CMOS: How did you come to think about writing as “flabby”? HS: Many years ago, I read Richard Lanham’s book Revising Prose, which influenced me deeply as a writer. Lanham teaches you to identify the “lard factor” in your writing, based on the percentage of words that you could omit without significantly changing its meaning. The Writer’s Diet follows similar principles, but with
This workout centers on paragraphs 5.114–20 of CMOS 18. Advanced editors might tackle the questions cold; learners can study that section of the Manual before answering the questions.
“Oozing slowly across the floor, Marvin watched the salad dressing.” “I smelled the oysters coming down the stairs for dinner.” Most of us don’t have to worry about overlooking gaffes as obvious as these, but more subtle danglers—or misplaced modifiers—sometimes sneak by even the most careful
If you could design the perfect app for writers or editors, what would it be? What chore would you love to be automated with a tap on your keyboard or phone?
This workout centers on paragraphs 2.115–23 in CMOS 18. Advanced editors might tackle the questions cold; learners can study that section of the Manual before answering the questions.
Today CMOS talks with Angela Gibson, associate director of scholarly communication and head of book and online publications at the Modern Language Association, about the newest edition of MLA Handbook.
When putting items into alphabetical order, which comes first: Albert the Great or Albert of Saxony? HMD or H&N?
This workout centers on paragraphs 8.170–78 and 8.179–82 in CMOS 18. Advanced editors might tackle the questions cold; learners can study those sections of the Manual before answering the questions.
Today, in a historic first, the reclusive 110-year-old Chicago Manual of Style grants an interview to its youthful offspring, the online “Chicago Style Q&A,” which has been answering readers’ questions on behalf of the Manual since 1997.
This week we’re celebrating our new book, But Can I Start a Start a Sentence with “But”?, a selection of our favorite questions and answers from The Chicago Manual of Style Online’s monthly Q&A.
