Category Archives: FAQ

Frequently asked questions about nonfiction writing. Commas? Verb tense? Dangling modifiers?

College-application essays

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Susan Perloff

Start early to write college application essay. Choose great topic. Present information + ideas in a focused, thoughtful and meaningful way. Proofread. Continue reading →

Posted in FAQ, Worth 1,000 words, Writing essays, Writing tips, Writing training | 1 Comment

FAQ: Capitalizing headlines

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Susan Perloff

Q. When writing a title, should I capitalize every word or just the first word? A. For most press releases, books, magazine and journal articles, capitalize the first letter of the first word and the first letter of all other … Continue reading →

Posted in FAQ, Writing tips, Writing training | 1 Comment

What about paragraphs?

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Susan Perloff

Q. What constitutes a paragraph? A. A paragraph contains a single idea, purpose or theme. A paragraph is about something. A paragraph has a consistent point of view, an internal integrity. In that sense, think of a paragraph as a … Continue reading →

Posted in FAQ, Writing essays, Writing mistakes, Writing tips, Writing training, Writing website copy | Comments Off

FAQ: Writing instructions

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Susan Perloff

In an online Q-and-A, a reader wants to find software that turns photos into line art, as in the Wall Street Journal. Part of the answer is that the WSJ uses artists, not computers, to create the “hedcuts.” * The columnist helpfully suggests a … Continue reading →

Posted in FAQ, Writing mistakes, Writing tips, Writing training | Comments Off

Off the record?

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Susan Perloff

Q. How do you define off-the-record? A. If an interview subject says his remarks are off-the-record, you may not print them. Or air them, if you’re doing broadcast. Usually and theoretically, that’s what it means. But…. If a subject says … Continue reading →

Posted in Advanced writing techniques, FAQ, Writing mistakes, Writing tips | Comments Off