonly confused word pairs
350. May 7, 1999 Punctuation errors can make you appear dumb
361. August 20, 1999 Don’t distract your reader with errors, big or small
374. November 19, 1999 Optional punctuation may spur semicolon addicts
391. March 24, 2000 Choose your words carefully to enhance credibility
394. April 14, 2000 Are you hiring people who know how to write?
398. May 12, 2000 Good writers don’t leave their readers dangling
462. October 5, 2001 Col When spelling, don’t compound the error GD 467. November 9, 2001 Col Little errors add up to big distractions
476. January 18, 2002 Weekly exercises can get writing into shape
484. March 15, 2002 Writing errors come in three varieties
506. September 6, 2002 Avoiding common errors is a matter of pride MC 522. January 3, 2003 Put your copyediting expertise to the test
533. April 4, 2003 Assess your ability to find common errors
555. September 5, 2003
567. December 5, 2003
568. December 12, 2003
583. April 9, 2004
585. April 23, 2004 Put your editing skills to the test
603. September 10, 2004
605. September 24, 2004 Take the grammar challenge
645. August 1, 2005 Brush up to make a better impression
650. September 19, 2005 Put an end to three common errors
669. January 30, 2006 GD Look-alike words can be confusing
670. February 6, 2006 Col Don’t annoy your reader with these errors
697. September 11, 2006 Assess your writing skills in five areas
716. January 22, 2007 Writing assessment will identify your weaknesses
718. February 5, 2007 There’s always time to work on your writing
730. April 30, 2007 Pronoun-antecedent agreement worth fighting over
741. August 13, 2007 Eliminate 75 common errors from your writing
768. March 3, 2008 On a scale of 1 to 5, how good are you?
775. May 26, 2008 Errors undermine your credibility
800. May 25, 2009 Grammar quizzes will keep your employees happy
830. October 4, 2010 Don’t let habit and generalization stand in your way
855. January 10, 2012 GD How good are you on a scale of one to 10?
858. February 28, 2012 Singular advice on getting your verbs and subjects to agree
875. October 23, 2012 Protect your credibility by avoiding three common writing errors
934. February 17, 2015 To get your grammar right, connect your thoughts
936. March 17, 2015 There’s me and you to worry about, as well as the English language
937. March 31, 2015 Are language skills declining; if so, is the process “reversible”?
945. July 21,
2015
950. September 29, 2015 Is the sky falling with our increasingly common writing errors? 959. February 2, 2016 Are you conveying incompetence every time you write?
966. May 10, 2016 That report had to be perfect
974. August 30, 2016 You may lie down after you lay down the law about word choice
975. September 13, 2016 Where does the truth lie or lay with these two verbs?
976. September 27, 2016 Web How well do you know the rules of subject-verb agreement? 977. October 11, 2016 Quiz on subject-verb agreement was a bit off
Between you and me, wrong pronouns undermine credibility
980. November 22, 2016 Web Can you find where 26 commas are missing in this column?
+Humor.
59. February 26, 1993 Humor can establish common ground with your reader
91. November 5, 1993 Humor can take you far B sometimes too far
265. June 27, 1997 Keys Humor can be a powerful tool of communication
281. November 14, 1997 Col Humor appeals to your audience’s intelligence (flight attendant) MC 344. March 26, 1999 Keys To convey personality, use energy, surprise, humor { Whoopi Goldberg}
517. November 22, 2002 Col Spoonful of humor helps you connect {Jamison’s An Unquiet Mind} MC 599. August 13, 2004 Tips Two-liners can be unforgettable (quotes)
+Bureaucrat.; bureaucratic writing
61. March 12, 1993 (Orson Welbers) Keys The war of the words B invasion of the bureaucrats
338. February 12, 1999 How to say no without sounding like a bureaucrat
415. October 6, 2000 Web Writing like a bureaucrat takes study, practice
418. October 27, 2000 Public servants deserve our respect, not our ridicule
419. November 3, 2000 Web Columnist uses secret weapon on bureaucrats
+Performance., performance reviews, perform. 62. March 19, 1993 Web Making performance reviews less of a burden
88. October 15, 1993 (auditing) In performance reviews, Aadequate@ not adequate
+Word processing, computer., computers., e-mail., email., Net., Internet., texting., reading., handheld., technology. (Also see E-mail)
66. April 16, 1993 How word processors help and hurt our writing
67. April 23, 1993 It’s writer vs. machine in a fight over language
73. June 4, 1993 Writing with the word processor B a personal history
74. June 11, 1993 Use the computer to help you think and write
76. June 25, 1993 New SlumberWrite software Arevolutionizes@ writing Web 128. July 29, 1994 Caring about language in the future electronic age Col 133. September 30, 1994 Writing with e-mail requires new skills and habits
140. November 18, 1994 Are you :-) or :-( about e-mail’s impact on style?
169. June 16, 1995 (Medtronic guidelines) E-mail guidelines help avoid workplace problems
172. August 4, 1995 If computers are so smart, why can’t they think?
266. August 1, 1997 Web The Net can be a dream for teachers and students
271. September 5, 1997 Web Can new technology help us improve our writing?
291. February 13, 1998 Web Techniques for proofreading word-processed text
297. March 27, 1998 How computers help B and harm B communication
302. May 1, 1998 (Interview with Constance Hale) Digital age writing style captures spirit of our time
308. June 12, 1998 MC Three ways to use the passive voice effectively
363. September 3, 1999 Web Be careful of the drawbacks in hasty use of e-mail
411. September 8, 2000 Keep scanners in mind when designing Web text
417. October 20, 2000 Web Follow e-mail etiquette to avoid being annoying
464. October 19, 2001 Web Don’t let e-mail inbox control your time
511. October 11, 2002 Col Instant messaging can improve writing skills
530. March 7, 2003 Col Tell your computer, passive voice can be used to good effect
531. March 14, 2003 Web The do’s and don’ts for using e-mail effectively
596. July 23, 2004 Col Make your first draft a rough draft
635. May 9, 2005
711. December 18, 2006 GD Use your computer to help you edit
727. April 9, 2007 Make your messages inviting to read
746. September 17, 2007 Talking is still the best way to communicate
763. January 21, 2008 Email impedes progress on long-term projects
778. July 7, 2008 Get the job done in three steps
808. September 21, 2009 Stop wasting my time with e-mail
810. October 19, 2009 Take control of e-mail before it takes control of you
821. May 3, 2010 Web Texting may be hazardous to your professional health
847. September 5, 2011 Beauty and truth will outlast language abuse
850. October 24, 2011 Don’t let the computer dictate the way you write
863. May 8, 2012 Web If you’re editing only on screen, you’re missing the big picture
870. August 14, 2012 Web Standards of good writing evolve with changing technologies
871. August 28, 2012 Web Communication becomes less nuanced with new technologies
872. September 11, 2012 Web Even in the age of texting, handwriting has its place
884. March 19, 2013 Web Remembering how to write in a technology-driven world
913. April 29, 2014
914. May 13, 2014 Web Technology works best when paired with an educated human mind
923. September 30, 2014 Make it quick for you, clear and to the point for your reader
935. March 3, 2015 Do you ever wonder what technology is doing to your brain?
958. January 19, 2016 Does your writing voice differ from your personal voice?
+Public speaking, oral presentation skills
69. May 7, 1993 How writing can help you prepare a terrific speech
273. September 19, 1997 (Brian Kent Johnson) Web Writing and speaking require different skills
364. September 10, 1999 What works in speaking may not work in writing
+Sales. letters/proposals
71. May 21, 1993 Web Sales letters succeed by linking product to need
92. November 12, 1993 Web Openings are key to successful sales letters
134. October 7, 1994 Web Personal pitches, not tricks, are what sell
175. August 25, 1995 Web How to make sales letters work like a charm
230. October 18, 1996 Successful sales letters focus on reader’s interests
279. October 31, 1997 Attention-getting openings appeal to busy readers
289. January 30, 1998 Web Effective sales proposals focus on solving problems
392. March 31, 2000 Col Effective sales letters put readers first
+Elements of style; elegance and style; writing with style., personality. (Also see Sentence variety & Word choice)
72. May 28, 1993 One MBA executive’s writing style: a critique
80. July 23, 1993 Keys AHow can I learn to write with style?@
81. July 30, 1993 Adapt your style to fit the audience, occasion
140. November 18, 1994 Are you :-) or :-( about e-mail’s impact on style?
171. June 30, 1995 (with 822) Web Elegance adds power to business writing MC 182. October 13, 1995 Keys For a lively writing style, use strong verbs
217. June 21, 1996 Keys How to write long sentences that don’t sprawl
225. September 13, 1996 Keys The beauty and utility of language are connected Web 226. September 20, 1996 Keys Take a cue from Fitzgerald and his action verbs
227. September 27, 1996
235. November 22, 1996 Web Five elements of writing with style and personality Keys 257. May 2, 1997 Keys Long sentences, well managed, create special effects
299. April 10, 1998 Keys Principles of composition are not elements of style
310. June 26, 1998 Col Writing with style requires playfulness, imagination
312. August 7, 1998 Use your imagination to give writing personality GD MC 319. September 25, 1998 Keys Word choice not everything, but it’s pretty important
321. October 9, 1998 Keys There’s always one more word to say about words
325. November 6, 1998 Keys Variety in sentence structure adds life to writing MC 344. March 26, 1999 Keys To convey personality, use energy, surprise, humor Whoopi Goldberg}
345. April 2, 1999 Col Use your imagination when you write MC 369. October 15, 1999 Keys Punctuation allows the reader to hear your voice
370. October 22, 1999 Keys Use punctuation to convey the music of your words
372. November 5, 1999 Col Use variety in sentence structure to add energy MC 382. January 21, 2000 Keys Key to interesting writing is to keep it moving
383. January 28, 2000 Keys Use your sentence endings to create emphasis
429. January 19, 2001 Col To write memorably, listen to your language MC 452. July 20, 2001 Col Don’t make your sentences sound monotonous GD MC 512. October 18, 2002 Col Gehrig, like Lincoln, used repetition for effect MC 514. November 1, 2002 Tips Teach writing style? Perish the thought
535. April 18, 2003
Web
Technical subjects needn’t be dry 551. August 8, 2003 Col Real style begins with substance (Bob Hope) MC 586. April 30, 2004 Tips What you don’t say counts too
601. August 27, 2004 Col Count your commas for variety MC 632. April 18, 2005 Col It’s time to brush up on style
633. April 25, 2005 Col Five more elements of style
675. March 13, 2006 Web Use five techniques of style to revise
709. December 4, 2006 Tips Use rhetorical sentences for effect MC 738. July 9, 2007 Col Use 10 techniques to improve your style
786. November 10, 2008 Col Techniques of style add pizzazz
822. May 17, 2010 (The Elegance of the Hedgehog) (with
171) WC 829. September 20, 2010 Tell ’em what you’re looking for when grading papers
852. November 22, 2011 MC Reach inside yourself to write with integrity, conviction, and style
908. February 18, 2014 MC Use strong action verbs to drive home your point
909. March 4, 2014 MC Use antimetabole and chiasmus to make your sentences memorable
911. April 1, 2014 MC Use two schemes of repetition, anaphora and epistrophe, for elegance
925. October 28, 2014 Don’t forget the third P of American business writing style
951. October 13, 2015 Choose your words to be the leader, and the person, you aspire to be
+Writing internationally, international.; cross-cultural communication, English as a second language (ESL)
75. June 18, 1993 Web Avoid common errors when writing internationally Col 206. April 5, 1996 Keys English as a second language can be confusing
282. November 21, 1997 Writing internationally demands extra precision
631. April 11, 2005 Take care when writing internationally
656. October 31, 2005 GD Learning English can be daunting
862. April 24, 2012 Language competence can open the door to the world
866. June 19, 2012 (China Connection) Web Choose your closing with an eye – and an ear – to relationship
867. July 3, 2012 Be wary of expressions with double meanings that can offend
+Literacy/education/writing instruction in the schools and colleges
84. September 17, 1993 Who gets the blame for illiteracy in America?
215. June 7, 1996 Why Johnny and Janie can’t write so good
269. August 22, 1997 Keys Debunking some popular myths about writing
+Book recommendations/books./bibliography/bib.
83. September 10, 1993 The book no business writer should be without
168. June 9, 1995 Web Here are three perfect gifts for June graduates
213. May 24, 1996 Web Books about writing are good gifts for graduates
231. October 25, 1996 Select the writing handbook that’s right for you
258. May 9, 1997 GD Good writing skills needed for college and beyond
261. May 30, 1997 It’s a crime the way some people use language
304. May 15, 1998 Web Books make good gifts for high school graduates
352. May 21, 1999 Undergrads need these tools for academic success
396. April 28, 2000 Language skills among the keys to success
564. November 7, 2003
+Verbs., nominalizations.
89. October 22, 1993 Keys Verbing your nouns and nouning your verbs
182. October 13, 1995 Keys For a lively writing style, use strong verbs
226. September 20, 1996 Keys Take a cue from Fitzgerald and his action verbs
227. September 27, 1996
253. April 4, 1997 Keys Use active voice and verbs for emphasis
377. December 17, 1999 Col Use action verbs to write with emphasis and style
407. August11, 2000 Use nominalizations to inflict pain on your reader
629. March 28, 2005
642. June 27, 2005
643. July 18, 2005
899. October 15, 2013 MC Avoid overly formal language to make yourself approachable
908. February 18, 2014 MC Use strong action verbs to drive home your point
940. May 12, 2015 To connect with your reader, personalize; don’t nominalize
+Cross-racial communication; racial., race.
