sharon lapkin, Author at Textshop Content

Why you should never hyphenate adverbs ending in ly

June 1, 2021

Why you should never hyphenate adverbs ending in ly

✼ By Sharon Lapkin

Have you noticed that online news sites and mainstream media regularly hyphenate adverbs ending in ly?
Even our national broadcaster, the ABC, is inserting hyphens where they don’t belong.
From ‘newly-minted’ to ‘hotly-anticipated’ and ‘locally-acquired’, our useful little line (-) is being overplayed and overworked. Can you see the problem here?
If our news outlets hyphenate adverbs ending in ly, then it becomes commonplace. Students, teachers, writers and others start copying the trend and, before you know it, a lot of people think it’s correct.
We rely on our media to get it right, and when they slip up it’s not just a betrayal of correct grammar and punctuation, but of every reader who incorporates that error into their own writing because they think ‘If the ABC does it, I should too.’

But I like my hyphen

Some grammarians call it a hypercorrection. The Australian Government Style Manual simply says don’t do it.
What they’re referring to is the practice of inserting a hyphen between an adverb ending in ly and the participle that follows it – ending in ‘ed’ or ‘ing’.

The Chicago Manual of Style applies this rule to both adverbs and participles:
‘Compounds formed by an adverb ending in ly plus an adjective or participle (such as largely irrelevant or smartly dressed) are not hyphenated either before or after a noun.’

But why can't I write that my cat is 'visually-impaired'?

The purpose of hyphenation is to increase clarity. Inserting a hyphen where it’s not needed is like adding an exclamation mark when there’s no interjection or exclamation. It’s not an oversight, it’s an error.
Following are examples of adverbs ending in ly that don’t require hyphens. Notice the words following the adverbs are either participles or adjectives.

– the rapidly declining number
– a badly worded sentence
– a fully loaded syringe
– the terrifyingly large dog
– most heavily populated city
– a closely watched procedure

– it was about locally acquired Covid-19
– a newly minted necklace
– the dimly lit library
– the highly regarded professor
– John’s barely worn suit
– a rarely used car

What about 'ly' words that aren't adverbs?

Not all words ending in ly are adverbs and for these words the no-hyphen rule doesn’t apply.
For example:
– a family-oriented workplace
– their only-begotten child
– supply-side economics.

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What is a hyphen and what does it do?

Hyphens connect parts of words (such as pre, non, re and co) or whole words to form new words or compound words.
So you might use a hyphen to connect ‘co’ to ‘conspirator’ and create ‘co-conspirator’.
However, words evolve over time and hyphens sometimes become redundant as the prefix and word merge into one.
For example: co-ordinate eventually became ‘coordinate’.
To check if you need to insert a hyphen, consult a good online dictionary for current usage.
Hyphens are also used to connect the words that form compound nouns, verbs and adjectives.
For example:
– I took Apollo to the pet-friendly cafe.
– The well-known actor was in a built-for-purpose boat.
– The six-year-old boy was eating a lentil burger.
Remember that some compounds revert to singular words if the sentence is restructured, and there’s no need for hyphens.
For example:
– The cafe was pet friendly.
– The boy, who was six years old, was eating a lentil burger.

A hyphen and two types of dashes

A hyphen is only used to connect parts of words or whole words.
When it comes to connecting groups of words, such as phrases, sentences and paragraphs, we use either en dashes or em dashes.
An en dash is half the width of the font height and an em dash is the same width as the font height.
En dashes are also used to connect words of equal value.
For example:
South–East Asia, Guillain–Barre syndrome, the Melbourne–Sydney flight
To connect groups of words the current editorial style is spaced en dashes.
Use un-spaced en dashes in number spans such as 2019–2021 and 11–19 years of age.
Em dashes are rarely used, but can be utilised for some of the same purposes as en dashes.
A popular use of the en dash is to replace commas around non-essential information within sentences.
For example:
The annual general meeting – originally planned for Tuesday – went ahead on Friday, but arrangements were made for it to be run online.

