“PUGS” is my acronym for Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling. In this blog, I share tips on PUGS rules that writers struggle with most, based on my years as a professional freelance editor. I’ll also explain why it’s important for writers to polish their PUGS. For more PUGS Pointers, see my website. Or you can get my book on Polishing the PUGS through my website, www.KathyIde.com.
My older son, Tom, is a very busy professional, so a lot of our communication takes place via e-mail. One Sunday, I asked him what he wanted me to make for dinner that evening. His response was: When you decide what you can say I decided this and if it’s not OK that’s OK. It […]
If a will stated, “The inheritance will be divided equally between Tammy, Vicki and Mary,” do you realize that Tammy would be entitled to half of the money, and that Vicki and Mari would each get a fourth? Why not equal thirds? Because the word between indicates that the inheritance is to be split into […]
Literary agent Richard Curtis wrote (in The Christian Communicator, June 2001): It was not long ago that the prevailing attitude among editors was, “This book has some problems, but the author is so talented that I’d like to buy it and work with him.” Today such words are rarely heard. A book with problems is […]
“PUGS” is my acronym for Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling. In this blog, I’ll share tips on PUGS rules that writers struggle with most, based on my years as a professional freelance editor. I’ll also explain why it’s important for writers to polish their PUGS. For more PUGS Pointers, see my website, www.KathyIde.com. Or you […]
I just discovered something that’s contrary to what I have in my Polishing the PUGS book. ACK! In the Usage section of my PUGS book, I point out the distinction between the two words between and among–that between is used when referring to two people or things, and among should be used for more than […]
PUGS errors give an unprofessional appearance
Most acquisitions editors know a lot about proper punctuation, usage, grammar, and spelling. Most people on publishing committees know a lot about “PUGS” too. You don’t want them looking at your manuscript and thinking, This author has some good things to say, but she sure doesn’t know a comma from a semicolon. Even if your […]
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