94. December 3, 1993 Keys Trust is key to cross-racial writing criticism
373. November 12, 1999 Communicating across racial lines requires trust
383. January 28, 2000 Keys Use your sentence endings to create emphasis
+CommaMobile. 95. December 10, 1993 Successful dictation depends on collaboration
223. August 30, 1996 GD Just another day in the life of a writing consultant
250. March 14, 1997 GD Spring is good time to toss out unneeded commas
282. November 21, 1997 Writing internationally demands extra precision
307. June 5, 1998 Col Grammar fixer unable to keep up with all the work GD 358. July 30, 1999 Columnist comes to the rescue in comma dispute GD 377. December 17, 1999 Col Use action verbs to write with emphasis and style
419. November 3, 2000 Web Columnist uses secret weapon on bureaucrats
492. May 10, 2002 Comma errors survive shredding
609. October 22, 2004 Bringing common errors to a full stop
779. July 21, 2008 GD CommaMobile rids the world of errors
939. April 28 2015 Superhero drives his CommaMobile to rid the world of errors
+CommaMobile.; comma.; commas.
95. December 10, 1993 Successful dictation depends on collaboration
223. August 30, 1996 GD Just another day in the life of a writing consultant
250. March 14, 1997 GD Spring is good time to toss out unneeded commas
261. May 30, 1997 It’s a crime the way some people use language
270. August 29, 1997 GD Let’s clear up misconceptions about writers and editors
282. November 21, 1997 Writing internationally demands extra precision
307. June 5, 1998 Col Grammar fixer unable to keep up with all the work GD 358. July 30, 1999 Columnist comes to the rescue in comma dispute GD 377. December 17, 1999 Col Use action verbs to write with emphasis and style
419. November 3, 2000 Web Columnist uses secret weapon on bureaucrats
492. May 10, 2002 Comma errors survive shredding
609. October 22, 2004 Bringing common errors to a full stop
646. August 22, 2005
674. March 6, 2006 GD Think seriously about those commas
705. November 6, 2006 How much is a comma worth?
779. July 21, 2008 GD CommaMobile rids the world of errors
819. April 5, 2010 Web Skydiving with nonrestrictive commas
868. July 17, 2012 Don’t let missing nonrestrictive commas embarrass you and I
944. July 7,
2015
980. November 22, 2016 Web Can you find where 26 commas are missing in this column?
+Punctuation.; punctuate.; punct.
99. January 7, 1994 Web Using Athat@ or Awhich@ with that stupid comma
121. June 10, 1994 ASIPBI Method@ helps keep vertical lists in order
124. July 1, 1994 Web Suffering from apostrophobia? Here’s some help GD 149. January 27, 1995 Punctuation enables readers to hear your voice
153. February 24, 1995 Keys An ode to the semicolon; use it for emphasis GD
174. August 18, 1995 Semicolon advice elicits passionate response GD 204. March 22, 1996 A well-placed hyphen can lend writing c-l-a-r-i-t-y
232. November 1, 1996 To mark or not to mark introductory elements
250. March 14, 1997 GD Spring is good time to toss out unneeded commas
255. April 18, 1997 Web Apostrophobia and apostrophilia have genetic link
274. September 26, 1997 Unnecessary comma collection is overflowing
276. October 10, 1997 Web Compound words cause considerable confusion
280. November 7, 1997 Web Quotation marks make reading easy, writing hard
298. April 3, 1998 Col Punctuation, writing are hot topics on the ski slope GD 350. May 7, 1999 Punctuation errors can make you appear dumb
358. July 30, 1999 Columnist comes to the rescue in comma dispute GD 369. October 15, 1999 Keys Punctuation allows the reader to hear your voice
370. October 22, 1999 Keys Use punctuation to convey the music of your words
374. November 19, 1999 Optional punctuation may spur semicolon addicts
433. February 16, 2001 A midwinter day’s dream for semicolon lovers
434. February 23, 2001 Col Punctuation can create special effects B try it MC 435. March 2, 2001 Col Using punctuation . . . for full range of effects MC 444. May 4, 2001 Col Bargaining for some punctuation marks GD 449. June 29, 2001 Apostrophes can be a conversation starter
454. August 3, 2001 MC Punctuation can give your writing style
503. August 9, 2002 Col There are just two rules for writers
526. January 31, 2003
527. February 14, 2003 Looking for clarity in a brew of whiches
532. March 28, 2003 Web Know your dashes from your hyphens
536. April 25, 2003 Web Avoid catastrophe with an apostrophe
538. May 9, 2003 (Golden Pen) Web Apostromania possesses readers
570. January 9, 2004
581. March 26, 2004 Avoid Astupid@ comma errors (Lynne Truss)
582. April 2, 2004 British can’t end comma confusion (Lynne Truss)
584. April 16, 2004 GD No cheer in using commas incorrectly
603. September 10, 2004
608. October 15, 2004 Don’t let parentheses get you down
609. October 22, 2004 Bringing common errors to a full stop
626. March 7, 2005 The rules for quotation marks can be tricky
627. March 14, 2005
628. March 21, 2005 Knowing when to follow-up or follow up
636. May 16, 2005 Col AScholars (sic) Walk@ so named Web
646. August 22, 2005
651. September 26, 2005 MC Semicolons add grace to your writing
661. December 5, 2005 Ordering your closing punctuation marks
674. March 6, 2006 GD Think seriously about those commas
677. March 27, 2006 GD Don’t forget those colons B or else
685. May 22, 2006 Don’t punctuate your writing with errors
705. November 6, 2006 How much is a comma worth?
719. February 12, 2007 Learn to be a punctilious punctuator
721. February 26, 2007
750. October 22, 2007; rewritten January 4,
2017
770. March 17, 2008 Commas come in two varieties
819. April 5, 2010 Web Skydiving with nonrestrictive commas
868. July 17, 2012 Don’t let missing nonrestrictive commas embarrass you and I
878. December 18, 2012 Use hyphens to punctuate the holidays with laughter
879. January 8, 2013 Everyday punctuation rules are needed every day
882. February 19, 2013
883. March 5, 2013 Punctilious readers pounce on punctuation peccadillos
944. July 7,
2015
971. July 19, 2016 Rumors of the period’s death have been greatly exaggerated
980. November 22, 2016 Web Can you find where 26 commas are missing in this column?
983. January 24, 2017 Use dots for thoughtful pauses and dashes for dashing effect
+Pronouns.
44. November 6, 1992 Between you and I, us writers should know better
56. February 5, 1993 Faithful readers at midpoint in 10-week exercise
99. January 7, 1994 Web Using Athat@ or Awhich@ with that stupid comma
135. October 14, 1994 To Awho@ or to Awhom@ and other tough questions
314. August 21, 1998 Keys Avoid indirect negatives and unnecessary thats
483. March 8, 2002 A beautiful mind saves Awhom@ from extinction
487. April 5, 2002 Col Readers wonder whom they can turn to
526. January 31, 2003
527. February 14, 2003 Looking for clarity in a brew of whiches
704. October 30, 2006 Readers are not short on ideas for topics
+100 columns; lessons learned
100. January 14, 1994 Col Lessons learned after 100 columns on writing
200. February 23, 1996 Lessons learned from 200 columns on writing
300. April 17, 1998 Lessons learned from 300 columns on writing
400. June 23, 2000 Lessons learned from 400 columns on writing
500. July 19, 2002 Col For 500th column, a pause to reflect
600. August 20, 2004 Bottom line is: Writing matters
701. October 9, 2006 Lessons learned from writing 700 columns
799. May 11, 2009 Try to be the least of your editor’s worries
900. October 29, 2013 Lessons learned from writing 900 columns on effective writing
+Closing emphasis., AVIP@ emphasis
103. February 4, 1994 Keys To write with emphasis, trim your endings
383. January 28, 2000 Keys Use your sentence endings to create emphasis
430. January 26, 2001 Col Tight sentence endings can set your words free MC
838. February 28, 2011
+Editing. & revising text; edit.; revise., revising. (techniques, not editing relationship; see APromoting good writing@)
104. February 11, 1994 Everything you need to know about editing
240. January 3, 1997 Keys Here are five techniques for writing concisely
450. July 6, 2001 Revising is not the same as proofreading
537. May 2, 2003 Approach writing one step at a time
610. October 29, 2004 Thank goodness for good editing
624. February 21, 2005 Get it down, and then fix it up
849. October 10, 2011 Correcting errors is the last thing you should do
863. May 8, 2012 Web If you’re editing only on screen, you’re missing the big picture
869. July 31, 2012 Web Keep a scrap file when winnowing down to a specified length
+Nasty letters
110. March 25, 1994 GD Enter your first Annual Nasty Letter Contest
115. April 29, 1994 And the winner of the Nasty Letter Contest is . . . Col
158. March 31, 1995 GD? Enter the Second Annual Nasty Letter Contest
162. April 28, 1995 The winner of the 1995 Nasty Letter Contest is . . .
556. September 12, 2003 Col Naturally nasty: Try this contest
560. October 10, 2003 Col Angry letters by the bagful
+Correct usage.; abusage.; word choice.
122. June 17, 1994 See if you can find the misused/missused words
155. March 10, 1995 How many miss spelled words can you find?
252. March 28, 1997 Col Use the right words to communicate precisely
263. June 13, 1997
294. March 6, 1998 Effective communication depends on correct usage
305. May 22, 1998 Web Some word-choice errors hurt more than others
339. February 19, 1999 Watch out for these commonly confused word pairs
391. March 24, 2000 Choose your words carefully to enhance credibility
448. June 1, 2001 GD A word’s appearance can be deceptive MC 618. January 10, 2005 Web Watch out for sound-alike words GD 669. January 30, 2006 GD Look-alike words can be confusing
696. September 4, 2006 Back to school with correct usage
715. January 15, 2007 Oh, you can’t bring that away from me
728. April 16, 2007 Watch out for old habits in choosing your words
824. June 21, 2010 Web Don’t let confusing word pairs – and triples – get you down
861. April 10, 2012 MC Effective communication depends on precise word choice
964. April 12, 2016 Watch out for homonyms and homonyms when choosing your words
+Apostrophes.; possessive.; possessive form; possessives.
124. July 1, 1994 Web Suffering from apostrophobia? Here’s some help GD 255. April 18, 1997 Web Apostrophobia and apostrophilia have genetic link
284. December 12, 1997 Web Four simple rules for forming possessives with names
449. June 29, 2001
536. April 25, 2003 Web Avoid catastrophe with an apostrophe
538. May 9, 2003 (Golden Pen) Web Apostromania possesses readers
636. May 16, 2005 Col AScholars (sic) Walk@ so named Web
721. February 26, 2007
919. July 29, 2014 To use – or not to use – apostrophes in names of organizations
+Family references: Debbie, Eddy, Kate, Dad (incomplete list)
128. July 29, 1994 Caring about language in the future electronic age Col 258. May 9, 1997 GD Good writing skills needed for college and beyond
298. April 3, 1998 Col Punctuation, writing are hot topics on the ski slope GD 329. December 11, 1998 Web To engage your reader, open with your best sentence
+Resumes.
130. September 9, 1994
795. March 16, 2009 Use writing skills to find your next job
+Letters of application.; applications.; college admissions essays, college.
132. September 23, 1994 Web Well-written application letter can open door to interview
224. September 6, 1996 Web How do you make your life a persuasive argument?
283. December 5, 1997 Web Personal essay is tough part of college application
329. December 11, 1998 Web To engage your reader, open with your best sentence
421. November 17, 2000 Web Some tips for handling college applications
498. June 28, 2002 Use detail to make your writing come alive
578. March 5, 2004
795. March 16, 2009 Use writing skills to find your next job
826. August 2, 2010 Web Look outside, then inside when applying for jobs
960. February 16, 2016 For your next job, “Don’t manage your career; manage what you do”
+E-mail., email. (Also see Computers above.)
133. September 30, 1994 Writing with e-mail requires new skills and habits
140. November 18, 1994 Are you :-) or :-( about e-mail’s impact on style?
169. June 16, 1995 (Medtronic guidelines) E-mail guidelines help avoid workplace problems
302. May 1, 1998 (Interview with Constance Hale) Digital age writing style captures spirit of our time
363. September 3, 1999 Web Be careful of the drawbacks in hasty use of e-mail
417. October 20, 2000 Web Follow e-mail etiquette to avoid being annoying
464. October 19, 2001 Web Don’t let e-mail inbox control your time
491. May 3, 2002
531. March 14, 2003 Web The do’s and don’ts for using e-mail effectively
765. February 4, 2008 Web That said, choose your words carefully
808. September 21, 2009 Stop wasting my time with e-mail
810. October 19, 2009 Take control of e-mail before it takes control of you
923. September 30, 2014 Make it quick for you, clear and to the point for your reader
+Responding to readers’ questions & comments; mailbag; readers.