Tips about adverbs ending in ly

If you don’t have time to check grammar and punctuation rules every time you write, then follow these simple rules:
Don’t insert a hyphen after a word ending in ly unless you’re positive it’s not an adverb.

Remember we don’t hyphenate adverbs ending in ly.
Only use hyphens inside individual words or compounds.
You can read more about hyphens in 9 common errors every writer should know about.

A note from me

At Textshop, we’re obsessed about good grammar and punctuation. Understanding grammar is an essential skill if you want quality online content.
You can seriously damage your brand by publishing content with errors. And there’s no need for you to take that risk when you have an editor available to copyedit or proofread your content before you share it with others.
Click the button below to schedule a chat with Sharon.

Your business is important

Let's find the right words for your brand.

Schedule a call with Sharon

textshop

Sharon is a content writer and award-winning editor. After acquiring two masters degrees (one in education and one in editing and comms) she worked in the publishing industry for more than 12 years. A number of major publishing accomplishments came her way, including the eighth edition of Cookery the Australian Way (more than a million copies sold across its eight editions), before she moved into corporate publishing.
Sharon worked in senior roles in medical colleges and educational organisations until 2017. Then she left her role as editorial services manager for the corporate arm of a university and founded Textshop Content – a content writing and copyediting agency that provides services to Australia’s leading universities and companies.

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How to make your writing more powerful

February 25, 2021
How to make your writing more powerful

✻ By Sharon Lapkin

When readers spend an average of 54 seconds on a web page (Yes, it’s true!), you’ve really got to work to get your content read.
Quality original writing will help keep readers on your page. But unless you have years of experience and insight, it can be difficult to engage them on a deeper level.
Here are three ways your writing can go wrong with examples and tips to help you build strong content.

Filler words

Redundant words

Adverbs ending in ly

Let’s make your writing more powerful, starting now!

1. What are filler words in writing?

Filler words are words that add no value.
They’re words you need to eradicate from your writing before your readers give up on you.
Do you receive emails that commence with ‘I just wanted to write …’?
And this. Do you know that when you use just in a sentence, you undermine your credibility and minimise your authority?
This is because just is an apology word.
‘I’m just checking in,’ and ‘I just called …’ and I’ll just let him know.’
Now look at how much stronger your writing could be without it.
I’m checking in, I called and I’ll let him know.

More wavering weasel words

Other meaningless words are so and such.
‘It’s so healthy and such a great healthy snack.’
Remove them and you have a strong sentence that communicates authority.
‘It’s healthy and a great snack.’
Very and really also dilute and weaken your writing.
They’re timid words that reduce the strength of sentences.
‘The book was really good’ – or the stronger version: ‘The book was good.’
Really, very and quite are sometimes called intensifiers, but they weaken writing rather than enhance it.

Mark Twain disliked the word very, and offered the following advice:
“Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write very;
your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.”

Instead of think, feel and believe, use research to make your writing more powerful

A writer doesn’t need to tell their readers what they think, feel or believe about the topics they’re writing on.
Using these words makes it appear writers are trying too hard to impress their readers.
For example – I believe content marketing is the most successful marketing strategy at the moment.
A better version – According to a HubSpot survey, almost 80% of companies have a content marketing strategy.
Using proven examples, statistics and research makes writing stronger.
To win readers’ trust and to build credibility always use research to support the ideas you’re writing about.
Instead of ‘I think the federal budget will show a huge deficit,’ insert authority into your writing.
‘Economist Ken Henry said the federal budget will show a big deficit.’
Jerry Weissman, in the Harvard Business Review, demonstrates some clever ways to Replace meaningless words with meaningful ones.

