WORDPro Writing Services

09/20/2013

A coupon I just received online from Staples says:

"15% off all furniture. Exclusions apply."

Clearly, I was not paying attention when the definition of "all" was changed ... :-)

06/12/2013

I was just struck by the fact that "verb" is a noun.

Mind. Blown. ;-)

11/01/2012

A "time"ly reminder: You can't put sunlight in the bank. It's "daylight saving time," not "savings" with an "s." Note also that the phrase should not be capitalized. Oh, and don't forget it ends this coming Sunday at 2 a.m., so set your clocks BACK one hour on Saturday evening!

06/28/2012

Welcome to my nightmare ... and to WORDPro's latest blog post. http://www.wordpro.biz/the-word-chipper.html

I jolt awake into a salty marinade of my own sweat and tears, arms flailing, legs akimbo*, doing that “silent scream” thing you do when you’re trapped in a nightmare. Finally my waking brain...

03/23/2012

Interesting piece! Thanks, Tami Romani, for bringing it to my attention! And don't get me started about spell checkers!! :-) (I have to say, however, that grammar checkers are even worse.)

Words are dying, and you probably aren’t doing anything to stave off the epidemic. How many times have you blindly followed what spell-check or autocorre

03/23/2012

It's going to be a beautiful spring weekend in most of the U.S. Why not capture the essence of the season with some free writing? You'll need a timer (kitchen timer, smartphone app, etc.) and something to write with -- laptop, iPad or good ol' pen and paper. Find a comfortable spot outdoors, set your timer for 10 minutes and have at it! Write as quickly as you can, and record everything your senses are taking in, as well as what you're thinking about. The point is to write nonstop for 10 minutes. After you're done, if you'd like, take a photo to supplement your written memories. Keep writing on a regular basis and you'll soon have a nice journal to read in the future -- and maybe even to pass on to the next generation.

03/19/2012

Congratulations to Simi Valley Hospital on the publication of the Spring 2012 issue of "Your Health" magazine! It was our pleasure to be involved in the planning, writing and project management of this great community resource! http://www.simivalleyhospital.com/health/magazine/spring12.php

03/12/2012

Thanks, Mary Isaak Crist, for posting this very concise and well-presented review of 15 common grammar goofs. It's good enough to steal! :-)

Making unnecessary grammatical errors just makes you look bad, and hurts your effectiveness as a writer. So, we've assembled the 15 most egregious grammar goofs into one helpful infographic. With this handy reference, you'll never look silly again.

03/09/2012

A "timely" word tip: It's "daylight saving time" -- no "s" at the end of "saving." Don't forget to spring forward one hour before you go to bed on Saturday evening so you won't miss a minute of what may feel like a shorter Sunday.

03/08/2012

Do you ever wonder where to put the period when your sentence ends with a quotation mark? This is one punctuation rule with a clear-cut answer: Periods -- and commas, too -- always go inside the closing quotation mark.

Examples:
Tom said, "I think I just swallowed a grasshopper."
I loved the episode titled "Fee Fi Refi."
"Kindly remove your cheetah from my sitting room," the duchess growled.

03/05/2012

We're weeping today because we neglected to post on National Grammar Day, which was yesterday. And we even had our cake all ready to go! http://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2009/2/4/tensed-up.html

02/28/2012

We've recently helped our client Simi Valley Hospital promote its activities for March's National Nutrition Month. For a delicious meal that's low in fat and high in fiber, try this easy lentil chili: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2871

This simple vegetarian chili recipe uses lentils instead of beans. Brown lentils work best as they will hold their shape even when tender after cooking. Serve over brown rice or with whole-grain hearth bread.

02/23/2012

The famous Battle of the Alamo began 176 years ago today. Pop quiz: What's the grammatical term for a word like "Alamo," "Michael," "Legos" or "Rhode Island" that names a specific person, place or thing?

02/21/2012

A writing-related word of the day: cacography (pronounced "kuh-KAHG-ruh-fee"), which means bad handwriting or incorrect spelling. "Thanks to Jack's cacography, I just received 50 pounds of beets instead of the 50 pounds of beef that I ordered." Better learn to spell this word lest you find yourself accused of being a cacographer! :-)

02/19/2012

can often be found geeking out with Will Shortz on the weekends. We know how to edit manuscripts; this article taught us how Shortz works his magic on puzzles.

The paper's longtime puzzle editor describes the art of crafting the perfect clue

02/16/2012

That flibbertigibbet Maria soon-to-be von Trapp had a decent idea when she sang "Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start." However, if you're sweating the opening lines of something you need to write, remember this: You actually DON'T have to start at the beginning. Sometimes it's a lot easier to write the body of a piece first, then go back to write the opening later. It should be easier by that point since you already know what the rest of the piece is going to say!

02/14/2012

loves Strunk & White. Illustrations by Maira Kalman elevate this version of their classic *Elements* to the sublime.

The only style manual ever to appear on bestseller lists has explained to millions of readers the basic principles of plain English. The book's mantra-make every word tell-is still on point. Whether seventeen or seventy, this much-loved classic, now in its fourth edition, will forever be the...