by Gail Kerzner | Apr 1, 2021 | Author Advice, College Admissions Essays, General Writing, Grammar, OOPSS, Tips and Tricks
Oh, how we love to chortle over someone else’s punctuation and spelling errors, especially when we spot pubic when public is meant to be used or anal instead of annual. I must admit, I find these OOPSS (OMG, Outrageous Punctuation & Spelling Slips) especially...
by Gail Kerzner | Mar 23, 2021 | Author Advice, College Admissions Essays, General Writing, Grammar, Language Trends, Tips and Tricks
Language evolves—especially in the United States—especially when it comes to terms referring to race. One of the most significant questions 2020 raised regarding race revolves around the capitalization of “Black” and “White.” Here’s a dive into the evolving...
by Gail Kerzner | Mar 11, 2021 | Author Advice, College Admissions Essays, General Writing, Grammar, Language Trends, OOPSS, Tips and Tricks
The debate over the Oxford comma continues to rage. Who really cares? Most writers and editors are locked in a heated, intellectual battle over a tiny, little blob of ink. Sometimes, they calmly and respectfully discuss the punctuation mark’s merits. Other times,...
by Gail Kerzner | Mar 3, 2021 | Author Advice, College Admissions Essays, General Writing, Grammar, Tips and Tricks
We often use unnecessary words to explain ideas. We delay or bury our main points and sometimes surround our concepts with words that just take up space. Our readers may become distracted, confused, and frustrated by this clutter. They may even stop reading...
by Gail Kerzner | Feb 25, 2021 | Author Advice, College Admissions Essays, General Writing, Tips and Tricks
We’ve all heard, “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up.” How about, “I’ve got writer’s block, and I can’t get started.” You’re stuck. You’re frustrated, sweating. Your tummy is in knots. Your heart is pounding. You’ve been staring at your blank screen for hours, and the...
