The perfect gift for copy nerds

If you care about great writing on the Internet, you ought to support it -- with your money. Subscribe to an online newspaper like The New York Times. Or put a few bucks in the tip jar to reward someone who entertains you on a daily basis.

Or, for that special copy nerd who rocks your world: a subscription to the AP Style Book Online. A subscription costs $25 a year, but discounts are available.

How many spaces can dance on the end of a sentence?

One of typography's most-often violated rules is this: Type one space between sentences. Surprised? 

Check out Space Invaders at Slate.com

The four-letter word that undermines your writing

One of the easiest ways to improve the power of your communication is to search for (and eliminate) the word “very” in everything you write. Very is a crutch that lets you believe you are writing with precision when, in most cases, you are simply playing it safe:

The new Miss U.S.A. is very pretty.

(yawn)

I’m sure the comely lass is easy on the eyes, but adding “very” doesn’t improve on “pretty,” which is a fine word, though bland. There are much more specific (and thus powerful) words for expressing her attractiveness:

cute | winsome | adorable | lovely | gorgeous | exquisite | glamorous | dazzling | luscious | voluptuous | sexy | hot |

Now you have a range of precision adjectives for describing Miss U.S.A., each of which paints a slightly different picture in the reader’s mind.

Here are a few more examples of how “very” can be overcome:

7 Ways to Get Better Proofreading

Recently, one of my proofreading clients asked me, “What can editors and writers do to improve the work of freelance proofreaders (except offer more money and time)?”

Here are seven suggestions I offered:

1. For each assignment, include a detailed, up-to-date style guide specific to the publication or company. If any of the guidelines have changed or are not enforced, tell the proofer.

2. Describe the level of proofreading you need. You might offer more leeway for changes at first page proof stage and much more limited proofing of bluelines.

3. Organize multiple-page jobs into the correct order, and note any pages that are missing or copy that is not final.