111. April 1, 1994 Readers offend columnist with off-color stories
112. April 8, 1994 AYo, Reader!@ and other salutations of the ’90s
116. May 6, 1994 Writing is essential for finding and keeping a job
117. May 13, 1994 Readers identify five particularly annoying errors
122. June 17, 1994 See if you can find the misused/missused words
135. October 14, 1994 To Awho@ or to Awhom@ and other tough questions
144. December 23, 1994 Friends will appreciate goodwill letters
154. March 3, 1995 First annual Clever Writer Recognition Awards
194. January 12, 1996 Readers weigh in with witty comments and questions
207. April 12, 1996
Spouses say marital problems relate to writing
248. February 28, 1997 It’s time for a peek at what’s in the old mailbag
274. September 26, 1997 Unnecessary comma collection is overflowing
278. October 24, 1997 The old mailbag is bursting with wit and miscellany
295. March 13, 1998 Between you and myself, many writers panic over you and I
330. December 18, 1998 Web Readers ask baffling questions about what’s right
340. February 26, 1999 Trying to clear up what’s right and what’s wrong
354. June 4, 1999 Reader recommends Illustrated Oxford Dictionary
386. February 18, 2000 Col Quips and queries about the English language GD 401. June 30, 2000 If you want to be a millionaire, watch your modifiers
409. August 25, 2000 Columnist delays canoe trip to respond to readers
416. October 13, 2000 Col Holes in one, hole in ones: Keeping par with plurals
423. December 8, 2000 Readers feel tense about proper modifier use
432. February 9, 2001 Is it Bluto or Brutus; just deserts or desserts?
446. May 18, 2001 In matters of the mind, thinking beats believing
463. October 12, 2001
475. January 11, 2002 Clear communication is key in tough times
487. April 5, 2002 Col Readers wonder whom they can turn to
502. August 2, 2002 We have answers to readers’ questions
518. December 6, 2002 AWoe is I@ for breaking grammar rule
523. January 10, 2003 Courtesy titles start letters, and debate
538. May 9, 2003 (Golden Pen) Web Apostromania possesses readers
543. June 13, 2003 Readers weigh in on following the rules
553. August 22, 2003 Readers display uncommon wit and civility
566. November 21, 2003 Personal details can make a gem
574. February 6, 2004
579. March 12, 2004 GD 614. December 13, 2004 Readers say, AI’ve always wondered about . . .@
621. January 31, 2005 Queries and quips from readers
623. February 14, 2005 Readers’ quips keep coming
640. June 13, 2005 Reader questions things that dangle
647. August 29, 2005 Col Writing skills determine success, failure
663. December 19, 2005 Readers are driven up the wall
676. March 20, 2006 Readers are flummoxed by the rules
683. May 8, 2006 Apostrophe scofflaws better watch out
693. August 14, 2006 Readers’ stories leave me prostrate
704. October 30, 2006 Readers are not short on ideas for topics
714. January 8, 2007 Do you feel different or differently?
715. January 15, 2007 Oh, you can’t bring that away from me
732. May 14, 2007 Readers demand second round for Amedia has@
733. June 4, 2007 Language can produce mind travel
736. June 25, 2007 Readers demand correct grammar
762. January 14, 2008 Readers pepper columnist with questions
765. February 4, 2008 Web That said, choose your words carefully
769. March 10, 2008 “These ones” and other pet peeves
772. April 14, 2008 Readers make simple requests for clarity
780. August 18, 2008 Hi and goodbye to readers’ messages
783. September 29, 2008 Readers want sentences that make sense
793. February 16, 2009 Readers question common word choice errors
797. April 13, 2009 Young reader asks, what’s a word?
802. June 22, 2009 Strunk & White’s handbook on style remains a classic
804. July 20, 2009 Readers offer poor excuses but ask good questions
808. September 21, 2009 Stop wasting my time with e-mail
810. October 19, 2009 Take control of e-mail before it takes control of you
828. September 6, 2010 Readers question idiomatic expressions
840. May 9, 2011
952. October 27, 2015 Watch for secreting banks and swimming trains when proofreading
843. July 4, 2011 Readers write about titles, typos, aspirate h’s, and amphibologies
856. January 24, 2012 Tips Snarky and snarkier readers weigh in on correct grammar MC 864. May 22, 2012 Body found by two fishermen floating in a sea of misplaced modifiers
877. December 11, 2012 Attorneys are working to clean up the “verbal trash”
879. January 8, 2013 Everyday punctuation rules are needed every day
926. November 11, 2014 Follow the most basic rule for writers: Look; don’t guess
952. October 27, 2015 Watch for secreting banks and swimming trains when proofreading
+Whom.; who.
135. October 14, 1994 To Awho@ or to Awhom@ and other tough questions
483. March 8, 2002 A beautiful mind saves Awhom@ from extinction
487. April 5, 2002 Col Readers wonder whom they can turn to Web 620. January 24, 2005 To whomever or whoever reads this
791. January 19, 2009 Web Who or whom will explain this rule?
+GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)
138. November 4, 1994 Attention future execs: writing competence counts
150. February 3, 1995 Web MBA hopefuls show uninspired writing skills (GMAT)
185. November 3, 1995 Web Broad vocabulary complements analytical writing MC
+Semicolons.; semicolon.
153. February 24, 1995 Keys An ode to the semicolon; use it for emphasis GD
174. August 18, 1995 Semicolon advice elicits passionate response GD 374. November 19, 1999 Optional punctuation may spur semicolon addicts
433. February 16, 2001 A midwinter day’s dream for semicolon lovers
503. August 9, 2002 Col There are just two rules for writers
651. September 26, 2005 MC Semicolons add grace to your writing
677. March 27, 2006 GD Don’t forget those colons B or else
794. March 2, 2009 Prepositions are as hot as semicolons
+Clever reader awards; Golden Pen Awards
154. March 3, 1995 First annual Clever Writer Recognition Awards
288. January 23, 1998 Web Lingo of Generation X captures spirit of the times
315. August 28, 1998 Web Poor wording in a law lets scofflaws off the hook
354. June 4, 1999 Reader recommends Illustrated Oxford Dictionary
414. September 29, 2000 Web Smart writers know value of working with editors
478. February 1, 2002 Col Getting to the heart of delicate situations (Urban)
538. May 9, 2003 (Golden Pen) Web Apostromania possesses readers
+Rhetorical devices and strategies; rhetorical. rhetoric.
165. May 19, 1995 Keys Combine rhetorical styles for most persuasive writing
333. January 8, 1999 Rhetorical devices will rekindle your love life MC 709. December 4, 2006 Tips Use rhetorical sentences for effect MC
+Writing in delicate. situations; (Also see bad news letters)
166. May 26, 1995 What is your most delicate writing situation?
275. October 3, 1997 Web Good managers deliver bad news in a nice way
478. February 1, 2002 Col Getting to the heart of delicate situations (Urban)
+Academic writing; academic.
179. September 22, 1995 Col Anyone know why academics write the way they do?
352. May 21, 1999 Undergrads need these tools for academic success
562. October 24, 2003 Writing big projects requires discipline
+Newsletters.
181. October 6, 1995 How you can produce a meaningful, vital newsletter
189. December 8, 1995 Web Newsletter-writing checklist could make your day
241. January 10, 1997 Keys An engaging lead captures the reader’s attention
480. February 15, 2002 Web Quote wisely and well to add color to your writing
488. April 12, 2002 Web Make your newsletter worth readers’ while
+Active voice vs. passive voice; active.; passive.
184. October 27, 1995 Sometimes the passive voice is better than the active Keys 253. April 4, 1997 Keys Use active voice and verbs for emphasis
268. August 15, 1997 Web Good sentences maintain little and large links Keys 308. June 12, 1998 MC Three ways to use the passive voice effectively
530. March 7, 2003 Col Tell your computer, passive voice can be used to good effect
723. March 12, 2007
812. November 23, 2009 Web Passive-sounding constructions can harm you
901. November 12, 2013 Web The active voice is usually, but not always, the better choice MC 903. December 10, 2013 MC You can’t use the active voice until you get to the transitive
184. October 27, 1995 Sometimes the passive voice is better than the active Keys 238. December 20, 1996 Keys Give your reader ASomething old, something new@
262. June 6, 1997 Keys Level of anticipation is key to coherent writing
268. August 15, 1997 Web Good sentences maintain little and large links Keys 402. July 7, 2000 Col To write coherently, let one thought lead to the next GD 422. December 1, 2000 Col End with the thought you intend to develop next (expletives) MC
+Vocabulary., techniques for building, vocab.
185. November 3, 1995 Web Broad vocabulary complements analytical writing MC 319. September 25, 1998 Keys Word choice not everything, but it’s pretty important
321. October 9, 1998 Keys There’s always one more word to say about words
341. March 5, 1999 Web A good vocabulary will make you a better writer MC
412. September 15, 2000 MC 437. March 16, 2001 A word a day keeps the boss away
619. January 17, 2005 Web Use precise vocabulary to avoid clichés and wordiness MC 720. February 19, 2007 Web Expand your vocabulary to communicate MC 771. March 24, 2008 Is your vocabulary ample or just OK?
776. June 9, 2008 Reading helps develop vocabulary
790. January 5, 2009 Better vocabulary will help you write
805. August 3, 2009 Reading will help keep your mind sharp
806. August 17, 2009 A workplace model for expanding vocabulary
818. March 15, 2010 (Mom) Web Words are close to our hearts and souls
897. September 23, 2013 MC Here are five somewhat easy ways to improve your vocabulary
+Organization, organize, organ., paragraph., paragraphs., para.
193. January 5, 1996 Keys Well-constructed paragraphs help organize writing Web 210. May 3, 1996 Col Three lessons on punctuation, purpose, paragraphs MC 267. August 8, 1997 Web Choose method of development for your writing
348. April 23, 1999 Keys Good writing depends on coherent paragraphs
376. December 10. 1999 Keys To save time, think before you rush to begin writing
641. June 20, 2005 Web Write in sentences, but think in paragraphs MC 886. April 16, 2013 Web Structure your paragraphs so that the reader gets the point MC 887. April 30, 2013 Web Use paragraphs for four Cs: clarity, coherence, control, and credibility MC
195. January 19, 1996 Web Use Rogerian persuasion with a hostile audience
684. May 15, 2006 Web Reduce conflict in editing relationships
831. October 18, 2010 Web Rogerian persuasion turns losers into winners
832. November 8, 2010 Consensus, not compromise, should be our goal
845. August 1, 2011(Rogerian) Good communicators know how to listen for solutions
933. February 3, 2015 Web Use Rogerian affirmation to connect with your reader
973. August 16, 2016 (Jane McGonigal) Web Boost your creativity and imagine the future through writing
979. November 8, 2016
989. April 24, 2017 (Jane McGonigal) Web Use writing to predict the past and remember the future
+Rogerian. Rogerian persuasion 195. January 19, 1996 Web Use Rogerian persuasion with a hostile audience
831. October 18, 2010 Web Rogerian persuasion turns losers into winners
845. August 1, 2011(Rogerian) Good communicators know how to listen for solutions
933. February 3, 2015 Web Use Rogerian affirmation to connect with your reader
973. August 16, 2016 (Jane McGonigal) Web Boost your creativity and imagine the future through writing
981. December 6, 2016
+Technical writing, writers; technical.
201. March 1, 1996 Web Technical types underestimate their ability to write
225. September 13, 1996 Keys The beauty and utility of language are connected Web
256. April 25, 1997
272. September 12, 1997
315. August 28, 1998 Web Poor wording in a law lets scofflaws off the hook
325. November 6, 1998 Keys Variety in sentence structure adds life to writing MC 357. June 25, 1999 Keys Use analogies to clarify or reinforce your meaning
372. November 5, 1999 Col Use variety in sentence structure to add energy MC 525. January 24, 2003 Arbitrary grammar rules are annoying
535. April 18, 2003
Web
Technical subjects needn’t be dry
+Sentence structure.; variety. (Also see Elegance and style; writing style)
217. June 21, 1996 Keys How to write long sentences that don’t sprawl
257. May 2, 1997 Keys Long sentences, well managed, create special effects
325. November 6, 1998 Keys Variety in sentence structure adds life to writing MC 372. November 5, 1999 Col Use variety in sentence structure to add energy MC 452. July 20, 2001 Col Don’t make your sentences sound monotonous GD MC 601. August 27, 2004 Col Count your commas for variety MC
+Detail.; support.
227. September 27, 1996
349. April 30, 1999 Keys Illustrate your points with examples and detail
498. June 28, 2002 Use detail to make your writing come alive
+Spelling.; English absurdity
242. January 17, 1997 GD A modest proposal for simplifying English spelling
462. October 5, 2001 Col When spelling, don’t compound the error GD 509. September 27, 2002 GD Language lacks logic in some respects
510. October 4, 2002 Rules and principles you can count on
912. April 15, 2014 Compounds come in three varieties: solid, hyphenated, and spaced
+AA day in the life@; dialogue between Hal. & narrator (See Narrative & CommaMobile.)
252. March 28, 1997 Col Use the right words to communicate precisely
294. March 6, 1998 Effective communication depends on correct usage
339. February 19, 1999 Watch out for these commonly confused word pairs
+Collaborative, group writing, collab.
254. April 11, 1997
264. June 20, 1997 Web Establish style guidelines when writing in a group
469. November 30, 2001
+Style guide; style sheet; style guidelines
264. June 20, 1997 Web Establish style guidelines when writing in a group
439. March 30, 2001
+Compound words.; compound.
276. October 10, 1997 Web Compound words cause considerable confusion
462. October 5, 2001 Col When spelling, don’t compound the error GD 737. July 2, 2007 Check out these words on my checkoff list 827. August 16, 2010 Are you all ready/already to spell compound words?
912. April 15, 2014 Compounds come in three varieties: solid, hyphenated, and spaced
+Leads. Openings. Engaging.
279. October 31, 1997 Attention-getting openings appeal to busy readers
280. November 7, 1997 Web Quotation marks make reading easy, writing hard
494. May 31, 2002 Rules for quotations marks can produce clarity
626. March 7, 2005 The rules for quotation marks can be tricky
707. November 20, 2006 To quote or not to quote
+Jargon.
288. January 23, 1998 Web Lingo of Generation X captures spirit of the times
708. November 27, 2006
+Imagination. Imaginative.
310. June 26, 1998 Col Writing with style requires playfulness, imagination
312. August 7, 1998 Use your imagination to give writing personality GD MC 345. April 2, 1999 Col Use your imagination when you write MC 504. August 16, 2002 Col Imaginative writing is the most memorable MC 967. May 24, 2016 To be a fully developed person (and leader), you need to dream
+That B when to use; when to omit; that.
