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The Winning Partnership

Posted on September 15, 2011 by lwidmer

Yesterday was productive. I spent a good deal of time working on my personal project, my project with Anne, and another chunk of the large project that hit my in box around noon. If all goes well, I should be able to bill for the large one this week, which means I’ll surpass my monthly…

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Charging for Consulting

Posted on September 14, 2011 by lwidmer

Look for big news from Anne Wayman and me tomorrow – to get notified directly, sign up here. No spam, I promise. We had a great tweetup yesterday afternoon. Thanks to those who could make it and to those who spread the word. It was a nice manageable group, and we had a good time,…

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Ideas and How to Use Them

Posted on September 13, 2011 by lwidmer

Time once again for a tweet-up! Anne and I are hosting one this afternoon. To join, head to Twitter and use the #writingsquared hashtag. (Best way is to make a column in your viewer just for that hashtag.) Yesterday was productive despite a “travel hangover” and the lack of several promised files. I worked ahead…

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Hitting the Ground Running

Posted on September 12, 2011 by lwidmer

Good morning! I’ve been gone a total of three working days, but it feels like years. The switch in cultures from here to my favorite fishing hole is so drastic that you can notice the change even in how you behave. It’s quiet there. Situated facing the river with bays on either side, the cottage…

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This Job, Not That Job

Posted on September 9, 2011 by lwidmer

Just because I’m away doesn’t mean we can’t still have fun. So why not a round of This Job, Not That Job to placate ourselves as summer becomes a shrinking memory? This beauty came via Twitter, where I didn’t have enough characters to tell him what I really thought: #freelance #writing #job – Make my…

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The Subject Line

Posted on September 8, 2011 by lwidmer

Still north of the US, where I hope there’s less rain and even less 9/11 talk. I have my own memories of that awful day. It’s nice that we want to remember. It’s kind of awful (to me, anyway) that we have to make a huge television event out of it. Something very wrong about…

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Giving in to Lethargy

Posted on September 7, 2011 by lwidmer

As I bask in the “balmy” lake district of Ontario, I wanted to leave you with something to discuss and debate. I have this strange work process that seems to kick in out of the blue. I get lazy. I work my tail off when I have projects that are due immediately, but give me…

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Starting in the Middle

Posted on September 6, 2011 by lwidmer

Good Tuesday to you! Feels odd starting in the middle of the week, but here we are. Had a great week last week. How was the holiday weekend? It rained for part of ours. My son wasn’t able to come for a visit, so we decided to head to a meditation retreat at the last…

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Friday Stuff and Hilarity

Posted on September 2, 2011 by lwidmer

Don’t forget to sign up for notification of Anne’s and my upcoming announcement. Give us your email and we’ll give you the announcement – not spam, and certainly not a spot on someone else’s list. Your info stays with us. Sign up to be notified here. Great day yesterday. I wrote an article in the…

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Definitions and Those Who Don’t Get It

Posted on September 1, 2011 by lwidmer

Anne Wayman and I are about to let you in on our secret! Don’t forget to sign up for notification. We promise no spam – just notification. I think you’ll be glad to hear of it. Super day yesterday. I managed to get one more article written and another of two remaining interviews out of…

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  1. Eileen Avatar
    Eileen
    September 1, 2011

    One that drives me up a wall (but not literally) is "I could care less." Um, no. If people would think about what that means, they'd realize it doesn't make sense. The saying is "I couldn't care less."

    Reply
  2. Lori Avatar
    Lori
    September 1, 2011

    I hate that one as well, Eileen. Or this – "irregardless." Huh? Though it shows up in a dictionary, it has been hotly debated as an actual word. The "ir" is like adding "that" to every sentence – it's just extra letters.

    Reply
  3. Devon Ellington Avatar
    Devon Ellington
    September 1, 2011

    I agree with Eileen. Usually, if one of my characters uses the first phrase, that character is not long for this world! 😉

    I may write an urban fantasy where the Grammar Fairy whacks people for misuse of language.

    I'm worked up at being called "the help" by the Client from Hell instead of being valued as a professional in my field.