2. Keep your focus sharp by eliminating redundant words

Redundancy is when two or more words are used together that mean the same thing.
Using redundant words is a sure way to weaken your writing.
For example: Let’s briefly summarise the story.
Did you pick the redundant word?
‘Let’s summarise the story’ avoids repetition, and makes your writing more powerful.

Examples of redundant words

End result – A result occurs at the end, so ‘end’ is unnecessary.
Close proximity – ‘Proximity’ is already close to something.
Circle around – Circle and around mean the same thing.
Difficult dilemma – Dilemma means ‘difficult’ so ‘a dilemma’ works fine.
Complete circle – A circle is always complete.
Very unique – ‘Unique’ is an absolute’ so it can’t be modified by ‘very’.
New beginning – A beginning is always ‘new’.
Free gift – If it’s not free, then it’s not a gift
Absolutely certain – ‘Unique’ is an absolute’ so it can’t be modified by ‘very’.
First began – If you begin it, then it’s the first time.

What's a redundant sentence?

It should be easier now to identify words or phrases that say the same thing twice.
For example – ‘Many homeless men, ~~who had nowhere to live~~, were at the soup kitchen.’
But don’t fall into the trap of repeating a concept or idea expressed in one sentence in another sentence.
Powerful writing is concise in both words and ideas.
The following two sentences say the same thing using different words.
The survey was composed of questions with multiple-choice options.
Survey recipients selected one of a series of answer options.
If a single sentence lacks essential detail go back and insert more information, rather than adding a second sentence that duplicates part of the first sentence.
The survey recipients selected one of the multiple-choice options.
Powerful writing is learned through reading the work of strong writers and practising it yourself.

In his book, The Elements of Style, Cornell University English Professor William Strunk Jr. wrote:
“Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.”
A good writer, he added, should “make every word tell”.

Sunshine fresh

Smooth, warm conversational writing

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3. Avoid adverbs ending in 'ly'

Author Stephen King said “I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs, and I will shout it from the hilltops.”
Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs.
Often adverbs end in ‘ly’.
For example – happily, thoughtfully, slowly, easily and patiently are adverbs.
These adverbs are usually formed by adding ‘ly’ to the end of an adjective.
So, we’ve just formed adverbs from the adjectives – happy, thoughtful, slow, easy and patient.
But technically, not all ‘ly’ words are adverbs.
For example, in the sentence: ‘The lonely boy was sitting by himself,’ lonely is an adjective that modifies the noun ‘boy’, so it is not an adverb.
Now that we know what an adverb ending in ‘ly’ is, let’s look at how we know these words weaken writing.

Hemingway used few adverbs

Nobel Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway’s novels and short stories serve as a good model for business writing.
After high school, Hemingway went on to train as a journalist and he applied those skills to his fiction writing.

In research for his book Nabokov’s Favorite Word is Mauve: What the Numbers Reveal about the Classics, author Ben Blatt used statistical tools to analyse text from 1500 books.
Blatt found that books considered ‘great’ had fewer than 50 adverbs in every 10,000 words.
Hemingway used only 80 ‘ly’ adverbs per 10,000 words. His writing includes both short and long sentences – but they are always simple, unadorned, direct and clear.

“A writer’s style should be direct and personal, his imagery rich and earthy, and his words simple and vigorous.”
– Ernest Hemingway

Abolishing adverbs from your writing is easy when you know how.
‘She smiled happily, for example, is redundant because a smile is an expression of happiness.
Jane was unhappy, she said angrily.
Removing the adverb angrily makes your writing stronger.
Strike out other adverbs from your writing such as definitely, truly, really and extremely and see how to make your writing more powerful.
Occasionally, you’ll use an adverb in your writing that works tremendously (yes, that was an adverb).
By all accounts keep it, if it’s the perfect word.
But remember to use adverbs wisely and review your writing to check whether they can be removed.

More tips to make your writing more powerful

You might also be interested in reading How to be a good content writer, which shows how authentic storytelling is the best way to successfully promote your goods or services.
For more writing tips read 9 common errors every writer should know about.
Also, take a look at my Complete guide to conversational writing to see how to make our business writing more human and engaging.