314. August 21, 1998 Keys Avoid indirect negatives and unnecessary thats
526. January 31, 2003
577. February 27, 2004 Keys Speaking of this and that and that
630. April 4, 2005 Is that that that necessary?
+Mission statements.; mission.; statement. Write a mission statement to define your values
820. April 19, 2010 Web How to write a good mission statement
+Word choice.; words (as style).
319. September 25, 1998 Keys Word choice not everything, but it’s pretty important
321. October 9, 1998 Keys There’s always one more word to say about words
429. January 19, 2001 Col To write memorably, listen to your language MC 441. April 13, 2001 13M To make a vivid impression, appeal to the senses Col MC
+Noun Stacks.
324. October 30, 1998
726. April 2, 2007
851. November 8, 2011 MC A dangling modifier identification and elimination exercise
892. July 9, 2013 MC Unstack those noun stacks to animate your writing (Turtle Bread)
+Ventura, Keillor.
326. November 13, 1998 Besse Plain-Talk Dentura offers lesson for writers
342. March 12, 1999 Keys Metaphor is an incomparable way to make a point
344. March 26, 1999 Keys To convey personality, use energy, surprise, humor (Whoopi Goldberg)
364. September 10, 1999 What works in speaking may not work in writing
+Store., shopkeeper motif
372. November 5, 1999 Col Use variety in sentence structure to add energy MC 444. May 4, 2001 Col Bargaining for some punctuation marks GD 454. August 3, 2001 MC Punctuation can give your writing style
SEC.; plain English
393. April 7, 2000 Web SEC guidelines will help you write in plain English
445. May 11, 2001
798. April 27, 2009 A call for transparency in finance, writing
969. June 21, 2016 Join language sleuth Sam Snoop to work a Plain Language caper
+Earl., correct usage 448. June 1, 2001 GD A word’s appearance can be deceptive MC 618. January 10, 2005 Web Watch out for sound-alike words GD 669. January 30, 2006 GD Look-alike words can be confusing
+George.; Ralph.; dialogue with; see Perry Phrastic
458. August 31, 2001 MC Keep words running on a parallel track
459. September 7, 2001 Some word choice errors are predictable
548. July 18, 2003 GD Wordiness is a waste of time
587. May 7, 2004
+Complaint letters (See customer relations or PR letters, angry letters, & bad-news letters above)
471. December 14, 2001 If you must complain, do it with a cool head
689. July 17, 2006 Don’t just disagree; do it with eloquence
+Doc. as psychiatrist; psycho.
505. August 23, 2002 GD Good editors should understand their role
+Dashes 532. March 28, 2003 Web Know your dashes from your hyphens
750. October 22, 2007; rewritten January 4,
2017
882. February 19, 2013
983. January 24, 2017 Use dots for thoughtful pauses and dashes for dashing effect
+PowerPoint.
591. June 4, 2004 Web PowerPoint: Making your point powerfully
690. July 24, 2006 Effective writing principles apply to PowerPoint
825. July 19, 2010 Avoid the number one error in PowerPoint
+Subject-verb agreement.
642. June 27, 2005
643. July 18, 2005
725. March 26, 2007
784. October 13, 2008 Let’s agree to agree on politics and grammar
807. September 7, 2009 Let’s agree on health care reform and grammar
894. August 6, 2013 There’s two things to watch for in writing: subjects and verbs
916. June 10, 2014 Here’s a few rules – or here are a few rules – for subject-verb agreement
961. March 1, 2016 Save our language: Make certain your verbs agrees with their subjects
962. March 15, 2016 Take back the English language: Vote for subject-verb agreement
976. September 27, 2016 Web How well do you know the rules of subject-verb agreement?
+Numbers.; numbers usage.
660. November 28, 2005 Web Know the rules for numbers
777. June 23, 2008 Web Four (4) rules for using numbers correctly
902. November 26, 2013 Follow eight rules for numbers for consistency and precision
666. January 9, 2006 A proofreading puzzle for the new year
743. August 27, 2007 Proofread this column for a word puzzle
759. December 24, 2007 Here’s a holiday puzzle for you/ Solve a puzzle involving nonrestrictive commas
789. December 22, 2008 A New Year’s proofreading puzzle
796. March 30, 2009 Proofread this column to solve a puzzle
904. December 24, 2013 Send a goodwill message to make someone happy this year
+Texting.
821. May 3, 2010 Web Texting may be hazardous to your professional health
847. September 5, 2011 Beauty and truth will outlast language abuse
870. August 14, 2012 Web Standards of good writing evolve with changing technologies
871. August 28, 2012 Web Communication becomes less nuanced with new technologies
872. September 11, 2012 Web Even in the age of texting, handwriting has its place
935. March 3, 2015 Do you ever wonder what technology is doing to your brain?
+China. 862. April 24, 2012 (China Connection) Language competence can open the door to the world
866. June 19, 2012 (China Connection) Web Choose your closing with an eye – and an ear – to relationship
867. July 3, 2012 (China Connection) Be wary of expressions with double meanings that can offend
+Stress point.; beginnings.; endings. 907. February 4, 2014 Use two natural stress points in your sentences for emphasis
+Plagiarism. “Plagiarism free” papers? Don’t buy it.
+Leader. Leadership. 951. October 13, 2015 Choose your words to be the leader, and the person, you aspire to be 967. May 24, 2016 To be a fully developed person (and leader), you need to dream
*Columns by date and title
0. December 12, 1991 Col Competence often measured by the ability to reach others
1. December 13, 1991 Col To keep your readers’ attention, get to the point
2. December 20, 1991 Col You can take those important words and park ’em
3. December 27, 1991 Col When sentences ramble, just cut the engine
4. January 3, 1992 Keys Give readers a break B keep it plain and simple
5. January 10, 1992 Use language that your readers know, expect
6. January 17, 1992 Secret ingredients of a customer relations letter
7. January 24, 1992 Keys Honoring your contract with the reader Col 8. January 31, 1992 Character, action essential to livening up prose
9. February 7, 1992 Mix it around for vigorous writing
10. February 14, 1992 How to avoid succumbing to acute prolixity
11. February 21, 1992 Keys How to make writer’s block less of an obstacle Web 12. February 28, 1992 Keys ABulldozing@ leaves no time to be critical of writing
13. March 6, 1992 After spontaneous start, you need an outline
14. March 13, 1992 Col To write or not to write: A question of good management
15. March 20, 1992 How to make enemies and start wars with your writing
16. March 27, 1992 Writing to threaten and to intimidate will cost you
17. April 3, 1992 Web How to proofread and never miss a single errror
18. April 10, 1992 Web How did you do on last week’s proofreading quiz?
19. April 17, 1992 Keys How to be a good critic to those who write for you Web 20. April 24, 1992 Even Abusiness writing@ can deal with feelings
21. May 1, 1992 Web APorn and Beans@ and other proofreading classics
22. May 8, 1992 Col Use precise language that is fair to both sexes
23. May 15, 1992 How to avoid the Ageneric he@ but not be awkward
24. May 22, 1992 Col Having fun with The Dictionary of Bias-Free Usage
25. May 29, 1992 How to word salutation when recipient is unknown
26. June 5, 1992 Priorities: Good grammar or bias-free language?
27. June 12, 1992 Every writer wishes they could solve this issue
28. June 19, 1992 Web RULES, Rules, and rules: how to tell them apart
29. June 26, 1992 Giving writing assignments without bruising egos
30. July 3, 1992 How to promote good writing in the work place
31. July 10, 1992 How do you define effective business writing?
32. July 17, 1992
So many words, so strong the urge
to
Aredunderize@ 33. July 24, 1992 Simple suggestions for simplifying sentences
34. July 31, 1992 How to write ambiguously to cover your amphibology
35. September 4, 1992 In customer relations letters, put the reader first
36. September 11, 1992 Keys Metaphors are fine, but avoid cliches like the plague Web 37. September 18, 1992 A simple recipe for terrific instant thank-you letters
38. September 25, 1992 Ben Franklin and Malcolm X have something for you
39. October 2, 1992 How to write fund-raising letters that never fail
40. October 9, 1992 Venting your anger and psyching out your enemy
41. October 16, 1992 Web Grant proposals: Writing is just part of the process
42. October 23, 1992 Puzzling puns can make your reader go to pieces
43. October 30, 1992 How to write a bad-news letter without being brutal
44. November 6, 1992 Between you and I, us writers should know better
45. November 13, 1992 How to say Ano@ without turning friends into enemies
46. November 20, 1992 Parts of speech lost on unsuspecting writer GD 47. December 4, 1992 Curing twin diseases: misplaced & dangling modifiers GD 48. December 11, 1992 Does anybody know why lawyers write the way they do?
49. December 18, 1992 The power of positive thinking makes for good writing
50. December 25, 1992 Goodwill letters create good feelings in any season
51. January 1, 1993 New Year’s resolutions for improving your writing
52. January 8, 1993 Are common errors undermining your credibility?
53. January 15, 1993 Keys To improve skills, read (and copy) good writers Web 54. January 22, 1993 Web The three-step memo gets the job done in a pinch
55. January 29, 1993 Touching letter offers good reason to say thanks
56. February 5, 1993 Faithful readers at midpoint in 10-week exercise
57. February 12, 1993 What poets can teach us about using language
58. February 19, 1993 In most cases, one page should do for a report
59. February 26, 1993 Humor can establish common ground with your reader
60. March 5, 1993 Wanted: Top-level managers to edit staff writing
61. March 12, 1993 (Orson Welbers) Keys The war of the words B invasion of the bureaucrats
62. March 19, 1993 Web Making performance reviews less of a burden
63. March 26, 1993 Readers respond to 10-week writing challenge
64. April 2, 1993 Making letters of recommendation work
65. April 9, 1993 Five easy lessons in clear and effective writing 66. April 16, 1993 How word processors help and hurt our writing
67. April 23, 1993 It’s writer vs. machine in a fight over language
68. April 30, 1993 Learn a little B expose yourself to the 5 elements
69. May 7, 1993 How writing can help you prepare a terrific speech
70. May 14, 1993 To overcome writer’s block, silence inner critic
71. May 21, 1993 Web Sales letters succeed by linking product to need
72. May 28, 1993 One MBA executive’s writing style: a critique
73. June 4, 1993 Writing with the word processor B a personal history
74. June 11, 1993 Use the computer to help you think and write
75. June 18, 1993 Web Avoid common errors when writing internationally Col 76. June 25, 1993 New SlumberWrite software Arevolutionizes@ writing Web 77. July 2, 1993 Variety in sentence structure invigorates writing
78. July 9, 1993 Send your boss to Language Efficiency School
79. July 16, 1993 Reinstate the quality loop to ensure good writing
80. July 23, 1993 Keys AHow can I learn to write with style?@ 81. July 30, 1993 Adapt your style to fit the audience, occasion 82. September 3, 1993 Pseudo-sophistication no justification for obfuscation
83. September 10, 1993 The book no business writer should be without
84. September 17, 1993 Who gets the blame for illiteracy in America?
85. September 24, 1993 AElegant variation@ is an affectation to avoid
86. October 1, 1993 Some operating principles that apply to writing
87. October 8, 1993 Speaking English as it was meant to be spoken
88. October 15, 1993 In performance reviews, Aadequate@ not adequate
89. October 22, 1993 Keys Verbing your nouns and nouning your verbs
90. October 29, 1993 How would you grade your business writing?
91. November 5, 1993 Humor can take you far B sometimes too far
92. November 12, 1993 Web Openings are key to successful sales letters
93. November 19, 1993 DOs and DON’Ts for writing holiday greetings
94. December 3, 1993 Keys Trust is key to cross-racial writing criticism
95. December 10, 1993 Successful dictation depends on collaboration 96. December 17, 1993 How to say, AYou’re wrong,@ yet keep business