    Reply
  4. Lori Avatar
    Lori
    September 1, 2011

    The HELP? Is he serious?? Too bad you couldn't introduce him as "the tyrant" or address him as Clueless One. Damn. That's demeaning. It's not surprising given his total lack of respect for your time and abilities, but it's like salt rubbed in a wound.

    May the check clear quickly and you be rid of him sooner rather than later.

    Reply
  5. Gabriella F. Avatar
    Gabriella F.
    September 1, 2011

    I so agree with your points, though for some reason, I'm guilty of "literally" misuse. I know the right way to use it, but I still use it incorrectly sometimes.

    People must grow wary of my misuse. Ha! I also dislike "wary" for "weary."

    As for "irregardless," my aunt says it all the time. But I love her dearly, so it doesn't bother me when I hear it from her.

    Now Eileen's "I could care less" problem? Oh, I can't stand that one, either. Eileen's right!

    One that bothers me: "Should of." Oh, dear, that's not right.

    Also, is anybody else bothered by "try and…"? That seems sloppy and lazy to me instead of the better "try to."

    Finally, people are really beginning to misuse "there's" when the proper use would be "there are." I hear it all the time even among newspeople, who should know better.

    I could literally go on all day. 🙂

    Reply
  6. Lori Avatar
    Lori
    September 1, 2011

    We are a transitional language, Gabriella. The sad part about that is that crap like you've described works its way into our language.

    "Supposably." That one drives me insane. But my least favorite "A whole nother" – it would be like saying "be fricking have" instead of "behave."

    Reply
  7. Paula Avatar
    Paula
    September 1, 2011

    Maybe it's a geographical thing, but I've never heard anyone substitute "weary" for "wary."

    Devon, when you write the book with the grammar fairy, I'll be first in line to buy it.

    "Should of" doesn't bother me when it's spoke, since I can pretend I simply misheard "have" as "of." But in written form? Cringe.

    One commonly misused word that annoys me is "unique." How often do you hear people (and publicists) claiming something is "very unique"? Either it's unique or it's not. From my trusty old Pocket Oxford Dictionary: Unique: being the only one of its kind; having no like or equal or parallel.

    And you all know how much I loathe hearing people say "gifted" when they mean "given" or "gave."

    As a knitter, one thing that really bugs be is when knitters (and editors of knitting publications) insist on using "knit" as the past tense. "When I knit this scarf…" funny how they never use "crochet" as past tense. I've seen past-tense sentences like this: "For Christmas gifts last year, I crocheted five scarves and knit two sweaters." I guess it can technically go either way, but the inconsistency makes me want to rip my hair out.

    Reply
  8. Jake P Avatar
    Jake P
    September 1, 2011

    Oddly enough, my wife and I were talking about "literally" last night. She has some grammar scold in her office who goes nuts when people (mis)use it.

    My instinctive response is that it's a useful colloquialism, and not the most egregious of grammar sins out there. (The problem is more when people, um, literally use it every other sentence in an attempt to sound smart.)

    So, lo and behold, I came across this article from Slate a few years back: The Word We Love to Hate. Literally.

    Turns out it's been employed as an intensifier since the 1600s, and some pretty heady company has used it (Twain, Joyce). I also like its status as a contranym (like cleave), but that's just my inner grammar geek talking.

    My conclusion? Literally ain't the grammar hill upon which to die…figuratively speaking, of course.

    Reply
  9. Anne Wayman Avatar
    Anne Wayman
    September 1, 2011

    Not a definition, but when someone says "thank you," you're supposed to say "you're welcome" not thank the person back… I get it, but…

    Reply
  10. Lori Avatar
    Lori
    September 2, 2011

    Jake, oddly enough I was more frustrated with Jane Austen's splitting of her verb with an adverb than anything. I don't mind "literally" being used properly. I mind it being used to describe something that isn't literal. I mean, can you imagine someone literally blowing up? LOL

    It must be local, Paula. Husband and I both hear it. We talked about it last week (hence this post). Your list of misused words is a good one. I don't like "unique" being coupled with "very." I'm not a big fan of "very" anyway. Kind of a bullshit word, so to speak. It says nothing.

    Anne, I hear you. It's becoming widely used, isn't it?

    Reply
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