Your business is important

Let's find the right words for your brand.

Schedule a call with Sharon

textshop

Sharon is a content writer and award-winning editor. After acquiring two masters degrees (one in education and one in editing and comms) she worked in the publishing industry for more than 12 years. A number of major publishing accomplishments came her way, including the eighth edition of Cookery the Australian Way (more than a million copies sold across its eight editions), before she moved into corporate publishing.
Sharon worked in senior roles in medical colleges and educational organisations until 2017. Then she left her role as editorial services manager for the corporate arm of a university and founded Textshop Content – a content writing and copyediting agency that provides services to Australia’s leading universities and companies.

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How to be a good content writer

February 5, 2021

How to be a good content writer

✻ By Sharon Lapkin

Content marketing is a marketing approach that focuses on creating high-quality, original content for specific online audiences. A good content writer is essential for this task.
The content is distributed as blogs, podcasts, webinars and videos via social media platforms.
The aim is to build a community of followers who understand you to be an expert in the area you are writing or talking about.
Good content marketing practice includes optimising all content for search engines, such as Google.
The quality and precision of the optimisation is what drives traffic to your website.
The higher you rank in search engine results, the more visitors you get and the more likely they’ll love what they see on your website.
Then, when members of your community are ready to purchase, they come to you because they trust and value your expertise.
Content marketing is not a short-term strategy. It takes time to build a community; time to demonstrate your expertise and time for your potential customers to invest in your offerings.

Blog content is valuable

A blog is the cornerstone of any content marketing strategy.
A whopping 71% of the world’s website traffic comes from an internet search.
More than three quarters of the internet is reading blogs.

Companies with blogs produce an average of 67% more leads monthly than companies that don’t blog.
Around 60% of people seek out a product after reading content about it.
Blog posts with high emotional value have a 1000 times greater chance of being shared.

Do I need keywords?

The days of keyword stuffing are over. We also don’t need short-tail keywords in our toolkit anymore.
A good content writer inserts a single long-tail keyword strategically throughout their content.
The long-tail keyword should be placed (in moderation) in headings, alt text, image titles and captions.
People no longer search the internet by typing single words into Google. They type entire questions into their search engine.
To find your ideal long-tail keyword use a reputable paid keyword finder such as KWFinder, SEMrush or Moz.

In addition, make use of Google’s generosity and read the extra information provided with your search engine results.
Type in the question your reader is likely to ask.
For example, in this blog post, I could have used ‘What is content marketing?’

You need now to look at page one of your search engine results. At the top, you’ll see ‘People also ask’.
This is Google telling you what other types of questions people type in to search for ‘What is content marketing?’

Go to the bottom of page one now, and you’ll find Google again being helpful. ‘Searches related to what is content marketing?’ will provide an array of variants on your keyword search.
From the information you’ve gathered from Google, plus your formal keyword search, you are equipped to create the best long-tail keyword for your blog post.
There’s just one decision left to make.
Do you want your keyword to compete with the thousands of popular long-tail keywords on the web, or do you want to find a less popular keyword that is more likely to deliver unique readers to your website looking for exactly what you offer?
It’s a no-brainer isn’t it?
The latter is the less common keyword, the one that’s out of the square. It is less popular but more powerful.
Also place your long-tail keyword in your alt text, and one or two of the headings and captions.

Click here for SEO goodness

Know your audience

Create content that matters to your audience. Talk to them and find out what their pain points are.
A good content writer connects emotionally with their readers. Aim for impact, and try to write something that changes their lives.
In order to connect emotionally with your readers, you need to tap into your own authenticity.
Make sure you’ve done your research and have a deep insight into the topic you’re writing about. Also ensure you use credible and reputable sources.