97. December 24, 1993 Handwritten notes of appreciation create goodwill
98. December 31, 1993 This year, resolve to improve your writing skills
99. January 7, 1994 Web Using Athat@ or Awhich@ with that stupid comma
100. January 14, 1994 Col Lessons learned after 100 columns on writing
101. January 21, 1994 How to write an AA@ report in an emergency
102. January 28, 1994 Web Letters of resignation that don’t burn bridges
103. February 4, 1994 Keys To write with emphasis, trim your endings
104. February 11, 1994 Col Everything you need to know about editing
105. February 18, 1994 Col Talking turkey and dressing down your reader (metaphors)
106. February 25, 1994 Proofread to eliminate those embarassing errrors
107. March 4, 1994 How would you grade your proofreading prowess?
108. March 11, 1994
109. March 18, 1994 Designing business-writing courses that work
110. March 25, 1994
111. April 1, 1994 Readers offend columnist with off-color stories
112. April 8, 1994 AYo, Reader!@ and other salutations of the ’90s
113. April 15, 1994 Col The seven sins of highly ineffective writers
114. April 22, 1994 Eliminating excess words adds power to writing (C. Peter Magrath, Faulkner, & Hemingway)
115. April 29, 1994 And the winner of the Nasty Letter Contest is . . . Col
116. May 6, 1994 Writing is essential for finding and keeping a job
117. May 13, 1994 Readers identify five particularly annoying errors
118. May 20, 1994 Presenting Little Stevie Wordster and the Fab Five
119. May 27, 1994 Web The joy of taking minutes is every writer’s dream
120. June 3, 1994 Web The seven habits of highly effective writers
121. June 10, 1994 ASIPBI Method@ helps keep vertical lists in order
122. June 17, 1994 See if you can find the misused/missused words
123. June 24, 1994 So you want to criticize your boss’s writing?
124. July 1, 1994 Web Suffering from apostrophobia? Here’s some help GD 125. July 8, 1994 Tips Make your readers suffer: Delay your verb
126. July 15, 1994 Web Progress reports noticed when things go wrong
127. July 22, 1994 Make your writing look as good as it reads
128. July 29, 1994 Caring about language in the future electronic age Col 129. September 2, 1994 (Laura Ingalls Wilder: Little House & business writing) A little business writing lesson on the prairie
130. September 9, 1994
131. September 16, 1994 Judging a company by the quality of its writing (Jeff Pope & CRI)
132. September 23, 1994 Web Well-written application letter can open door to interview
133. September 30, 1994 Writing with e-mail requires new skills and habits
134. October 7, 1994 Web Personal pitches, not tricks, are what sell
135. October 14, 1994 To Awho@ or to Awhom@ and other tough questions
136. October 21, 1994 Web How to make editors notice your news release
137. October 28, 1994 Keys Write quickly, freely to overcome writer’s block
138. November 4, 1994 Attention future execs: writing competence counts (GMAT)
139. November 11, 1994 Web Customer relations letters are good for business
140. November 18, 1994 Are you :-) or :-( about e-mail’s impact on style?
November 25, 1994 No column
141. December 2, 1994 Web Effective fund-raising letters in 10 easy steps
142. December 9, 1994 Web To write correctly, you gotta learn the rules
143. December 16, 1994 Web Me, myself, and I; writing in the first person
144. December 23, 1994 Friends will appreciate goodwill letters
145. December 30, 1994 For New Year’s resolutions, take a tip from Ben
146. January 6, 1995 Writing for publication is doable, worthwhile
147. January 13, 1995 Keys How to cope with an overly zealous editor
148. January 20, 1995
149. January 27, 1995 Punctuation enables readers to hear your voice
150. February 3, 1995 Web MBA hopefuls show uninspired writing skills (GMAT)
151. February 10, 1995 ALimiting modifiers@ can limit your meaning GD 152. February 17, 1995 Writing (and responding to) collection letters
153. February 24, 1995 Keys An ode to the semicolon; use it for emphasis GD
154. March 3, 1995 First annual Clever Writer Recognition Awards
155. March 10, 1995 How many miss spelled words can you find?
156. March 17, 1995 Col How to design forms that entertain the recipient
157. March 24, 1995 Create a personalized proofreading checklist (link to error checklist)
158. March 31, 1995 GD? Enter the Second Annual Nasty Letter Contest
159. April 7, 1995 Col Using amphibology to achieve ambiguity
160. April 14, 1995 How to write a successful grant proposal
161. April 21, 1995 Use parallel structure for emphasis, power
162. April 28, 1995 The winner of the 1995 Nasty Letter Contest is . . .
163. May 5, 1995 Subject line should capture reader’s attention
164. May 12, 1995 To move multitudes, write to an audience of one
165. May 19, 1995 Keys Combine rhetorical styles for most persuasive writing
166. May 26, 1995 What is your most delicate writing situation?
167. June 2, 1995 Follow five-part formula for persuasive writing
168. June 9, 1995 Web Here are three perfect gifts for June graduates
169. June 16, 1995 (Medtronic guidelines) E-mail guidelines help avoid workplace problems
170. June 23, 1995 Web Rules of evidence are key to persuasive writing
171. June 30, 1995 (with 182?) Web Elegance adds power to business writing MC 172. August 4, 1995 If computers are so smart, why can’t they think?
173. August 11, 1995 Take the plunge: Self-publishing can be fun
174. August 18, 1995 Semicolon advice elicits passionate response GD 175. August 25, 1995 Web How to make sales letters work like a charm
176. September 1, 1995 Col Windows 95 overlooked SlumberWrite software
177. September 8, 1995 Web William Kunstler’s last will and testament GD 178. September 15, 1995 Col Bad-news letters are often short on diplomacy
179. September 22, 1995 Col Anyone know why academics write the way they do?
180. September 29, 1995 Some errors damage credibility more than others
181. October 6, 1995 How you can produce a meaningful, vital newsletter
182. October 13, 1995 Keys For a lively writing style, use strong verbs
183. October 20, 1995 Col Communication skills are key to good managers Web 184. October 27, 1995 Sometimes the passive voice is better than the active Keys 185. November 3, 1995 Web Broad vocabulary complements analytical writing MC 186. November 10, 1995 Col Life’s little lessons teach us about communication
187. November 17, 1995 Keys Instructors and editors can make you hate writing
November 24, 1995 No column in Star Tribune; rewrite of SYN
188. December 1, 1995 Clarity is vital in delivering health care message
189. December 8, 1995 Web Newsletter-writing checklist could make your day
190. December 15, 1995 Keys To overcome writer’s block, write with honesty
191. December 22, 1995 ’Tis the season to put tidings of goodwill in writing
192. December 29, 1995 MC Forget New Year’s resolutions and pursue passions
193. January 5, 1996 Keys Well-constructed paragraphs help organize writing Web 194. January 12, 1996 Readers weigh in with witty comments and questions
195. January 19, 1996 Web Use Rogerian persuasion with a hostile audience
196. January 26, 1996 Web How well does your business writing measure up?
197. February 2, 1996 Unique Caribbean cruise caters to business writers GD 198. February 9, 1996 You can’t beat Strunk & White on a cruise ship GD 199. February 16, 1996 Col Good managers know how to tell good stories Web 200. February 23, 1996 Lessons learned from 200 columns on writing
201. March 1, 1996 Web Technical types underestimate their ability to write
202. March 8, 1996 A letter to the editor can promote your viewpoint
203. March 15, 1996
Web
Avoid using exclusive language that
can offend 204. March 22, 1996 A well-placed hyphen can lend writing c-l-a-r-i-t-y
205. March 29, 1996 Proofreading checklist eliminates common errrors
206. April 5, 1996 Keys English as a second language can be confusing
207. April 12, 1996
Spouses say marital problems
relate to writing
208. April 19, 1996 Keys Use an outline as a guide to clear thinking, writing
209. April 26, 1996 Col Five easy lessons in clear and effective writing
210. May 3, 1996 Col Three lessons on punctuation, purpose, paragraphs MC 211. May 10, 1996 Tips Show restraint in using metaphor and analogy
212. May 17, 1996 Col Angry letters are risky but sometimes necessary Web 213. May 24, 1996 Web Books about writing are good gifts for graduates
214. May 31, 1996 Web Now for five easy lessons in persuasive writing
215. June 7, 1996 Why Johnny and Janie can’t write so good
216. June 14, 1996 Persuasive strategy needed in baseball, business Col. 217. June 21, 1996 Keys How to write long sentences that don’t sprawl
218. June 28, 1996 A running account of how to improve your writing
219. August 2, 1996 Web A carefully written apology can create goodwill
220. August 9, 1996 Tips Avoid mid-sentence shifts in tense, subject, voice
221. August 16, 1996 Steam-room philosophizing on English language GD; Col. 222. August 23, 1996 What you wished you had learned about writing
223. August 30, 1996 GD Just another day in the life of a writing consultant
224. September 6, 1996 Web How do you make your life a persuasive argument?
225. September 13, 1996 Keys The beauty and utility of language are connected Web 226. September 20, 1996 Keys Take a cue from Fitzgerald and his action verbs
227. September 27, 1996
228. October 4, 1996 Getting the most out of your fund-raising letters
229. October 11, 1996 Keys What goals do you have for yourself as a writer?
230. October 18, 1996 Successful sales letters focus on reader’s interests
231. October 25, 1996 Select the writing handbook that’s right for you
232. November 1, 1996 To mark or not to mark introductory elements
233. November 8, 1996 Keys Hedges and intensifiers are important in persuasion
234. November 15, 1996 (GMAT reading) Use the 3-step memo to get your message across
235. November 22, 1996 Web Five elements of writing with style and personality Keys 236. December 6, 1996 Keys The dread of writing comes from multiple causes
GD 237. December 13, 1996 Follow the rules for forms of address and salutations
238. December 20, 1996 Keys Give your reader ASomething old, something new@
239. December 27, 1996 Want to write better? Set goals, then get to work
240. January 3, 1997 Keys Here are five techniques for writing concisely
241. January 10, 1997 Keys An engaging lead captures the reader’s attention
242. January 17, 1997 GD A modest proposal for simplifying English spelling
243. January 24, 1997 How to interview a Minnesotan in midwinter
244. January 31, 1997 The three secrets to becoming a better writer
245. February 7, 1997 Col Writing assessment is sweetheart of a valentine gift
246. February 14, 1997 Proofreading errors under mine your credibility
247. February 21, 1997 Questions to ask yourself before and about writing (Munter)
248. February 28, 1997 It’s time for a peek at what’s in the old mailbag
249. March 7, 1997 A short list of common business writing errors
250. March 14, 1997 GD Spring is good time to toss out unneeded commas
251. March 21, 1997 Keys Same rules apply to time management, good writing
252. March 28, 1997 Col Use the right words to communicate precisely
253. April 4, 1997 Keys Use active voice and verbs for emphasis
254. April 11, 1997
255. April 18, 1997 Web Apostrophobia and apostrophilia have genetic link
256. April 25, 1997 Web Technical writers face common problems and challenges
257. May 2, 1997 Web Long sentences, well managed, create special effects Keys 258. May 9, 1997 GD Good writing skills needed for college and beyond
259. May 16, 1997 Test writing ability of applicants before hiring
260. May 23, 1997 Use a writing assessment to help hire the right person
261. May 30, 1997 It’s a crime the way some people use language
262. June 6, 1997 Web Level of anticipation is key to coherent writing Keys
263. June 13, 1997
264. June 20, 1997 Web Establish style guidelines when writing in a group
265. June 27, 1997 Keys Humor can be a powerful tool of communication
266. August 1, 1997 Web The Net can be a dream for teachers and students
267. August 8, 1997 Web Choose method of development for your writing
268. August 15, 1997 Web Good sentences maintain little and large links Keys 269. August 22, 1997 Keys Debunking some popular myths about writing 270. August 29, 1997 GD Let’s clear up misconceptions about writers and editors
271. September 5, 1997 Web Can new technology help us improve our writing?
272. September 12, 1997
273. September 19, 1997 (Brian Kent Johnson) Web Writing and speaking require different skills
274. September 26, 1997 Unnecessary comma collection is overflowing
275. October 3, 1997 Web Good managers deliver bad news in a nice way
276. October 10, 1997 Web Compound words cause considerable confusion
277. October 17, 1997 Web Writing with heart improves odds of getting grant
278. October 24, 1997 The old mailbag is bursting with wit and miscellany
279. October 31, 1997 Attention-getting openings appeal to busy readers
280. November 7, 1997 Web Quotation marks make reading easy, writing hard
281. November 14, 1997 Col Humor appeals to your audience’s intelligence (flight attendant) MC 282. November 21, 1997 Writing internationally demands extra precision
