"How do I get my word in the dictionary?" This is a question that lexicographers in the Lounge and elsewhere are asked more often than you might expect. While it might be unkind to characterize the sort of person who asks the question, we hope it will be instructive to describe how new words actually make their way into dictionaries. That, in turn, should reveal why there are probably many better things to do in life than getting one's word in the dictionary. By doing some of them, you might get your word in anyway.  Continue reading...

Do you "catch" grammatical mistakes that drive you nut's? You're not alone. These blogs chronicle usage foibles encountered, well, everywhere. Move over, Eats, Shoots & Leaves.

The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks

Say What?!

lowercase L

Banterist

why a tittle?

There are many voices calling for the death of the press release. What is needed is not execution but reform. I wrote a moby-post on my blog listing 62 Ways to Improve Your Press Release. Here are ten suggestions that relate to the process of writing (other tips deal with managing the process and alternatives to press releases):  Continue reading...

In the latest in our occasional series of inviting writers to tell us about what they read for inspiration -- and why -- we asked Leslie Schnur, author of Late Night Talking, to tell us about her favorite books:

"The best book by far that I've read lately is Away, by Amy Bloom. I couldn't put it down. The writing is unselfconscious and gorgeous, the characters vivid, the history fascinating, the narrative so compelling that the novel is a page-turner. Lillian Leyb's journey to find her daughter is heartbreaking and ultimately satisfying. I laughed and I cried, and had the most wonderful time. I rarely re-read a contemporary novel, but I look forward to experiencing this book again.

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Journalist Amy Gahran, the author of the blog Contentious, says that as a reporter, "the main concrete benefit I've experienced from participating in social networking sites is the ability to quickly share knowledge with a trusted network of friends and colleagues." How? Amy explains in this post here.

One of my nerdy little hobbies is collecting quotes about writing by famous authors. But I just don't collect them -- I read them, regularly. I find that reading a good quote is a bit like a shot of Vitamin B, or, even, a splash of cold water in the face. It energizes you -- by helping you resolve to do better. At other times, a pithy quote is more like a tour guide pointing out an important bit of scenery in a strange country. "Oh, that's what I should be noticing," you say to yourself. Finally, the telling quote can also be a laugh line -- a chance to guffaw at your own writing foibles (much more effective than crying over them). Here are eight of my favorite quotes, collected over the last year:  Continue reading...