When you're tired and want to go to bed, do you wonder whether it's grammatically correct to say that you're laying in bed or lying in bed? Of course not! You're tired and couldn't care less about grammar at this point! Laying down ... lying down ... I'm in bed! Who cares?! Well, we grammar nerds care! So if you don't mind keeping one eye open for a few seconds longer, I'd like to use this week's Edit This® grammar lesson to show you that you've probably been saying this line

My eccentric but loveable friend Dan emailed me out of the blue recently. And I only say "out of the blue" because he'd been galavanting across Europe for weeks, and no one expected to hear from him anytime soon. But here he was, explaining in ways that only Dan could that while he was finally back in the states, he'd be missing our upcoming networking meeting for a previously-scheduled colonoscopy. But on a brighter note, he wanted to share how much he enjoyed my book, Write

Even the best writers admit certain words are really hard to spell. No matter how often we use them in everyday writing, we routinely have to spell them out slowly as we type or even resort to double-checking ourselves with spell-check or a quick online search. Even then, we still aren't confident that we got it right. Some words are just confusing like that, especially those that sound like they should be spelled a different way, have weird letter combinations, or feel like

Welcome to another Edit This® grammar lesson. In today's blog post, we will discuss Compliment vs. Complement and the differences between the two. I wrote a blog post about this five years ago but am revisiting the topic since I've seen a lot of confusion lately. Compliment and Complement are examples of homophones – words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings – and they trip more people up than you think. So, let's dive right in, shall we? Compliment

I wrote a blog just over a year ago to shine an important light on a few common phrases everyone keeps getting wrong in writing and everyday conversation. Things like "I could care less" and "She's biting her time." We all think those are correct. But they're not. They've been butchered so often over the years – including by yours truly – that it comes as a complete shock when we find out we've been saying them wrong the entire time. Needless to say, my post was pretty popula

Welcome to another Edit This® grammar lesson. In today's blog post, let's discuss the difference between Already vs. All ready. Do you know when to use each one? Already and All ready are examples of homophones – words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings – and they trip more people up than you think. So, let's dive right in, shall we? Already as an adverb means that something has taken place, just took place now, or was completed beforehand. It also

It never gets old shouting to the mountaintops that Edit This®, your friendly neighborhood writing and editing service, is another year older. That's right! We celebrated our 8th anniversary on Friday, April 1. Our self-proclaimed EDIT THIS DAY! As is the case every single year with this ceremonial blog post, I can't say thank you enough to every family member, friend, client, business partner, and everyone in between for the love and support as I continue to live and breathe

Metaphors and similes are constantly being used in writing, on television, in poetry, in the media, and in everyday conversations to compare one thing to another. And the examples are endless. Such as ... Life is like a box of chocolates. My life is an open book. She is as sharp as a tack. Steve is as cool as the other side of the pillow. But how many metaphors and similes exist when talking about the writing process? Well, being the nosey writer that I am, I decided to check

Everybody craves being with family, especially as we attempt to make up for lost time from the pandemic. I'm certainly no exception. My parents are in town from Houston, marking only the third time in two years that we've been together, and we're enjoying every minute of being with them, too. But I must admit that their visit is definitely cutting into my writing time. Perhaps this has happened to you? You've got family in town that you've been dying to spend time with, but y

With just a couple of days left in 2021, I wanted to take a quick second to thank everyone. I'm not here to share any writing and grammar knowledge or convince you to buy my new book, Write Like You Mean It: Mastering Your Passion For The Written Word. All I want to do is share a special thank you for a great year as your friendly neighborhood writer, editor, and author! Thank you for allowing me to chase my passion – to do something I truly enjoy. Many people don't get that

When I sat down to write my book, one of the first things I did before writing each chapter was to look for inspiration from the amazing writers who came before me. Whether it be about writer's block, overcoming the fear of writing, or even thoughts on how to be a better storyteller, there are always valuable nuggets of information out there. And the best part was that I didn't have to scour the internet for long to find exactly what I needed. Stephen King, Ernest Hemingway,

Welcome to another Edit This® grammar lesson. Today, we'll be talking about the difference between Gray and Grey. Do you find yourself getting tripped up on these? If you do, you're not alone. And why? Because they're both technically correct – depending on where you live and your audience, of course! The purpose of today's blog post is to explain the difference so that you can be a grammar pro moving forward. Gray and Grey are both correct spellings of the popular color, tho

Welcome to another Edit This® grammar lesson. Today, we'll be talking about the difference between Vain, Vein, and Vane. Do you find yourself getting tripped up on these? If you do, you're not alone. Vain, Vein, and Vane are homophones — words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. The purpose of today's blog post is to explain the difference so that you can be a grammar pro moving forward. Vain is used to refer to someone who arrogantly admires themse

Anyone who has seen our social media posts over the years has probably seen a few pictures of unfortunate grammar and spelling fails found in everyday life. Mind you; I'm not talking about minor flubs. I'm talking about the obvious ones that are so funny they end up going viral on the Internet. Over the years, we've captured a few of our own, had others shared with us, and found several more online. Below are some of our favorites. If you don't laugh, you should seriously che

Welcome to another Edit This® grammar lesson. In today's blog post, let's discuss the difference between Feat vs. Feet. Do you know when to use each one? Feat vs. Feet are examples of homophones – words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings – and they trip more people up than you think. So, let's dive right in, shall we? Feat refers to an incredible and noteworthy achievement or act that is out of the ordinary and requires significant courage, strength

A student reached out to us recently asking if we'd be willing to answer a few basic questions about the world of writing and editing. A soon-to-be high school senior, this young lady shared that she wants to edit books someday and possibly work for a publishing company. Naturally, we were happy to help and tried our best to give some quick on-the-spot answers in e-mail form without getting too wordy. Below are three of the questions she asked. I'm sharing in case you've cons

Welcome to another Edit This® grammar lesson. In today's blog, let's discuss the difference between Capital vs. Capitol. Do you know when to use each one? Capital vs. Capitol are examples of homophones – words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings – and they trip more people up than you think. So, let's dive right in, shall we? Capital with an "al" at the end has several meanings. It can be used when talking about uppercase letters or when referring to

I've been fortunate to work closely with some really good editors over the years. Sadly, not every writer can say the same. Maybe this has happened to you? You turn over your novel or magazine feature article to an editor for a thorough once-over, thinking the "extra set of eyes" will uncover all the things you can't because, well, you've been lookin' at the thing for way too long. * Spelling mistakes * Grammatical errors * Formatting issues * Plot holes and weak transitions

Welcome to another Edit This® grammar lesson. In today's blog entry, let's discuss the difference between Discuss vs. Discus. Do you know when to use each one? Most people will say they do know the difference. And yet, I see this mistake repeatedly in written copy ranging from school papers and published articles to blogs and social media posts. So, let's talk about it a little bit. And maybe by the end of this, we'll all be less confused. Discuss (with the double "s") simply

Hey, guys and gals. Just in case you've been living under a rock, Mother's Day is Sunday. It can be difficult trying to find the perfect gift at the store, especially if you're looking to give her something different from the norm. So how about writing her a special love letter? Love letters, poems, and anything heartfelt go a long way in showing mom just how much she is loved and appreciated. Granted, I understand that what I'm suggesting isn't a unique concept. But while th