November 28, 1997 No column
283. December 5, 1997 Web Personal essay is tough part of college application
284. December 12, 1997 Web Four simple rules for forming possessives with names
285. December 19, 1997 Offer some good cheer when writing to associates
December 26, 1997 No column
January 2, 1998 No column
286. January 9, 1998 Make New Year’s resolutions to improve your writing
287. January 16, 1998 Web Lawyers are experts on persuasive writing
288. January 23, 1998 Web Lingo of Generation X captures spirit of the times
289. January 30, 1998 Web Effective sales proposals focus on solving problems
290. February 6, 1998 Keys To overcome writer’s block, compose yourself
291. February 13, 1998 Web Techniques for proofreading word-processed text
292. February 20, 1998 Col Adults need time, commitment to improve writing
293. February 27, 1998 Web Are you making any of these 15 common errors?
294. March 6, 1998 Effective communication depends on correct usage
295. March 13, 1998 Between you and myself, many writers panic over you and I
296. March 20, 1998 Web When writing an essay exam under pressure, take time to plan
297. March 27, 1998 How computers help B and harm B communication
298. April 3, 1998 Col Punctuation, writing are hot topics on the ski slope GD 299. April 10, 1998 Keys Principles of composition are not elements of style
300. April 17, 1998 Lessons learned from 300 columns on writing
301. April 24, 1998 Web Writing effective thank-you letters can be difficult
302. May 1, 1998 (Interview with Constance Hale) Digital age writing style captures spirit of our time
303. May 8, 1998 (persuasive writing)
304. May 15, 1998 Web Books make good gifts for high school graduates
305. May 22, 1998 Web Some word-choice errors hurt more than others
306. May 29, 1998 A well-written business plan gives sense of direction
307. June 5, 1998 Col Grammar fixer unable to keep up with all the work GD 308. June 12, 1998 MC Three ways to use the passive voice effectively
309. June 19, 1998 Tips Eliminating unintentional bias from your writing MC 310. June 26, 1998 Col Writing with style requires playfulness, imagination
311. July 3, 1998 Keys Parallel structure is simple but powerful technique
312. August 7, 1998 Use your imagination to give writing personality GD MC 313. August 14, 1998 Keys To write with emphasis make every word count
314. August 21, 1998 Keys Avoid indirect negatives and unnecessary thats
315. August 28, 1998 Web Poor wording in a law lets scofflaws off the hook
316. September 4, 1998 Keys Get to the point B don’t waste your readers’ time
317. September 11, 1998 Reading this story, dangling modifiers can be found
318. September 18, 1998 Write a mission statement to define your values
319. September 25, 1998 Keys Word choice not everything, but it’s pretty important
320. October 2, 1998 Keys Leave nothing to chance when writing persuasively
321. October 9, 1998 There’s always one more word to say about words
322. October 16, 1998 Keys ASeat time@ is what counts with long writing projects
323. October 23, 1998 How to make a proposal to a selection committee
324. October 30, 1998
325. November 6, 1998 Keys Variety in sentence structure adds life to writing MC 326. November 13, 1998 Besse Plain-Talk Dentura offers lesson for writers
327. November 20, 1998 If writing were easy, you wouldn’t be reading this
November 27, 1998 No column
328. December 4, 1998 Use the Internet for help with writing grant proposals
329. December 11, 1998 Web To engage your reader, open with your best sentence
330. December 18, 1998 Web Readers ask baffling questions about what’s right
331. December 25, 1998 Writing can bring out the best in you and in others
332. January 1, 1999 Use your writing skills to improve the lives of others
333. January 8, 1999 Rhetorical devices will rekindle your love life MC
334. January 15, 1999
335. January 22, 1999 Watch for Aeeking snout hogwash@ when proofreading
336. January 29, 1999 GD Evaluate your writing according to five key elements
337. February 5, 1999 How to develop habits for highly effective writing
338. February 12, 1999 How to say no without sounding like a bureaucrat
339. February 19, 1999 Watch out for these commonly confused word pairs
340. February 26, 1999 Trying to clear up what’s right and what’s wrong
341. March 5, 1999 Web A good vocabulary will make you a better writer MC 342. March 12, 1999 Keys Metaphor is an incomparable way to make a point
343. March 19, 1999 Col Gender differences may muddy communications
344. March 26, 1999 Keys To convey personality, use energy, surprise, humor (Whoopi Goldberg)
345. April 2, 1999 Col Use your imagination when you write MC 346. April 9, 1999 Keys Sometimes you can state your purpose too directly
347. April 16, 1999
348. April 23, 1999 Keys Good writing depends on coherent paragraphs
349. April 30, 1999 Keys Illustrate your points with examples and detail
350. May 7, 1999 Punctuation errors can make you appear dumb
351. May 14, 1999 Keys Recognize your reader’s view as a persuasive strategy
352. May 21, 1999 Undergrads need these tools for academic success
353. May 28, 1999 Keys Elements of sentences should flow in natural order
354. June 4, 1999 Reader recommends Illustrated Oxford Dictionary
355. June 11, 1999 Keys What to say, and not to say, in openings and closings
356. June 18, 1999 Keys Use words that convey a consistent style to your reader
357. June 25, 1999 Keys Use analogies to clarify or reinforce your meaning
358. July 30, 1999 Columnist comes to the rescue in comma dispute GD 359. August 6, 1999 Learn to appreciate the value of conflicting advice
360. August 13, 1999 Writing in delicate situations is like sailing in a storm
361. August 20, 1999 Don’t distract your reader with errors, big or small
362. August 27, 1999 Keys Use Amindtravel@ to take your reader on a good ride
363. September 3, 1999 Web Be careful of the drawbacks in hasty use of e-mail
364. September 10, 1999 What works in speaking may not work in writing
365. September 17, 1999 Write with Arespectful exasperation@ to get your way
366. September 24, 1999
367. October 1, 1999 Rolling stones and writing have much in common
368. October 8, 1999 Proofreading horror stories need not be repeated
369. October 15, 1999 Keys Punctuation allows the reader to hear your voice
370. October 22, 1999 Keys Use punctuation to convey the music of your words
371. October 29, 1999 Here’s the best of the worst proofreading lapses
372. November 5, 1999 Col Use variety in sentence structure to add energy MC 373. November 12, 1999 Communicating across racial lines requires trust
374. November 19, 1999 Optional punctuation may spur semicolon addicts
November 26, 1999 No column
375. December 3, 1999 Col Letters from a Nut a test of customer service Web 376. December 10, 1999 Keys To save time, think before you rush to begin writing
377. December 17, 1999 Col Use action verbs to write with emphasis and style
378. December 24, 1999 Say thanks to the people who made a difference
379. December 31, 1999 Resolve to improve writing skills in new millennium
380. January 7, 2000 What can secretary do if boss is a poor writer?
381. January 14, 2000 Keys Let your readers know what is, not what is not GD382. January 21, 2000 Keys Key to interesting writing is to keep it moving
383. January 28, 2000 Keys Use your sentence endings to create emphasis
384. February 4, 2000
385. February 11, 2000 Col Open Book newsletter: effective writing spelled out
386. February 18, 2000 Col Quips and queries about the English language GD 387. February 25, 2000 Good writing can improve social life and career
388. March 3, 2000 Col In a battle of wits, your computer will always win
389. March 10, 2000 Col Effective communication requires time to think
390. March 17, 2000 Col Message is muddled by meaningless modifiers (Key West) MC 391. March 24, 2000 Choose your words carefully to enhance credibility
392. March 31, 2000 Col Effective sales letters put readers first
Web SEC guidelines will help you write in plain English
394. April 14, 2000 Are you hiring people who know how to write?
395. April 21, 2000 To communicate effectively, consider your options
396. April 28, 2000 Language skills among the keys to success
397. May 5, 2000 Keys Contradiction, paradox can be attention-getters MC 398. May 12, 2000 Good writers don’t leave their readers dangling
399. June 16, 2000 Col Learning a second language can improve your first
400. June 23, 2000 Lessons learned from 400 columns on writing
401. June 30, 2000 If you want to be a millionaire, watch your modifiers
402. July 7, 2000 Col To write coherently, let one thought lead to the next GD 403. July 14, 2000 Col Closings can reinforce or detract from your message
404. July 21, 2000 To say no without disrespect, acknowledge your reader
405. July 28, 2000 To convey your message with emphasis, be definite
406. August 4, 2000 Put your best face forward when saying thanks
407. August 11, 2000 Use nominalizations to inflict pain on your reader
408. August 18, 2000
409. August 25, 2000 Columnist delays canoe trip to respond to readers
410. September 1, 2000 GD Without gerunds our language would be impoverished
411. September 8, 2000 Keep scanners in mind when designing Web text
412. September 15, 2000 413. September 22, 2000 GD Check the manual for smooth sailing B and writing
414. September 29, 2000 Web Smart writers know value of working with editors
415. October 6, 2000 Web Writing like a bureaucrat takes study, practice
416. October 13, 2000 Col Holes in one, hole in ones: Keeping par with plurals
417. October 20, 2000 Web Follow e-mail etiquette to avoid being annoying
418. October 27, 2000 Web Public servants deserve our respect, not our ridicule
419. November 3, 2000 Web Columnist uses secret weapon on bureaucrats
420. November 10, 2000 Tips on how to make writing more enjoyable
421. November 17, 2000 Web Some tips for handling college applications
422. December 1, 2000 Col End with the thought you intend to develop next (expletives) MC 423. December 8, 2000 Readers feel tense about proper modifier use
424. December 15, 2000 Writing can be a breeze with the AQ&A@ format
425. December 22, 2000 Positive writing can help spread holiday goodwill
426. December 29, 2000 New Year’s resolution: Look it up; don’t guess
427. January 5, 2001 Col Legal style can include wit, but not Alegalese@
428. January 12, 2001 For clarity and emphasis, make every word count
429. January 19, 2001 Col To write memorably, listen to your language MC 430. January 26, 2001 Col Tight sentence endings can set your words free MC 431. February 2, 2001 Col Clichés: Should we avoid them like the plague? Web; MC 432. February 9, 2001 Is it Bluto or Brutus; just deserts or desserts?
433. February 16, 2001 A midwinter day’s dream for semicolon lovers
434. February 23, 2001 Col Punctuation can create special effects B try it MC 435. March 2, 2001 Col Using punctuation . . . for full range of effects MC 436. March 9, 2001 How to avoid mistakes when writing in a hurry
437. March 16, 2001 A word a day keeps the boss away
438. March 23, 2001 Resources available for writing grant proposals
439. March 30, 2001
440. April 6, 2001 Monthly articles don’t need to be a chore
441. April 13, 2001 13M To make a vivid impression, appeal to the senses Col MC 442. April 20, 2001 Keep your modifiers near the things they modify
443. April 27, 2001 Improving the writing of your employees
444. May 4, 2001 Col Bargaining for some punctuation marks GD
445. May 11, 2001
446. May 18, 2001 In matters of the mind, thinking beats believing
447. May 25, 2001
448. June 1, 2001 GD A word’s appearance can be deceptive MC
449. June 29, 2001
450. July 6, 2001 Revising is not the same as proofreading
451. July 13, 2001
452. July 20, 2001 Col Vary your sentence structure for a lively style GD MC 453. July 27, 2001 ABusiness writing@ comes in many varieties (Pepito’s)
454. August 3, 2001 MC Punctuation can give your writing style
455. August 10, 2001
456. August 17, 2001 New dictionary addresses usage blunders
457. August 24, 2001 Web A white paper on how to write a white paper
458. August 31, 2001 MC Keep words running on a parallel track
459. September 7, 2001 Some word choice errors are predictable
September 14, 2001 No column
460. September 21, 2001 Col Words can build walls or tear them down
461. September 28, 2001 Encouraging words to improve attitude
462. October 5, 2001 Col When spelling, don’t compound the error GD
463. October 12, 2001
464. October 19, 2001 Web Don’t let e-mail inbox control your time
465. October 26, 2001 Col Open and close with words of affirmation
466. November 2, 2001 Col Every writer wishes they could be inclusive Tips MC 467. November 9, 2001 Col Little errors add up to big distractions
468. November 16, 2001 Col Get (right) to the point to connect with readers
469. November 30, 2001 Web Writing as a team requires good planning
470. December 7, 2001 Col Good managers use words to build relationships
471. December 14, 2001 If you must complain, do it with a cool head
472. December 21, 2001 Col Let your writing show generosity of spirit
473. December 28, 2001 Be more interesting as a writer in 2002
474. January 4, 2002 Double negatives obscure your meaning
475. January 11, 2002 Clear communication is key in tough times
476. January 18, 2002 Weekly exercises can get writing into shape
477. January 25, 2002 Don’t be intimidated by salutation rules
478. February 1, 2002 Col Getting to the heart of delicate situations
479. February 8, 2002
480. February 15, 2002 Web Quote wisely and well to add color to your writing
481. February 22, 2002 Attorney General’s office does it right
482. March 1, 2002 Col A prolix, verbose talk with Perry Phrastic
483. March 8, 2002 A beautiful mind saves Awhom@ from extinction
484. March 15, 2002 Writing errors come in three varieties
485. March 22, 2002 Even busy people can improve their writing
486. March 29, 2002 Col One good sentence can make an argument persuasive
487. April 5, 2002 Col Readers wonder whom they can turn to Web 488. April 12, 2002 Web Make your newsletter worth readers’ while
489. April 19, 2002 Web The do’s and don’ts of saying thank you
490. April 26, 2002 Legal writers are unbuttoning their collars
491. May 3, 2002
492. May 10, 2002 Making the city safe from bad punctuation
493. May 17, 2002 After tragedy, words can help ease the pain
494. May 31, 2002 Rules for quotations marks can produce clarity
495. June 7, 2002 Col Rowley’s letter was flawed but effective
496. June 14, 2002 Col Try reeling in those dangling modifiers Web GD 497. June 21, 2002 Don’t create obstacles before you get started
498. June 28, 2002 Use detail to make your writing come alive
499. July 12, 2002 How writing has, and has not, changed over time
500. July 19, 2002 Col For 500th column, a pause to reflect
501. July 26, 2002 Col Improving your writing is lifetime investment
502. August 2, 2002 We have answers to readers’ questions
503. August 9, 2002 Col There are just two rules for writers
504. August 16, 2002 Col Imaginative writing is the most memorable MC 505. August 23, 2002 GD Good editors should understand their role
506. September 6, 2002 Avoiding common errors is a matter of pride
MC Know how, what, and when to write
508. September 20, 2002 Effective techniques change little over time
509. September 27, 2002 GD Language lacks logic in some respects
510. October 4, 2002 Rules and principles you can count on
511. October 11, 2002 Col Instant messaging can improve writing skills
512. October 18, 2002 Col Gehrig, like Lincoln, used repetition for effect MC 513. October 25, 2002 Proofread to avoid embarrassing errors
514. November 1, 2002 Tips Teach writing style? Perish the thought
515. November 8, 2002 MBA 101: Strategies in persuasive writing
516. November 15, 2002 Col Stephen King’s advice for on-the-job writers
517. November 22, 2002 Col Spoonful of humor helps you connect {Jamison’s An Unquiet Mind} MC 518. December 6, 2002 AWoe is I@ for breaking grammar rule
