Unless you’re documenting actual quotations or listing song titles, quote marks should be used sparingly. When used around a word or phrase in a sentence, the punctuation can denote that you mean the opposite of what your words actually say or that you disagree with the word choice. It’s like saying “so-called” before the word in quotes. For example: That “dinner” was awesome. (That so-called dinner was awesome? Yikes.)

If you need to draw attention to a particular word or phrase, first consider how to drive your message home with your sentence structure or paragraph breaks. Simplicity rules! If you still want to add extra emphasis to a word or a phrase, consider italics or bold instead of quotation marks. Again, use sparingly, so you don’t overdo it and lose effect.

Don’t worry — You’re not alone in tripping over the following list of commonly misspelled words in business. The problem? Double letters and shifty vowels get tricky.

Here’s a list of some of the most often misspelled words to keep in mind — and near your desk:

accommodate

acknowledgement

commitment

deductible

inadvertent

indispensable

liaison

occurrence

personnel

prerogative

supercede

Affect vs. Effect

Don’t know if you had an effect or affect? Here’s help.

The majority of the time, AFFECT is a verb and should be used to denote action in a sentence (“The heat and humidity affected the athlete’s performance.”), and EFFECT is a noun and can be used as the subject or object in a sentence (“It’s difficult to determine what effect the heat had on the athlete’s performance.”).

There are rare instances, however, when the two switch places.

AFFECT can be a noun when referenced in psychology as the mood a person appears to have (“She presented a sad affect.”).

EFFECT becomes a verb when it’s used to mean “to bring about” or “to accomplish” (“The employee hoped her proposal would effect change in the office.”).

Since those two instances are less commonly used in everyday speech, keep them in the back of your mind, but remember the basic rule:

Affect = verb.

Effect = noun.

Hope today’s post has a positive effect on your writing!

I love writing fiction, and Hemingway is one of those greats I love to read for the power of brevity, for packing things in with a punch and not overdoing it. As a marketing professional and an editor, I admire his writing for the same reason.

Click the link below to read copyblogger’s thoughts on the top 5 Hemingway tips for writing well:

http://www.copyblogger.com/ernest-hemingway-top-5-tips-for-writing-well/

But it really comes down to this:  When you pare it down to only what you really need, you usually achieve more when it comes to impact and meaning.

(Should probably turn this into a Twitter commercial, but I don’t think you always have to stick to under 140 char.)

Just finished reading Chris Woolfey’s article on online copywriting basics. While he focuses on writing for the small screen, the rationale behind his advice goes back to one important point:

Focus on your reader instead of yourself, and you’ll improve the reader’s comprehension.

Don’t focus on yourself. If you don’t present your information effectively, no one will read it. Make it easy for the reader by taking into account how the reader will encounter the text. Woolfrey focuses on the online text …

When writing online, write short sentences, short paragraphs, says Woolfrey. Why? Because your reader is scanning the screen, not sitting down to enjoy a long article. It’s easier to focus on small pieces on the computer monitor.

Use bold titles to point to segments of the argument. Why? You want to draw your reader’s eye to the important points. Face it – people scan text, especially on the screen. Use a tool (such as bold) to slow the eye down.

Title pages should be true, but controversial. For most people, encountering online texts  means flipping through pages quickly. You have to have a title that says what the site is about, but gives its focus in a unique way to stand out from the crowd. Web sites gauge the effectiveness of a site by its bounce rate – how quickly a user clicks on and then leaves a web page. The longer, the better. If your title does not accurately convey the content, then users will not stick around. Your online copy should grab the reader, be quick and to the point.

If you are working with a printed text, from a letter to a brochure to instructions for employees, consider how to best get your point across.

• Use larger type for readers who may have trouble with smaller type.
• Break text down into a logical progression. Write an outline first and check to see if it makes sense.
• Use bullets and numbering to keep the reader on task.
• Make sure your point is clear from the beginning. Don’t build up to your message; make sure your reader sees it from the opening.
• State a call to action. Does your text give a clear directive? Is the next step clearly defined?