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Pitch to your buyer persona

Let’s look at what a buyer persona is and why it is relevant to your content writing.
Buyer personas are fictional representations of your client’s ideal customers.
They’re based on market research and real data, and include demographics, behaviour patterns, similarities and trends.
Buyer personas inform a good content writer about their readers’ needs and helps them deliver personalised content.
A buyer persona is a framework that provides an in-depth understanding of what type of content your readers value.
Hubspot provides a good range of buyer persona templates, along with a guide on how to create a buyer persona.
Don’t underestimate the value of a buyer persona. It’s an integral part of a good content writer’s toolkit.

The buyer's journey

Now that we’ve checked out the buyer persona, let’s move onto the buyer’s journey.
Think of the process you go through when you’re making a decision about purchasing something.
It’s a three-step process – awareness, consideration and decision.

1. Awareness

The first stage of the buyer’s journey is when they realise they have a problem.

2. Consideration

In this second stage, the buyer clarifies and defines the problem and researches ways to resolve it.

3. Decision

In the final stage of the buyer’s journey the buyer selects the solution they want.

Remember the buyers we’re talking about are your readers.
And those readers will be at different stages of the buyer’s journey.
This means that you, as the writer, will need to create content for every stage of the buyer’s journey.
See some suggestions below that will give you an idea of what works.

1. Awareness

The buyer is likely to do a number of generic searches at this stage, so make sure your content promotes brand awareness and has emotional appeal.

2. Consideration

Write content that positions you as an expert in your industry. Use videos, case studies, blogs, guides, infographics and FAQs to build trust.

3. Decision

Provide free trials, consultations, articles that educate about your services, promotions and fast-action bonuses. Also make sure your Testimonials are accessible.

The Golden Circle

A story-writing model that works well for content marketing is Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle model.
Remember that conflict is an essential part of storytelling, so recognise it, work on it and resolve it. Also make sure your story aligns with the reader’s problem.

WHY are you writing this story?
Tap into your emotion and look for the conflict your readers are facing.
HOW will writing this story help your audience resolve this conflict?
WHAT exactly are you offering your audience?

Watch this to learn more about content marketing

Source: Hubspot, 10 October 2021. What everyone must know about content marketing.

Content marketing is always evolving

Content marketing has been around for hundreds of years in the form of storytelling.
Today, however, it’s based on market research and strongly influenced by digital media.
For example – every time Google introduces a new algorithm we analyse it and decide whether we need to change the way we do things.
We can only maintain our currency as good content writers if we stay up-to-date with changes and continually assess the way we work.
I use content marketing to market my own business, Textshop. I believe it’s the most authentic and transparent way to market my services to potential clients.
You might also enjoy reading How to make your writing more powerful.
For editing and proofreading tips read How to copyedit like an expert.
To read more about my content marketing services check this page.
If you’d like to chat to me about content marketing, send me an email via the button below.

Your business is important

Let's find the right words for your brand.

Schedule a call with Sharon

textshop

Sharon is a content writer and award-winning editor. After acquiring two masters degrees (one in education and one in editing and comms) she worked in the publishing industry for more than 12 years. A number of major publishing accomplishments came her way, including the eighth edition of Cookery the Australian Way (more than a million copies sold across its eight editions), before she moved into corporate publishing.
Sharon worked in senior roles in medical colleges and educational organisations until 2017. Then she left her role as editorial services manager for the corporate arm of a university and founded Textshop Content – a content writing and copyediting agency that provides services to Australia’s leading universities and companies.

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How to write a smashing blog post

January 3, 2021

How to write a smashing blog post

By Sharon Lapkin

Wouldn’t you love a community of readers.
Thousands of people who bookmark your blog and come back regularly to read your posts.
Who click straight through to your website from every email you send because they can’t wait to read your latest blog post.
They swoon over your products and services and, yes, they buy them too.
To help you reach that goal, here are five well-researched ways to write a smashing blog post and build your online community.

