Feb 28, 2013

Commonly confused words

This webpage has a good list of words spelled similarly which people often mix up.

One that doesn't appear on the list, but which I've seen several times when editing, is complement and compliment.

The former is more often a verb than a noun. It means to add something which enhances or perfects, for example:

The red wine he chose complemented the steak.

The latter is a verb or noun meaning to praise someone, for instance if you say, "Your cooking is excellent" or "You did a great job on that essay."

Feb 25, 2013

How to write faster

I especially like this article suggesting ways writers can become more productive. The first tip urges writers not to waste time researching topics in greater depth than is necessary. I'm often guilty of this, but one of the reasons why I love my job is that I'm always learning - and sometimes what I find out helps with another project at a later date, even if it's of no immediate use.