Get a Grip on Your Grammar: 250 Writing and Editing Reminders for the Curious or Confused

Kris Spisak

Apr 2017 · Red Wheel/Weiser

About this ebook

“A useful reference [and] a fun read, chock-full of telling examples and pop-culture references.” —Charles Euchner, author of Keep It Short

Most of us are not poets or novelists, but we are all writers. We email, text, and post; we craft memos and reports, menus and outdoor signage, birthday cards and sticky notes on the fridge. And just as we should think before we speak, we need to think before we write.

Get a Grip on Your Grammar is a grammar book for those who hate grammar books, a writing resource filled with quick answers and a playful style—not endless, indecipherable grammar jargon. Designed for student, business, and creative-writing audiences alike, its easily digestible writing tips will finally teach you:

• How to keep “lay” and “lie” straight

• The proper usage of “backup” versus “back up”

• Where to put punctuation around quotation marks

• The meaning of “e.g.” versus “i.e.”

• The perils of overusing the word “suddenly”

• Why apostrophes should not be thrown about like confetti and 244 more great tips

Ratings and reviews

I'm not going to lie to you, I did not read all of this book. I more or less skimmed through. I did not even buy this book. If you have problems with basic grammar, then you absolutely should. If you often feel unsure which word to use or what goes where, then this is the book for you. Its friendly tone and clear speech will be just the thing to untangle the knots in your stomach the next time you have to send an email or put up an ad. Good luck!

About the author

With a bachelor of arts from the College of William and Mary and a master of liberal arts from the University of Richmond, Kris Spisak began her career as a college writing instructor. After six years in the classroom, she shifted her work toward professional writing and editing, working with businesses on their communication goals and individuals pursuing their publishing dreams. As a teacher, editor, and speaker, Spisak has helped writers of every level sharpen their writing craft. She is the cofounder of Midlothian Web Solutions, on the board of directors of James River Writers, and an avid writer of fiction. She lives in Richmond, Virginia.