27Oct

The purpose of a question is to elicit an answer, not to be art

I Have A Question. Group Of Business People Sitting In Conference Hall. Businessman Raising His Arm. Conference And. I Have A Question. Group Of Business People Sitting At The Chairs In Conference Hall. Businessman Raising His Arm. Conference And Presentation. Business And Entrepreneurship.

Some of the most interesting answers I’ve ever heard were in response to what other writers mocked as a bad question.

26Oct

I don’t know about ‘break contain,’ but I know you broke my brain

I’d recommend a writer use “containment.” There’s already too much coachspeak and announcerspeak in modern sports writing.

25Oct

When does it stop being a start?

Athletes At The Start Of A Race with the hands on the starting line.

Today I bring an example of things we write and say in sports writing that make me wonder if we ever stop to think about what we’re saying.

24Oct

Some expressions and terms should go away quietly

Purple Ribbon On Grey Background. Symbol Of Domestic Violence Awareness.

We should always be on the lookout for throwaway expressions and terminology that should have been thrown away a long time ago.

23Oct

Why I work for the writer and the reader, not for a book of ‘rules’

How Can I Help Concept. Hands Holding Chalkboard With The Text How Can I Help..

When I edit, I want to help the writer tell the story in a way the reader enjoys and understands. I’m working for the reader and the writer.

22Oct

Isn’t it iconic? Don’t you think?

Las Vegas, Nevada - May 10, 2014: Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Sinatra Restaurant Interior At Encore Las Vegas Casino. It Is Only Italian Restaurant Sanctioned By Frank Sinatra's Family.

What Merriam-Webster has to say about “iconic” energizes me. I suppose the 2025 version of this debate would involve Taylor Swift.

20Oct

At the core of ‘enormity vs. enormousness’ is the whole ballgame

Man Pushing A Big Stone. Man With Backpack Pushing A Huge Stone In Mamallapuram Cave Complex, Tamil Nadu, India.

On deadline I usually swap in “magnitude” or a similar term. I can’t imagine ever inserting “enormousness” into a story.

19Oct

When you read ‘0-2 pitch,’ do you ‘hear’ it as zero-2 pitch or oh-2 pitch?

I’d bet all the money in my pockets against all the money in your pockets that most readers of baseball stories read it as “oh-2 pitch.”

18Oct

‘Officially’ is unofficially the most overused word in sports writing

It's Official! Text Message On Speech Bubble.speaker And Announcement Concept, Yellow Background.

I can’t believe it took this long for me to vent about this one. It’s been on my radar for at least 15 years.

17Oct

If a series can be tied, why can’t a game be tied?

A screenshot of pregame coverage of Game 4 of the American League Championship Series of Major League Baseball show Leo Rivas of the Seattle Mariners. The graphic below his name says "Game-tying hit in ALDS Game 5." Under that, it says: "First career postseason start."

Most of the time, I imagine the person who made up this “rule” laughing at how many people have followed it.

CarlyJDubois.com

Tag: copy editing

The purpose of a question is to elicit an answer, not to be art

I don’t know about ‘break contain,’ but I know you broke my brain

When does it stop being a start?

Some expressions and terms should go away quietly

Why I work for the writer and the reader, not for a book of ‘rules’

Isn’t it iconic? Don’t you think?

At the core of ‘enormity vs. enormousness’ is the whole ballgame

When you read ‘0-2 pitch,’ do you ‘hear’ it as zero-2 pitch or oh-2 pitch?

‘Officially’ is unofficially the most overused word in sports writing

If a series can be tied, why can’t a game be tied?