519. December 13, 2002 Addressing the issue of invitation titles
520. December 20, 2002 A good time to show your appreciation
521. December 27, 2002 Resolve to write your book; stop procrastinating
522. January 3, 2003 Put your copyediting expertise to the test
523. January 10, 2003 Courtesy titles start letters, and debate
524. January 17, 2003 It’s easy to miss with Mrs. and Ms.
525. January 24, 2003 Arbitrary grammar rules are annoying
526. January 31, 2003
527. February 14, 2003 Looking for clarity in a brew of whiches
528. February 21, 2003 Key element of writing is knowing your reader
529. February 28, 2003 Col Timeliness, sincerity make thank-you notes meaningful
530. March 7, 2003 Col Tell your computer, passive voice can be used to good effect
531. March 14, 2003 Web The do’s and don’ts for using e-mail effectively
532. March 28, 2003 Web Know your dashes from your hyphens
533. April 4, 2003 Assess your ability to find common errors
534. April 11, 2003 Col A persona can help you be more persuasive MC 535. April 18, 2003
Web
Technical subjects needn’t be dry 536. April 25, 2003 Web Avoid catastrophe with an apostrophe
537. May 2, 2003 Approach writing one step at a time
538. May 9, 2003 (Golden Pen) Web Apostromania possesses readers
539. May 16, 2003 When drafting, just keep moving forward
540. May 23, 2003 Web Marketing lessons from a Cosmic Poet
541. May 30, 2003 Tips of the trade for ghostwriting
542. June 6, 2003 Misused pronoun raised a ruckus
543. June 13, 2003 Readers weigh in on following the rules
544. June 20, 2003 Ethics of authorship can be tricky
545. June 27, 2003 Writers who care are everywhere
546. July 4, 2003 GD Navigating gerunds and participles
547. July 11, 2003 Edit according to five elements of communication
548. July 18, 2003 GD Wordiness is a waste of time
549. July 25, 2003 Coaching benefits all involved
550. August 1, 2003 Col How to make your readers miserable
551. August 8, 2003 Col Real style begins with substance (Bob Hope) MC 552. August 15, 2003 Formulas can improve your writing
553. August 22, 2003 Readers display uncommon wit and civility
554. August 29, 2003 Col At a loss for words in the wilderness
555. September 5, 2003
556. September 12, 2003 Col Naturally nasty: Try this contest
557. September 19, 2003 Modifiers are the trickiest part of speech
558. September 26, 2003 GD 559. October 3, 2003 That simple magic word: Thanks
560. October 10, 2003
561. October 17, 2003 Just forget the words and write
562. October 24, 2003 Writing big projects requires discipline
563. October 31, 2003
564. November 7, 2003
565. November 14, 2003 Col Putting a face on your words
566. November 21, 2003 Personal details can make a gem
567. December 5, 2003
568. December 12, 2003
569. December 19, 2003
569a. December 29, 2003 (Fort Worth & Orange County only) Don’t worry; be persistent B if not happy
570. January 9, 2004
571. January 16, 2004 MC 572. January 23, 2004 Col Hunting the migrating modifier
573. January 30, 2004 Col Good writers focus on their readers
574. February 6, 2004 Col Readers tell of English misuse
575. February 13, 2004 Col Heeding a higher calling for lowercase
576. February 20, 2004
577. February 27, 2004 Keys Speaking of this and that and that
578. March 5, 2004
579. March 12, 2004 GD
580. March 19, 2004
581. March 26, 2004 Avoid Astupid@ comma errors (Lynne Truss)
582. April 2, 2004 British can’t end comma confusion (Lynne Truss)
583. April 9, 2004
584. April 16, 2004 GD No cheer in using commas incorrectly
585. April 23, 2004 Put your editing skills to the test
586. April 30, 2004 Tips What you don’t say counts too
587. May 7, 2004
588. May 14, 2004 Why the rules of writing matter
589. May 21, 2004 Put in a little practice time
590. May 28, 2004 MC 591. June 4, 2004 Web PowerPoint: Making your point powerfully
592. June 11, 2004 Col Verbs are key to vivid writing (Greg Breining) Tips 593. July 2, 2004 Persuasive writing explains why
594. July 9, 2004 Col Quotable advice we can relate to
595. July 16, 2004 Dos and don’ts for ethnic groups
596. July 23, 2004 Col Make your first draft a rough draft
597. July 30, 2004 GD Use a hyphen; preserve a diver
598. August 6, 2004 GD Don’t let modifiers leave you dangling
599. August 13, 2004 Tips Two-liners can be unforgettable (quotes)
600. August 20, 2004 Bottom line is: Writing matters
601. August 27, 2004 Col Count your commas for variety MC 602. September 3, 2004 Col Hello, goodbye warrant care
603. September 10, 2004
604. September 17, 2004
605. September 24, 2004 Take the grammar challenge
606. October 1, 2004
607. October 8, 2004 Find 12 proofreading errrors in this text
608. October 15, 2004 Don’t let parentheses get you down
609. October 22, 2004 Bringing common errors to a full stop
610. October 29, 2004 (goodbye column; first last Strib column) Thank goodness for good editing
611. November 22, 2004
612. November 29, 2004 Web Learn to recognize patterns of wordiness
613. December 6, 2004 (Front page banner: “Stephen Wilbers: His effective writing column returns in Business Insider”; every other week) Use writing to reach out to friends
614. December 13, 2004 Readers say, AI’ve always wondered about . . .@
615. December 20, 2004 Send a message your reader will never forget
616. December 27, 2004 Make your list and check it twice
617. January 3, 2005 Use an apostrophe to form the possessive (Scholar’s Walk)
618. January 10, 2005 Web Watch out for sound-alike words (Earl) GD 619. January 17, 2005 Web Use precise vocabulary to avoid clichés and wordiness MC 620. January 24, 2005 To whomever or whoever reads this
621. January 31, 2005 Queries and quips from readers
622. February 7, 2005 Keep the door open to writing
623. February 14, 2005 Readers’ quips keep coming
624. February 21, 2005 Get it down, and then fix it up
625. February 28, 2005 If your main weakness is writing, make it better
626. March 7, 2005 The rules for quotation marks can be tricky
627. March 14, 2005
628. March 21, 2005 Knowing when to follow-up or follow up
629. March 28, 2005
630. April 4, 2005 Is that that that necessary?
631. April 11, 2005 Take care when writing internationally
632. April 18, 2005 Col It’s time to brush up on style
633. April 25, 2005 Col Five more elements of style
634. May 2, 2005 Don’t wait to say thanks
635. May 9, 2005
636. May 16, 2005 Col AScholars (sic) Walk@ so named Web 637. May 23, 2005 Greeting your reader is key
638. May 30, 2005 Parting can be so sweet
639. June 6, 2005 (Orange, not Strib) GD When words don’t mean what they say
640. June 13, 2005 Reader questions things that dangle
641. June 20, 2005
Web
Write in sentences, but think in paragraphs
642. June 27, 2005
643. July 18, 2005
644. July 25, 2005 (2nd col. on Brian Puricelli) Legal writing techniques make the case
645. August 1, 2005 Brush up to make a better impression
646. August 22, 2005
647. August 29, 2005 Col Writing skills determine success, failure
648. September 5, 2005 Some enlightened thoughts from Perry Phrastic
649. September 12, 2005
650. September 19, 2005 Put an end to three common errors
651. September 26, 2005 MC Semicolons add grace to your writing
652. October 3, 2005 English majors are life of party
653. October 10, 2005 Tips Nonparallel structure is awkward MC 654. October 17, 2005 Use file folders to put your life in order
655. October 24, 2005 Web How deadlines can help you write
656. October 31, 2005 GD Learning English can be daunting
657. November 7, 2005 Prefer the positive to the negative
658. November 14, 2005
659. November 21, 2005 Write to the positive tone-setter
660. November 28, 2005 Web Know the rules for numbers
661. December 5, 2005 Ordering your closing punctuation marks
662. December 12, 2005 Good tidings for salutations
663. December 19, 2005 Readers are driven up the wall
664. December 26, 2005 Remember that personal connection
665. January 2, 2006 Resolve to be resolute
666. January 9, 2006 A proofreading puzzle for the new year
667. January 16, 2006
668. January 23, 2006 We’ve got to get control of all these gots
669. January 30, 2006 GD Look-alike words can be confusing
670. February 6, 2006 Col Don’t annoy your reader with these errors
671. February 13, 2006 Begin new relationships on a positive note
672. February 20, 2006 Homework for conscientious writers
673. February 27, 2006 Use writing to become a better person
674. March 6, 2006 GD Think seriously about those commas
675. March 13, 2006 Web Use five techniques of style to revise
676. March 20, 2006 Readers are flummoxed by the rules
677. March 27, 2006 GD Don’t forget those colons B or else
678. April 3, 2006 Writers have so much to worry about
679. April 10, 2006 Legal writing advice from the experts
680. April 17, 2006 Meet Jo Prouty, professional writer
681. April 24, 2006 Looking back can be scary B or not
682. May 1, 2006
683. May 8, 2006 Apostrophe scofflaws better watch out
684. May 15, 2006 Web Reduce conflict in editing relationships
685. May 22, 2006 Don’t punctuate your writing with errors
686. May 29, 2006 Ten thoughts to help you be a bad writer
687. June 19, 2006 Writer’s block? Just start writing
688. June 26, 2006 When dangling, watch those modifiers
689. July 17, 2006 Don’t just disagree; do it with eloquence
690. July 24, 2006 Effective writing principles apply to PowerPoint
691. July 31, 2006 MC Assumptions and attitude make the writer
692. August 7, 2006 Know when to correct your friends
693. August 14, 2006 Readers’ stories leave me prostrate
694. August 21, 2006 Pay attention to your words
695. August 28, 2006 Web PR letters follow 5-part formula
696. September 4, 2006 Back to school with correct usage
697. September 11, 2006 Assess your writing skills in five areas
698. September 18, 2006 MC 699. September 25, 2006 Make a transforming gift to yourself
700. October 2, 2006 MC Verb forms can make you crazy
701. October 9, 2006 Lessons learned from writing 700 columns
702. October 16, 2006 Things that make writing hard
703. October 23, 2006 Writing can help you stretch yourself
704. October 30, 2006 Readers are not short on ideas for topics
705. November 6, 2006 How much is a comma worth?
706. November 13, 2006
707. November 20, 2006 To quote or not to quote
708. November 27, 2006
709. December 4, 2006 Tips Use rhetorical sentences for effect MC 710. December 11, 2006 GD Be inclusive but not awkward
711. December 18, 2006 GD Use your computer to help you edit
712. December 25, 2006 Web Use your writing to create goodwill
713. January 1, 2007 Make your resolutions now!
714. January 8, 2007 Do you feel different or differently?
715. January 15, 2007 Oh, you can’t bring that away from me
716. January 22, 2007 Writing assessment will identify your weaknesses
717. January 29, 2007 Technology helps writers in three areas
718. February 5, 2007 There’s always time to work on your writing
719. February 12, 2007 Learn to be a punctilious punctuator
720. February 19, 2007 Web Expand your vocabulary to communicate MC
721. February 26, 2007
722. March 5, 2007 Do you know your writing IQ?
723. March 12, 2007
724. March 19, 2007 Take your writing to a new level
725. March 26, 2007
726. April 2, 2007
727. April 9, 2007 Make your messages inviting to read
728. April 16, 2007 Watch out for old habits in choosing your words
729. April 23, 2007 Professional writers are committed to the craft
730. April 30, 2007 Pronoun-antecedent agreement worth fighting over
731. May 7, 2007 English majors are the life of the party
732. May 14, 2007 Readers demand second round for Amedia has@
733. June 4, 2007 Language can produce mind travel
734. June 11, 2007 Offer advice to younger writers
735. June 18, 2007 Writing skills are built on basic concepts
736. June 25, 2007 Readers demand correct grammar
737. July 2, 2007 Check out these words on my checkoff list
738. July 9, 2007 Col Use 10 techniques to improve your style
739. July 16, 2007 Be a good critic to those who write for you
740. August 6, 2007 Watch out for your neighbor, in life and in writing (yoga)
741. August 13, 2007 Eliminate 75 common errors from your writing
742. August 20, 2007 Communicate to put bad feelings behind you
743. August 27, 2007 Proofread this column for a word puzzle
744. September 3, 2007 Hats off to teachers, past and present
745. September 10, 2007 Web It’s okay for editors to be fussy and writers to be touchy
746. September 17, 2007 Talking is still the best way to communicate
747. October 1, 2007 Approach and strategy come before words
748. October 8, 2007 Good teachers make good managers
749. October 15, 2007 Web Eliminate wordiness to write with power
750. October 22, 2007; rewritten January 4,
2017
751. October 29, 2007 Writers are not always magicians
752. November 5, 2007 Dangling modifiers can slip by you
753. November 12, 2007 GD Grammar is a matter of relationship
754. November 19, 2007 Good writers and smokers share traits
755. November 26, 2007 Give thanks for good things in life
756. December 3, 2007 Do you know your writing IQ?
757. December 10, 2007 How to make writing less tedious, more enjoyable
758. December 17, 2007 Goodwill is a powerful force
759. December 24, 2007 Here’s a holiday puzzle for you/ Solve a puzzle involving nonrestrictive commas
760a. December 31, 2007 (last Fort Worth column, FW only) Goodbye to old friends, hello to new ventures
760b. December 31, 2007 (OC only) It’s not too late to make those New Year’s resolutions
761. January 7, 2008 No defense for the right to bare arms
762. January 14, 2008 Readers pepper columnist with questions
763. January 21, 2008 Email impedes progress on long-term projects
764. January 28, 2008 Writing involves skinning and layering
765. February 4, 2008 Web That said, choose your words carefully
766. February 11, 2008 Candidates debate correct grammar, punctuation
767. February 25, 2008 When should you correct someone’s grammar?
768. March 3, 2008 On a scale of 1 to 5, how good are you?
769. March 10, 2008 “These ones” and other pet peeves
770. March 17, 2008 Commas come in two varieties
*From weekly to every other week
771. March 31, 2008 Is your vocabulary ample or just OK?
772. April 14, 2008 Readers make simple requests for clarity
773. April 28, 2008 Four steps to becoming a better writer
774. May 12, 2008 Good teachers emphasize the positive
775. May 26, 2008 Errors undermine your credibility
776. June 9, 2008 Reading helps develop vocabulary
777. June 23, 2008 Web Four (4) rules for using numbers correctly
778. July 7, 2008 Get the job done in three steps
779. July 21, 2008 GD CommaMobile rids the world of errors
780. August 18, 2008 Hi and goodbye to readers’ messages
781. September 1, 2008 Back-to-school grammar review
782. September 15, 2008 A harvest moon illuminates your career MC 783. September 29, 2008 Readers want sentences that make sense
