An unfortunate omission?
Read MoreLanguage
Writing, but not as we know it
Have you ever heard of Ogam? Me neither. This article gives provides some information about this ancient writing system.
Read More"Negligible" is not a synonym for "small"
People should say what they mean. One way of doing so would be to use the correct word. Another way would be to use objective facts rather than subjective value judgements.
Read More7 features of bad writing
Another article in the 'bad writing' series, 7 Features of Bad Writing suggests some common characteristics of poor prose. Any one of these 'sins' would serve as an indicator, especially if they occur more than once or twice.
Read MoreAvoiding all-encompassing words
You cannot assume that every reader will know what words like 'etc' will refer to or included.
Read MoreWhat I've been reading: Waterhouse on newspaper style
This book may be thirty years old, but its advice is still pertinent. If you want to have a blitz or crackdown against, or shake-up of, bad writing (all examples of 'tabloidese'), then this is the book for you.
Read MoreIs bad writing deliberate?
Why do some writers write badly?
Read MoreWhat I've been reading: Killing Hope
OK, so this is a review of a fiction book -- but I think we can learn a lot about great use of language, convincing research and pace from reading it.
Read More2 strategies and 6 online resources for finding the right words
If you want to make sure that you use the correct word more often than not, you gotta have a plan.
Read MoreGuffpedia: a welcome addition to websites for writers
News about a website that provides copious examples of dreadful language use: curate, driven, iterate -- it's all there. Read it and cringe.
Read More"Driving" should be driven out!
Management-speak, clichés and just plainly ridiculous terms that nobody uses in their normal everyday lives should have no place in our writing.
Read MoreWhy you need a proofreader
100 landmarks of English
Mind your language! Fork Handles
Mind your language! Crosswordese
That sounds much more difficult than the task facing you in an ordinary crossword, doesn't it? In fact, much of the time it's easier, for one simple reason.
Technology-inspired words are definitely buzzworthy!
Do writers need to be able to spell?
I suppose he is thinking of things like predictive text, because he says: