Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies


Book Description

What do suicidal pandas, doped-up rock stars, and a naked Pamela Anderson have in common? They’re all a heck of a lot more interesting than reading about predicate nominatives and hyphens. June Casagrande knows this and has invented a whole new twist on the grammar book. Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies is a laugh-out-loud funny collection of anecdotes and essays on grammar and punctuation, as well as hilarious critiques of the self-appointed language experts. Chapters include: I’m Writing This While Naked—The Oh-So Steamy Predicate Nominative Semicolonoscopy—Colons, Semicolons, Dashes, and Other Probing Annoyances I’ll Take "I Feel Like a Moron" for $200, Alex—When to Put Punctuation Inside Quotation Marks Snobbery Up with Which You Should Not Put Up—Prepositions Is That a Dangler in Your Memo or Are You Just Glad to See Me? Hyphens—Life-Sucking, Mom-and-Apple-Pie-Hating, Mime-Loving, Nerd-Fight-Inciting Daggers of the Damned Casagrande delivers practical and fun language lessons not found anywhere else, demystifying the subject and taking it back from the snobs. In short, it’s a grammar book people will actually want to read—just for the fun of it.




Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies


Book Description

What do suicidal pandas, doped-up rock stars, and a naked Pamela Anderson have in common? They’re all a heck of a lot more interesting than reading about predicate nominatives and hyphens. June Casagrande knows this and has invented a whole new twist on the grammar book. Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies is a laugh-out-loud funny collection of anecdotes and essays on grammar and punctuation, as well as hilarious critiques of the self-appointed language experts. Chapters include: I’m Writing This While Naked—The Oh-So Steamy Predicate Nominative Semicolonoscopy—Colons, Semicolons, Dashes, and Other Probing Annoyances I’ll Take "I Feel Like a Moron" for $200, Alex—When to Put Punctuation Inside Quotation Marks Snobbery Up with Which You Should Not Put Up—Prepositions Is That a Dangler in Your Memo or Are You Just Glad to See Me? Hyphens—Life-Sucking, Mom-and-Apple-Pie-Hating, Mime-Loving, Nerd-Fight-Inciting Daggers of the Damned Casagrande delivers practical and fun language lessons not found anywhere else, demystifying the subject and taking it back from the snobs. In short, it’s a grammar book people will actually want to read—just for the fun of it.




Mortal Syntax


Book Description

The only fun, friendly, and surefire defense against the grammar snobs Having already made a name for herself with Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies, now in its fifth printing, June Casagrande returns with Mortal Syntax, taking on the 101 most frequently attacked usage choices. Dedicating one short chapter to each, Casagrande brings her subject to life, teaching English usage through lively and amusing personal anecdotes. Mortal Syntax includes such chapters as: ? "I wish I was taller" ? "I am continuously watching Simpsons reruns" ? "Was it Horton that heard the Who?" Casagrande's clear and concise lessons-with entertaining titles and themes-make a potentially prickly subject go down like a spoonful of sugar.




It Was the Best of Sentences, It Was the Worst of Sentences


Book Description

In this wickedly humorous manual, language columnist June Casagrande uses grammar and syntax to show exactly what makes some sentences great—and other sentences suck. Great writing isn’t born, it’s built—sentence by sentence. But too many writers—and writing guides—overlook this most important unit. The result? Manuscripts that will never be published and writing careers that will never begin. With chapters on “Conjunctions That Kill” and “Words Gone Wild,” this lighthearted guide is perfect for anyone who’s dead serious about writing, from aspiring novelists to nonfiction writers, conscientious students to cheeky literati. So roll up your sleeves and prepare to craft one bold, effective sentence after another. Your readers will thank you.




Everyday Editing


Book Description

Editing is often seen as one item on a list of steps in the writing process, usually put somewhere near the end, and often completely crowded out of writer' s workshop. Too many times daily editing lessons happen in a vacuum, with no relationship to what students are writing. In Everyday Editing , Jeff Anderson asks teachers to reflect on what sort of message this approach sends to students. Does it tell them that editing and revision are meaningful parts of the writing process, or just a hunt for errors with a 50/50 chance of getting it right,comma or no comma? Instead of rehearsing errors and drilling students on what' s wrong with a sentence, Jeff invites students to look carefully at their writing along with mentor texts, and to think about how punctuation, grammar, and style can be best used to hone and communicate meaning. Written in Jeff' s characteristically witty style, this refreshing and practical guide offers an overview of his approach to editing within the writing workshop as well as ten detailed sets of lessons covering everything from apostrophes to serial commas. These lessons can be used throughout the year to replace Daily Oral Language or error-based editing strategies with a more effective method for improving student writing.




Garner's Modern English Usage


Book Description

The authority on grammar, usage, and style.




The Frugal Editor


Book Description

The Frugal Editor: Do-it-Yourself Editing Secrets From your query letter to final manuscript to the marketing of your new book Whether you are a new or experienced author, The Frugal Editor helps you present whistle-clean copy from a one-page cover letter to your entire manuscript that will convince those with the power to say "yea" or "nay" to your precious book. The third edition of The Frugal Editor, is the winningest book in Carolyn's multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of Books for writers with accolades from Reader Views Literary Award, Dan Poynter's Global Ebook Award, the coveted Irwin Award, and many others. This fully updated edition includes the new help you need from managing gender pronouns to maximizing the usefulness of front and back matter. Altogether, The Frugal Editor now provides 50% more information designed for the success of your title. "Writers and editors have a true friend in Carolyn Howard-Johnson. Her word smarts, her publishing savvy, and her sincere commitment to authors and editors make The Frugal Editor a must-have resource." -- June Casagrande, author of The Best Punctuation Book, Period and Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies (Penguin) and syndicated grammar columnist "Previous editions of The Frugal Editor were excellent. Nothing could be better... except this book which has an additional 50% new content. The publishing world changes quickly, and this text allows writers to keep up with the ever-changing world of editors, publicists, finicky agents, trends, cultural expectations, queries, and media kits... exploding grammar myths, and possible scams. Save yourself time and money by learning from the best, Howard-Johnson. -- Carolyn Wilhelm, BA, MA, MS and author of environmental content "Carolyn Howard-Johnson is a godsend for writers everywhere. Her new book The Frugal Editor, is part reference guide, part do-it-yourself editing manual, part masterclass on the writing and publishing industry... and all with Carolyn's signature humor and encouraging energy! She is a master at simplifying overwhelming tasks into relevant, can-do information. This book is a must for every writer's bookshelf!" --Dallas Woodburn, book coach and best-selling author of Thanks, Cariss, for Ruining my Life "I am using The Frugal Editor to polish my next book. I've used it for the first edit, the beta edit, and...I'm ready to snuff out excess words. Your tip about adding spaces with the search and replace tool is a timely add to my editing skills. It was easy to weed out abbreviations like AR for Arkansas one of my clients used with the (space)AR(space) feature." --Elizabeth Seckman, editor of Insecure Writers Group newsletter "In the third edition of her The Frugal Editor, Carolyn Howard-Johnson helps authors obtain a finished product worthy of Simon and Shuster. The book guides readers through evolving changes in the English language that has no governing academy regulating it." --Helen Dunn Frame shares her secrets for Retiring in Costa Rica or Doctors, Dogs and Pura Vida and other books." "Use basic computer and editing tricks from The Frugal Editor, to prevent headaches, to save time-and even money. It's well worth your effort to learn them." --Barbara McNichol, Barbara McNichol Editorial "...An important new section deals with using your friends, family, or writing circle as readers [beta readers]. Your book is your baby, but it may have content or pace that make it a loser when other people read it. Once you're sure you have a good product and have done all the recommended editing yourself, it's time to think about a professional editor. The book does an excellent job of showing what a professional can do for your manuscript." --Nancy Famolari, author of the Montbleu Mysteries Learn more at https://howtodoitfrugally.com/ From Modern HIstory Press




Ain’thology


Book Description

The word ain't is used by speakers of all dialects and sociolects of English. Nonetheless, language critics view ain't as marking speakers as ""lazy"" or ""stupid""; and the educated assume ain't is on its deathbed, used only in clichés. Everyone has an opinion about ain't. Even the grammar-checker in Microsoft Word flags every ain't with a red underscore. But why? Over the past 100 years, only a few articles and sections of books have reviewed the history of ain't or discussed it in dialect cont ...




Grammar Girl Presents the Ultimate Writing Guide for Students


Book Description

For beginners to advanced students, this warm and witty guide to writing includes a writing style chapter and a guide to writing everything from school papers to letters to e-mails.




Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing


Book Description

Online sensation Grammar Girl makes grammar fun and easy in this New York Times bestseller Are you stumped by split infinitives? Terrified of using "who" when a "whom" is called for? Do you avoid the words "affect" and "effect" altogether? Grammar Girl is here to help! Mignon Fogarty, a.k.a. Grammar Girl, is determined to wipe out bad grammar—but she's also determined to make the process as painless as possible. A couple of years ago, she created a weekly podcast to tackle some of the most common mistakes people make while communicating. The podcasts have now been downloaded more than twenty million times, and Mignon has dispensed grammar tips on Oprah and appeared on the pages of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. Written with the wit, warmth, and accessibility that the podcasts are known for, Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing covers the grammar rules and word-choice guidelines that can confound even the best writers. From "between vs. among" and "although vs. while" to comma splices and misplaced modifiers, Mignon offers memory tricks and clear explanations that will help readers recall and apply those troublesome grammar rules. Chock-full of tips on style, business writing, and effective e-mailing, Grammar Girl's print debut deserves a spot on every communicator's desk.