Writing – Page 3

How to write bright headings and headlines

February 21, 2012 By Administrator

Want to know how to write engaging headlines? Much depends on the audience. If you’re writing headlines or headings for a business, you’ll probably avoid being cutesy. But cutesy might work well for headings in an informal ezine or newsletter.

In any event, aim for bright, attention-grabbing headings. Think “action verbs.” Take a look at what The Arizona Republic published a while ago. My comments are in parentheses.

1. Twang with a bang
Glendale gig highlights marriage of rock and country

2. Nun but the brave
Never underestimate the appeal of a nun who’s not afraid
to administer a little discipline (stage show)

3. The Sooner the better: “Oklahoma” at Gammage
(Oklahoma Sooners: get it?)

4. Beach pollution a bummer

5. Historical stable burned, pig is singed at Pioneer
(Do most people know what “singe” means? I vote for
pig escapes barbeque.)

6. S. Mountain perk (Article featuring several hikes people can take at South Mountain Park.)

7. Timely hits brighten D-Backs’ foul mood

8. The great Wal of retail

9. Companies hop on brand wagon

Enough with cute and clever. You’re here for ideas, and the URLs below are packed with ideas to help you write headings tightly and brightly.

Writing Effective and Eye Catching Headlines
http://tutorials.beginners.co.uk/read/id/28

Writing Headlines People Will Read
http://www.webreference.com/content/writing/headlines.html

Action Verbs: Alphabetical Listing
http://www.quintcareers.com/action_alpha.html

Top 10 Headline Starters: You Tube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O96bhjP68OE

How to Write Headlines That Sell
http://www.database101.com/wordpress/2011/05/how-to-write-headlines-that-sell/

Capitalizing north, east, south, and west

February 9, 2012 By Administrator

By Judy Vorfeld

Have you ever wondered when it’s okay to capitalize north, east, south, and west?

Most style guides say that compass points and the terms derived from them are lowercased if they just mean direction or location.

But you capitalize them when they’re specific regions or an integral part of a proper name.

For example, you’d say:

Out West
Back East
The western part of the state
Drive north three miles, then turn east (direction)
A northern winter
the West Coast (region)
west coast (shoreline)
west side of town (direction)

When all is said and done, variations are based on context and usage. Use these only as guidelines, not something cast in concrete!

Information from the Chicago Manual of Style and The Gregg Reference Manual.

Ms, Miss, Mrs, or ? How do I address a biz letter to a woman?

November 1, 2011 By Administrator

cactusredsquare When writing a letter, what form do I use to address a woman? When writing to a married woman, follow her preference for first and last names if you know it. She may prefer to be addressed by her original name (Ms. Joan L. Conroy). If you do know that she is using her husband’s last name, continue to use her own first name and middle initial (Mrs. Joan L. Noonan).

The form that uses her husband’s first name and middle initial as well (Mrs. James W. Noonan) is acceptable only for social purposes. It should never be used when addressing a business letter to a married woman, and it should not be used when a married woman becomes a widow unless she indicates that this is her preference.

In selecting Ms., Mrs., or Miss, always respect the woman’s preference. If it is not known, use the title “Ms” or omit the courtesy title altogether. Kelly, the examples Gregg gives are “Dear Ms. Noonan” or “Dear Joan Noonan.” I vote for “Ms.” if you don’t know her preference, and it’s business-related.

In the strictest sense of the word, socially, says long-dead and dearly beloved Emily Post, use Mrs. James W. Noonan.

When do you use an extra apostrophe “s” following a last name ending with the letter “s”?

October 29, 2011 By Administrator

When do you use an extra apostrophe “s” following a last name ending with the letter “s”?

Chicago Manual of Style, 14th Edition, 6.24-30 says:

The general rule for the possessive of nouns covers most proper nouns, including most names ending in sibilants (but see exceptions in 6.26-27 and alternatives in 6.30). Kansas’s; Burns’s poems; Marx’s theories; Dickens’s novels….For names ending in silent s, z, or x the possessive, unlike the plural, can generally be formed in the usual way without suggesting an incorrect pronunciation: Margaux’s bouquet; Descartes’s works.

Traditional exceptions to the general rule for forming the possessive are the names Jesus and Moses: in Jesus’ name; Moses’ leadership…”How to form the possessive of polysyllabic personal names ending with the sound of s or z,” says CMS, “probably occasions more dissension among writes and editors than any other orthographic matter open to disagreement.”

Gregg Reference Manual, 7th Edition, Sabin, 631 says:

To form the possessive of a singular noun that ends in an “s” sound, be guided by the way you pronounce the word: (a) if a new syllable is formed in the pronunciation of the possessive, add an apostrophe plus “s,” e.g., Mr. Morris’s eyeglasses; Miss Knox’s hairdo; Mrs. Lopez’s term paper…(b) If the addition of an extra syllable would make a word ending in an “s” hard to pronounce, add the apostrophe only, e.g., Mrs. Phillips’ comment; Mr. Hastings’ bike…

There will always be controversy on this “style” issue, since some style guides call for only an apostrophe followed by the letter “s.” Some are more concerned with the way a word looks in print, others with the way it sounds when spoken.