I Shot the Serif: Is Font Choice Important?
When I married a man with the very Italian surname of Iacullo, I had no illusions about the spelling and pronunciation mishaps that were likely to follow. I knew I’d have to endure a certain amount of ribbing about the surplus of vowels in the old country and make endless attempts to explain that yes, my new last name really did begin with the letter “I” followed by ...
April 4, 2019 READ MORE
5 Books Every Aspiring Writer Should Read
The well-known author, Stephen King, famously said: “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” As with any profession, the more writers can study their craft and learn from professionals, the better they will be. But, are all books treated equally? Or are there certain literary works that are more beneficial t...
April 3, 2019 READ MORE
As word enthusiasts, we constantly try to stay up-to-date on the evolution of language. After all, we found great delight in the list of 25 words that were added to Webster’s dictionary last year. But, as much as we love learning new words and discovering what they mean, we feel it is important to remember words of the past, that are no longer commonly used in today�...
March 28, 2019 READ MORE
Here’s Your Chance to Re-Write the Classics!
If you have been considering re-writing a classic book or putting your own spin on an old movie, then 2019 is your year! For the first time in 20 years, a whole year’s worth of copyrighted works has been released into the U.S. public domain. Under the terms of the Sonny Bono Copyright Act, these works, which were first published in 1923, are now copyright free. So,...
February 26, 2019 READ MORE
Autological Words: Words That Describe Themselves
As writers, we are passionate about words and language. Oftentimes, when we come across a word that we have never heard before, we immediately want to know not only the meaning, but also the history of the word. In most cases, as with most words, the actual meaning of the word has nothing to do with the word itself. Words are generally just arbitrary sounds that are pu...
February 21, 2019 READ MORE
Coffee – The Key to Writers’ Survival
Some things just go together: peanut butter and jelly, salt and pepper, the sun and the moon…writers and coffee! There are numerous possible reasons as to why coffee has become the “nectar of the writer” over the years. Perhaps it is the boost of energy and stimulation from the caffeine. Maybe it’s the flavor of the roasted beans that inspires creativity. Or, as...
February 19, 2019 READ MORE
Words of Wisdom from 10 Great Writers
Some people are naturally gifted writers. They don’t have a fancy education. They haven’t spent endless hours and money taking classes to learn how to write well. They are just good. They simply have an incredible talent for the written word that the rest of us can only sit back and envy. But have you ever wondered what those amazing writers would say if you had the c...
December 31, 2018 READ MORE
Publishing Guide – Defining the Terms and People Found in Publishing
Publishing has a long and romantic history, filled with names and figures that we all know. For example, most aspiring writers can tell you not only who it was that invented the printing press, but also what is often considered to be the first book ever printed on it (if you’re not sure what the answer is, click here). A lot has changed since then. There’s ...
December 11, 2018 READ MORE
I think we can all agree that it is important to stay up-to-date on what is going on in the world. From television newscasts, radio programs, and newspapers to Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram; there are endless ways to get real-time updates on local and international news. All of those news outlets tend to have one thing in common, though… Bad News. It’s not that ...
November 19, 2018 READ MORE
The Researcher’s Guide to Screenshots
As writers, we often need to capture information from sources: online, print, and interviews to name a few. When you are on the computer, you can record your findings in your favorite word processor; for print, you've got the good old copy machine, with OCR if you're lucky. And for interviews, of course, we have our trusty recorders. But when it comes to capturing resear...
November 19, 2018 READ MORE
