All professionals should have tools of the trade – one of a writer’s tools is a stylebook. The Associated Press published the 55th edition of its stylebook at the beginning of this year. For more than 30 years, this reference book has guided journalists, students, editors and writers in the industry. It is updated every other year with new and revised entries to remain relevant and continue to guide those who report and interpret the people and events that take place in the communities around them.
I was the child who actually enjoyed diagramming sentences in elementary school, so of course, my favorite section is that which specifies punctuation use. A portion of the section’s introduction reads, “Punctuation is to make clear the thought being expressed. If punctuation does not help make clear what is being said, it should not be there.”
In everyday writing, many people are easily confused by punctuation and do not take the time to look up a mark’s correct usage. Unfortunately, incorrect usage does have the potential to decrease the writer’s credibility. I see this often, particularly with apostrophe and comma usage, and continually think how simple this is to avoid – even if you aren’t a grammar whiz, utilizing guides is to your advantage.
My tip? Take five minutes to look it up. Just like it is best practice to verify a statement before stating it as fact, it is also best to ensure you are writing a phrase or word correctly. Even those whose profession is in the writing field don’t have everything memorized – English is a complex language, after all. True professionals utilize their resources well.
Much of the stylebook’s pages are made up of an a-to-z listing of words and terms that detail capitalization, abbreviation, spelling, numerals and usage for each entry. Other sections include considerations for writing in the areas of business news, data journalism, health and science, polls and surveys, and social media. More information about the guide is available at apstylebook.com.
Accuracy and clarity is important to me when writing for clients. Since my assistance will reflect the integrity of the business, it is certainly my aim to do my due diligence by writing according to the industry’s best practices.
Do you need some writing done for a publication, your website or other purpose? I’d love to learn more about your project. Email me to see how I can help.