Editing and Coaching by Robert Christian Schmidt

When words matter (or you just need a cookie).

Who Cares about the Oxford Comma?

Who Cares about the Oxford Comma?

Okay, I admit it. I'm not totally and completely in love with the Oxford comma. Instead, as an editor, I love what the Oxford comma does: It cuts down on ambiguity in a series of items (which is why it's also called the "series" or "serial" comma). You see, if you and I were speaking, I could probably tell what you meant when you said to me: "This weekend, I'm going home to see my family, my husband and my cat." In part, that would be because of context. After all, if I know

The Answer to the Editing Question You're Too Afraid to Ask

The Answer to the Editing Question You're Too Afraid to Ask

When I meet people for the first time, during the small-talk phase, I'm often asked what I do. When I explain that I work as an editor, I get a range of responses. There are the people who simply smile and nod (I admit that I do the same when someone says she's an accountant); the people who say that they'll never link to me on social media for fear that I'll correct them (I won't); and—I admit this is a fairly small group—the people who ask what I edit, and why I do it. In t

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Editors—Helping You Answer Questions You Didn’t Ask

Editors—Helping You Answer Questions You Didn’t Ask

The Answer to the Editing Question You're Too Afraid to Ask

The Answer to the Editing Question You're Too Afraid to Ask

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