manpower shortages --> labor shortages #AmEditing

I don’t know what LinkedIn is becoming, but today I saw a poll from some guy I’m not connected with asking how many holes a straw has. His profile says he’s a Girl Dad. I damn near pulled a hammy running to the hide button.

as this directly supports our cost optimization efforts --> as this saves us money #AmEditing

Saw a commercial for a popular disposable diaper brand that declared its product is “up to 100% leakproof.” That would be every diaper. Every diaper is up to 100% leakproof.

When you select a word or phrase in a Microsoft Word document and press Ctrl F, Word finds all other instances of that word or phrase in the document. There are many features I wish Google Docs had, and this is one of them. Such a simple thing.

I sent a work email today, and I wasn’t sure the receivers would understand that my tone was meant to be friendly and inquisitive, not complainy and accusatory. So I added the word “conundrum” near the end. No one in a bad mood has ever used that word, right?

All I’m saying is, if you’re emailing me asking if I know of any writing or editing jobs, and you make three punctuation errors in four sentences and type two spaces after periods, I’m probably not going to reply.

I just used Microsoft Word wildcards to search for footnote markers (the footnote marker wildcard is ^2), and it was a life-changing experience. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, I’ll sum it up: I’m a geek.

engage in discussions around --> discuss In the last several years, I’ve noticed “around” is becoming an all-purpose preposition, often taking the place of “on,“ “about,“ and “regarding.” Interesting. #AmEditing

to provide a visual depiction of --> to visually depict #AmEditing

Standing outside a restaurant in Milwaukee, waiting for a table, immersed in glorious Wisconsin accents. Overheard: “Didja drop these sunglasses er no?” “I was gonna borrow ya my pen but I seen you already got one.” “Oh jeez, it’s busy, ay?”

leaders from across the retail ecosystem --> retail leaders #AmEditing

WE ARE ALL FREE TO PRONOUNCE ALL WORDS HOWEVER WE WANT TO PRONOUNCE THEM. However, I don’t understand the logic behind saying “processes” with a long “e” in the final syllable.

AP style recently switched from recommending “health care” (two words) to “healthcare” one word. It’s kind of a big deal. It’s also not really a big deal. I wrote about it. Please read if you are so inclined. dragonflyeditorial.com/aps-switch-f...

When I post editing advice on social media, I should remember to include “This is what I sometimes do in some situations, not a hard-and-fast rule; you’re free to do whatever you want.” Otherwise, people think I’m spouting hard-and-fast rules, perhaps because that’s how grammar was imposed on them.

When I began my editing career, I often changed “utilize” to “use.” For the past eight years or so, I’ve been changing “leverage” to “use.” Now I’m changing “use case” to the noun “use.” What do you people have against “use” in its various forms? It’s a perfectly fine word.

Just learned the ctrl + enter in Microsoft Word gives you a page break, and it’s changed my life.

It is indeed the year.

Don’t let the look on my face fool you. I’m having a blast at #ACES2026 with my Dragonfly Editorial colleagues.

Look how beautiful that is. #ACES2026

AP style: Following the change from "health care" to "healthcare," AP now recommends "daycare" and "childcare." #ACES2026

AP style change: "healthcare" is now one word! IT'S NOW ONE WORD! DO YOU PEOPLE REALIZE HOW HUGE THIS IS?!?!?!?! #APStyle #ACES2026

The AP editors announced some changes they DID NOT make: "All right" is still two words, not "alright." They're keeping the classic definitions of "comprise" and "compose." #ACES2026

AP style update: They removed the social media reporting chapter from the print edition. (Meaning guidance on how to report on things that happen on social media.) It was added in 2012. We don't really need it anymore. #ACES2026

AP style update: It's "kerfuffle," damn it, not "kerfluffle." #ACES2026

AP style update: They added an entry to clarify it's "offside," not "offsides" in sports stories. #ACES2026

AP style update: Do not use "ping-pong" when referring to official table tennis competitions. AP editors out here shaking things up! #ACES2026

AP style update: "ALS" is acceptable in all references to Lou Gehrig's disease. It's become the more common term. #ACES2026

AP style update: no need to use quotation marks around Obamacare. #ACES2026

AP style update: "Boy Scouts" changed to "Scouting America," because that's the organization's updated name. Include a note ("previously called the Boy Scouts") if you think it's necessary. #ACES2026

AP style update: AP officially suggests "doxing" with one "x," not "doxxing." #ACES2026

AP style update: definition of "Taliban" changed from "extremist Islamic movement in Afghanistan" to "the governing entity in Afghanistan since 2021." #ACES2026

AP style update: "assassination" definition removes the word "murder" and replaces it with "killing." Don't use "murder" unless there's a conviction. It's a small change but one they felt was necessary. #ACES2026

AP style update: Use "Iran war" to describe the current U.S. military action in Iran. There's always some debate about whether to call something a war. AP says yeah, we're calling this one a war. #ACES2026

Change to AP style: For sporting events, don't include the corporate sponsor's name unless it's a necessary part of the story. For example, write "the Phoenix Open," not the "Waste Management Phoenix Open." No free advertising. #ACES2026

Change to AP style: separate entry for Native Americans, Indigenous people/peoples. The topic was previously included in the race-related coverage entry. #ACES2026

Here we go!

At 9 a.m. ET, the Associated Press Stylebook editors will announce the most recent changes to AP style. I nabbed a front-row seat and will post said changes as quickly as I can type them. Will this be the year AP switches from two-word "health care" to one-word "healthcare"? A guy can dream.

“All good English was once bad English.” That’s a quote from @sesquiotic.bsky.social at #ACES2026.

Can’t fly out of MKE without taking a pic of the post-security Recombobulation Area. See you soon at #ACES2026!

Set for release in May. I’m gonna say this is a bad idea. The youths’ love of 67 has (or had) an expiration date. These should have come out a year ago. In fairness, that’s probably when someone at Perdue pitched the idea to their bosses.

eliminate redundant work from your workflow --> eliminate redundant work #AmEditing #irony

including but not limited to --> including I have yet to encounter a situation when “including but not limited to” was necessary. #AmEditing

The three #Jeopardy! contestant were shown a photo of Adam Carolla, and none of them knew who he was. They’re probably better off.

we will work collaboratively --> we will collaborate this collaborative endeavor --> this collaboration Sometimes, one word gets the job done. #AmEditing

this methodology is leveraged on a monthly cadence --> we use this method monthly #AmEditing

we have the capability to --> we can #AmEditing

Saw an ad for a local business that says, “Quality and service, just like it used to be ...” I often hear of this mystical time, this golden era when everything was made of higher quality, everyone worked hard, and customer service was awash with courtesy and positivity. When exactly was this?

If you’re an HR employee being paid to make your employer look good, “201 positions impacted in district reductions” is a logical choice of words. If you’re a journalist writing a headline, “201 people to lose their jobs” is probably a better, more straightforward choice.

Q: When a news story says a pitcher is the third-youngest opening day starter in franchise history, what other piece of information should appear somewhere in that story? A: The two younger opening day starters. This story does not contain that information. My kingdom for a copy editor.