784. October 13, 2008 Let’s agree to agree on politics and grammar
785. October 27, 2008 How to write to a bad boss
786. November 10, 2008 Col Techniques of style add pizzazz
787. November 24, 2008 Learn language the natural way
788. December 8, 2008 Have faith in the goodness of humankind
789. December 22, 2008 A New Year’s proofreading puzzle
790. January 5, 2009 Better vocabulary will help you write
791. January 19, 2009 Web Who or whom will explain this rule?
792. February 2, 2009 Web Are you out of prepositions to focus in on?
793. February 16, 2009 Readers question common word choice errors
794. March 2, 2009 Prepositions are as hot as semicolons
795. March 16, 2009 Use writing skills to find your next job
796. March 30, 2009 Proofread this column to solve a puzzle
797. April 13, 2009 Young reader asks, what’s a word?
798. April 27, 2009 A call for transparency in finance, writing
799. May 11, 2009 Try to be the least of your editor’s worries
800. May 25, 2009 Grammar quizzes will keep your employees happy
801. June 8, 2009 Language moves hearts and minds the world over (Obama)
802. June 22, 2009 Strunk & White’s handbook on style remains a classic
803. July 6, 2009 The bottom line doesn’t always go on top
804. July 20, 2009 Readers offer poor excuses but ask good questions
805. August 3, 2009 Reading will help keep your mind sharp
806. August 17, 2009 A workplace model for expanding vocabulary
807. September 7, 2009 Let’s agree on health care reform and grammar
808. September 21, 2009 Stop wasting my time with e-mail
809. October 5, 2009 Techniques to help you write with style
810. October 19, 2009 Take control of e-mail before it takes control of you
811. November 2, 2009 Win without making your opponent lose
812. November 23, 2009 Web Passive-sounding constructions can harm you
813. December 14, 2009 Spread some kindness with your writing
814. January 4, 2010 A proofreading puzzle for the new decade
815. January 25, 2010 To write with style, read, study, and imitate
816. February 8, 2010 Web Use the power of story to profile your success
817. February 22, 2010 With good writing, the future looks bright
818. March 15, 2010 (Mom) Web Words are close to our hearts and souls
819. April 5, 2010 Web Skydiving with nonrestrictive commas
820. April 19, 2010 Web How to write a good mission statement
821. May 3, 2010 Web Texting may be hazardous to your professional health
822. May 17, 2010 (The Elegance of the Hedgehog) (with
171) WC 823. June 7, 2010 Knowing and using the right word is worth billions
824. June 28, 2010 Web Don’t let confusing word pairs – and triples – get you down
825. July 19, 2010 Avoid the number one error in PowerPoint
826. August 2, 2010 Web Look outside, then inside when applying for jobs
827. August 16, 2010 Are you all ready/already to spell compound words?
828. September 6, 2010 Readers question idiomatic expressions
829. September 20, 2010 Tell ’em what you’re looking for when grading papers
830. October 4, 2010 Don’t let habit and generalization stand in your way
831. October 18, 2010 Web Rogerian persuasion turns losers into winners
832. November 8, 2010 Consensus, not compromise, should be our goal
833. November 22, 2010 Improving your writing is a long-term commitment
834. December 6, 2010 Have some holiday cheer with this puzzle
835. December 27, 2010 Write from your reader’s perspective
836. January 17, 2011 Think first, then write, to overcome writer’s block
837. February 14, 2011
838. February 28, 2011
839. April 18, 2011 A memo from the past illustrates effective writing
840. May 9, 2011
841. May 30, 2011 Taking time to read does more than improve your writing
842. June 13, 2011 Writing for customer relations, security, and community
843. July 4, 2011 Readers write about titles, typos, aspirate h’s, and amphibologies
844. July 18, 2011 Careful proofreading helps you avoid arousing your reader
845. August 1, 2011 Good communicators know how to listen for solutions
846. August 15, 2011 Persuasion is an ethical distortion of truth
847. September 5, 2011 Beauty and truth will outlast language abuse
848. September 19, 2011 Ethical persuasion requires telling the whole truth
849. October 10, 2011 Correcting errors is the last thing you should do
850. October 24, 2011 Don’t let the computer dictate the way you write
851. November 8, 2011 MC A dangling modifier identification and elimination exercise
852. November 22, 2011 MC Reach inside yourself to write with integrity, conviction, and style
853. December 13, 2011 (It’s a Wonderful Life parody) Good writers protect their team members from harsh critics
854. December 27, 2011 Resolve to share your knowledge with a younger writer
855. January 10, 2012 GD How good are you on a scale of one to 10?
856. January 24, 2012 Tips Snarky and snarkier readers weigh in on correct grammar MC 857. February 7, 2012 Online advice on writing is worth the price you pay
858. February 28, 2012 Singular advice on getting your verbs and subjects to agree
859. March 13, 2012 Four ways to help team members develop their writing skills
860. March 27, 2012 Don’t write to impress; write to connect
861. April 10, 2012 MC Effective communication depends on precise word choice
862. April 24, 2012 (China Connection) Language competence can open the door to the world
863. May 8, 2012 Web If you’re editing only on screen, you’re missing the big picture
864. May 22, 2012 Body found by two fishermen floating in a sea of misplaced modifiers
865. June 5, 2012 Web Capitalization rules will bring order to the chaos
866. June 19, 2012 (China Connection) Web Choose your closing with an eye – and an ear – to relationship
867. July 3, 2012 (China Connection) Be wary of expressions with double meanings that can offend
868. July 17, 2012 Don’t let missing nonrestrictive commas embarrass you and I
869. July 31, 2012 Web Keep a scrap file when winnowing down to a specified length
870. August 14, 2012 Web Standards of good writing evolve with changing technologies
871. August 28, 2012 Web Communication becomes less nuanced with new technologies
872. September 11, 2012 Web Even in the age of texting, handwriting has its place
873. September 25, 2012 Rev American poet runs afoul of plain English guidelines
874. October 9, 2012 With fall comes a renewed commitment to learning
875. October 23, 2012 Protect your credibility by avoiding three common writing errors
876. November 20, 2012 (attorneys) MC The first time it rained cats and dogs was brilliant; now it’s a cliché
877. December 11, 2012 Attorneys are working to clean up the “verbal trash”
878. December 18, 2012 Use hyphens to punctuate the holidays with laughter
879. January 8, 2013 Everyday punctuation rules are needed every day
880. January 22, 2013 Two reasons why men shouldn’t write advice columns
881. February 5, 2013 Careful communicators “get off” on precise word choice
882. February 19, 2013
883. March 5, 2013 Punctilious readers pounce on punctuation peccadillos
884. March 19, 2013 Web Remembering how to write in a technology-driven world
885. April 2, 2013 Rev2 Human outsmarts dog by manipulating rhetorical appeal
886. April 16, 2013 Web Structure your paragraphs so that the reader gets the point MC 887. April 30, 2013 Web Use paragraphs for four Cs: clarity, coherence, control, and credibility MC 888. May 14, 2013 How to communicate effectively in a strange, new world
889. May 28, 2013 Are you :-) or :-( about technology’s hold on your life?
890. June 11, 2013 Is artful writing still possible in our frenzied, technological world?
891. July 1, 2013 Whomever or whoever made the rules for capitalizing place names?
892. July 9, 2013 MC Unstack those noun stacks to animate your writing (Turtle Bread)
893. July 23, 2013 One misunderstood word reveals power of language
894. August 6, 2013 There’s two things to watch for in writing: subjects and verbs
895. August 20, 2013 Here’s how to help the next generation write as well as we do
896. September 3, 2013 MC Adapt your level of formality to your reader, subject, and occasion
897. September 23, 2013 MC Here are five somewhat easy ways to improve your vocabulary
898. October 1, 2013 MC When writing to a hostile reader, take an indirect approach
899. October 15, 2013 MC Avoid overly formal language to make yourself approachable
900. October 29, 2013 Lessons learned from writing 900 columns on effective writing
901. November 12, 2013 Web The active voice is usually, but not always, the better choice MC 902. November 26, 2013 Follow eight rules for numbers for consistency and precision
903. December 10, 2013 MC You can’t use the active voice until you get to the transitive
904. December 24, 2013 (last column pubed by the Orange County Register) Send a goodwill message to make someone happy this year
905. January 7, 2013 A good manager is someone who cares and communicates
906. January 21, 2013 Maintain parallel structure for consistency, clarity, and emphasis
907. February 4, 2014 Use two natural stress points in your sentences for emphasis
908. February 18, 2014 MC Use strong action verbs to drive home your point
909. March 4, 2014 MC Use antimetabole and chiasmus to make your sentences memorable
910. March 18, 2014 Until such time as you eliminate wordiness, you’ll lose your reader
911. April 1, 2014 MC Use two schemes of repetition, anaphora and epistrophe, for elegance
912. April 15, 2014 Compounds come in three varieties: solid, hyphenated, and spaced
913. April 29, 2014
914. May 13, 2014 Web Technology works best when paired with an educated human mind
915. May 27, 2014 In baseball or the office, words that hit a homerun
916. June 10, 2014 Here’s a few rules – or here are a few rules – for subject-verb agreement
917. July 1, 2014 Even Eliza Doolittle gets tripped up by the rules of English grammar
918. July 15, 2014 How to help younger writers write as well as you do
919. July 29, 2014 To use – or not to use – apostrophes in names of organizations
920. August 12, 2014 Three nifty keyboard tricks for writing, editing, and proofreading
921. August 26, 2014
922. September 16, 2014 “Plagiarism free” papers? Don’t buy it.
923. September 30, 2014 Make it quick for you, clear and to the point for your reader
924. October 14, 2014 Ask yourself nine questions before you risk writing
925. October 28, 2014 Don’t forget the third P of American business writing style
926. November 11, 2014 Follow the most basic rule for writers: Look; don’t guess
927. November 25, 2014 (farewell column) Parting is such sweet sorrow, even for newspaper columnists
928. December 9, 2014 (not published in the Star Tribune) “I’m humbled by your gift,” says columnist who keeps coming back
929. December 15, 2014 (published in place of 928 in the Star Tribune) Web First person should be permitted in academic and technical writing 930. December 23, 2014 ’Tis the season to appreciate the simple gifts in life
931. January 6, 2015 Web Reading will make you a better writer and a better person
932. January 20, 2015 Web Six things you need to do to succeed with your writing 933. February 3, 2015 Web Use Rogerian affirmation to connect with your reader
934. February 17, 2015 To get your grammar right, connect your thoughts
935. March 3, 2015 Do you ever wonder what technology is doing to your brain?
936. March 17, 2015 There’s me and you to worry about, as well as the English language
937. March 31, 2015 Are language skills declining; if so, is the process “reversible”? 938. April 14, 2015 AWP conference inspires commitment to excellent writing
939. April 28, 2015 Superhero drives his CommaMobile to rid the world of errors
940. May 12, 2015 To connect with your reader, personalize; don’t nominalize
941. May 26, 2015 Web To improve your writing, set goals and take the first step right way 942. June 9, 2015 Web A writing checklist will help you be a competent, persuasive writer
943. June 23, 2015 Web An editing checklist will help you know when you’re ready to send
944. July 7,
2015
945. July 21,
2015
946. August 4, 2015 Keep things parallel to be healthy, wealthy, and a wise writer
947. August 18, 2015 Break any rule you like, as long as it’s clear you meant to
948. September 1, 2015 Latin and Greek roots and plurals are on today’s agendum
949. September 15, 2015 That’s Greek to me and other errata from Latin and English
950. September 29, 2015 Is the sky falling with our increasingly common writing errors? 951. October 13, 2015 Choose your words to be the leader, and the person, you aspire to be 952. October 27, 2015 Watch for secreting banks and swimming trains when proofreading
953. November 10, 2015 Top ten reasons why you should learn and use proper grammar
954. November 24, 2015 Ten more reasons to use proper grammar and recognize its power
955. December 8, 2015 From email to executive summaries we go back to the future
956. December 22, 2015 Use your words to reach beyond the things that divide us
957. January 5, 2016 Resolve to use punctuation to your advantage in 2016
958. January 19, 2016 Does your writing voice differ from your personal voice?
959. February 2, 2016 Are you conveying incompetence every time you write?
960. February 16, 2016 For your next job, “Don’t manage your career; manage what you do”
961. March 1, 2016 Save our language: Make certain your verbs agrees with their subjects
962. March 15, 2016 Take back the English language: Vote for subject-verb agreement
963. March 29, 2016 Follow rules of civility to be a more effective writer -- and a better person
964. April 12, 2016 Watch out for homonyms and homophones when choosing your words
965. April 26, 2016 Web From Cicero to Prince, classical schemes make our words memorable
966. May 10, 2016 That report had to be perfect
967. May 24, 2016 To be a fully developed person (and leader), you need to dream
968. June 7, 2016 Changes in language rules, both big and small, are perplexing
969. June 21, 2016 Join language sleuth Sam Snoop to work a Plain Language caper
970. July 5, 2016 Self-assessment and a checklist will help you write efficiently
971. July 19, 2016 Rumors of the period’s death have been greatly exaggerated
972. August 2, 2016 Join the Dead Language Society to seek beauty and edification
973. August 16, 2016 (Jane McGonigal) Web Boost your creativity and imagine the future through writing
974. August 30, 2016 You may lie down after you lay down the law about word choice
975. September 13, 2016 Where does the truth lie or lay with these two verbs? 976. September 27, 2016 Web How well do you know the rules of subject-verb agreement? 977. October 11, 2016 Quiz on subject-verb agreement was a bit off 978. October 25, 2016 Between you and me, wrong pronouns undermine credibility
979. November 8, 2016 (conflict resolution)
980. November 22, 2016 Web Can you find where 26 commas are missing in this column?
981. December 6, 2016
982. December 20, 2016 Resolve to use writing to make the world a better place in 2017
(750. October 22, 2007; rewritten January 4, 2017
983. January 24, 2017 Use dots for thoughtful pauses and dashes for dashing effect
984. February 7, 2017 Remember the reader if you’re writing to get something done
985. February 21, 2017 To make English great again, learn and respect the rules
986. March 7, 2017 Do your words convey respect, understanding, and trust?
987. March 21, 2017 Grammer gaffes cast bright minds in dim light
988. April 4, 2017 Commit yourself to precision even as language changes
989. April 24, 2017 (Jane McGonigal) Web Use writing to predict the past and remember the future |