Judy Hagey

Beware the Zombies

October 29, 2020 by Judy

I’m supposed to be writing a review of Steven Pinker’s Sense and Style, but like the student who waited until the last minute to read the book, I’m not in a position to write a full review—yet. With Halloween on the horizon, and Pinker’s reference to zombie nouns, I thought a blog on those might be more apropos than trying to bluff my way through a full book review. I am not a fan of horror films or literature (with the exception of Stephen King), so my knowledge of zombies is limited. Suffice to say that for our purposes the …

More Arcane Grammar

July 7, 2020 by Judy

Fused Participles Participle fusion, much like thermonuclear fusion, is a subject too widely dreaded to be approached lightly. ~ William Safire If you don’t know what a fused participle is, you can chalk it up to one of those grammar “rules” that really isn’t. Like: Never split an infinitive. Never end a sentence with a preposition. Never start a sentence with a conjunction. Back in the day, 1906 to be exact, Henry Fowler decided that sentences like the following are grammatically incorrect. He approved of Robert taking the job. Do you mind me asking a question? The neighbors hated …

Not To Be Confused With – an expanded version

May 1, 2019 by jhagey

This week’s Not To Be Confused With… takes more bandwidth than usual. So, it’s a blog instead of a graphic.

You say Estate Sale, I say…

March 25, 2019 by jhagey

Better Half (BH) and I had ten minutes to kill before the store opened. We could spend it in the parking lot, waiting, or, on a lark follow the sign to the Estate Sale.

My Recent Reads

February 25, 2019 by jhagey

Some time ago I was challenged to read outside of my comfort zone, to explore other genres and non-Western authors. One recommendation was The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy.

Editing vs. Changing

February 4, 2019 by jhagey

You know you need an editor to make sure your manuscript is as clean as it can be before you submit to a publisher or agent. But you’re concerned that an editor won’t respect your voice. Will he hold you to a rigid set of rules that you may not be totally familiar with? Will your manuscript be returned bathed in red ink?

7 Tips on Writing Well

December 20, 2018 by jhagey

Source: www.grammarcheck.net

3 Things You’d Be Surprised to Learn about Your Editor

May 10, 2018 by jhagey

Last weekend I attended my second PENCON - Proofreaders and Editors Network Conference. Billed as the only such conference for editors in Christian publishing, the conference is an opportunity to network and hone our editing skills. By our own admission, many editors are introverts, so you may be surprised that we’re into networking. Despite my own preference for anonymity, connecting with others who share my interest in accurate punctuation, grammar, and usage energizes me. It’s always reassuring to know that other editors struggle with the same insecurities and uncertainties that I do.

Say It Ain’t So

July 7, 2017 by jhagey

The day after my Better Half’s (BH) recent shoulder surgery, while still under the influence of pain pills, he made a verbal faux pas that will be one of those family jokes that lives on.

Flag That

June 14, 2017 by jhagey

Today is Flag Day in the U.S. Betsy Ross is credited with creating our national emblem despite little historical evidence. But that hasn’t stopped us from setting aside a day to honor the Stars and Stripes—representing the shared ideals and values of disparate states.