1. Write like a person not a business

The most important thing you can do to build a community of readers is to be a person first and a business second.
Write from your heart. Be joyful and enthusiastic. Open up about your life to the extent that you’re comfortable.
You may never meet the majority of people who follow your business online, but you can still have an authentic and meaningful relationship with them.
If you base your business on transactions, that’s all you’ll give and all you’ll get.
Write as if you’re having a conversation with your readers, and don’t make it all about you. Listen to what they say and make their needs your focus.
Relax your tone of voice, loosen up and write as if you’re sitting on the sofa chatting.
Study the column on the right below and you’ll be writing a smashing blog post in no time.

Formal

Formal writing is serious, business-like and it doesn’t address the reader directly.

Generally written in a passive voice, formal writing is at arm’s length, using pronouns like he/she and they.

Long form writing is common in formal writing. It avoids contractions and uses ‘I will’, ‘we will’, ‘do not’ and so on.

Don’t get me wrong. There’s a place in the world for formal writing. But it’s not your blog, or mine.

Informal

Informal writing is more relaxed, conversational and addresses the reader directly.

More laid-back and even tugging at your readers’ emotions, it speaks directly to people with pronouns like you and we.

We use lots of contractions in informal writing. They’re carefree and breezy words that spell RELAX loud and clear.

Bypass slang and don’t be too cheeky in your writing. Always be respectful, transparent and genuine.

2. Address your readers' needs, not your own

Who is your reader and what do they need from your writing?
Do you know your typical reader, or are you assuming they’re just like you?
It’s comfortable writing about what you know, and to assume your readers have the same questions, needs and goals as you.
But this is where you can make mistakes. It’s like tailoring a suit without taking measurements, or like buying a house without inspecting it.
If you want your readers to become your clients, then you’ve got to know what they need from your blog posts.
Are you digging deep enough and pushing sideways as well? Do you provide unique perspectives on the content your readers care about? Have you done enough market research to write a smashing blog post?
During March 2019, over 4.4 million blogs were published every day. Two important ways to make your blog stand out are by your unique contribution to the subject matter and how well you’ve optimised that subject matter expertise for Google.
Another way to write a smashing blog post is to identify your readers’ needs through ‘the buyer’s journey’, which is the process buyers go through to reach a final decision to purchase a service or product.

The buyer's journey

The buyer’s journey is composed of three steps.
One – the ‘Awareness stage’, where the buyer realises they have a problem.
Two – the ‘Consideration stage’ where the buyer understands there’s a problem and researches ways to resolve it.

Three – the ‘Decision stage’ where the buyer selects a solution.
To understand your buyers and identify what part of the buyers’ journey they’re on, you need to communicate with them.

When writing your blog post, make sure you align your content with the current stage of your reader’s buyer’s journey.
Some marketing experts suggest addressing all stages of the buyer’s journey in every blog post you write.
Download this free buyer’s journey template from Hubspot and learn to map the buyers’ journey of your readers.

3. SEO – the keys to the Google kingdom

If you’re not optimising your blog posts for search engines you should re-examine your online strategy.
Search engine optimisation (SEO) has undergone a significant evolution, and we now need only one long-tail keyword (‘keyword phrase’) in our content to properly optimise it.
Avoid the keyword phrases at the top of the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS). There’s no way most of us will be able to compete against the big companies for these spots.
Instead, be clever and use a keyword phrase that is niche, narrow and even a little quirky. Research has shown that narrowly focused keyword phrases result in higher rates of conversion.
The truth is, people who narrow their online searches are near the end of their buyer’s journey and are looking for specific products and services.
Don’t forget that SEO includes optimising your title, headings and alt text (image tag) with your keyword phrase or synonyms. Google rates these too.
There’s a strong correlation between writing to address our readers’ needs and another important skill, which is identifying ‘searcher intent’.
Julia McCoy at Content Hacker addresses both keyword research and searcher intent in this great blog post.
Learning how to research winning keyword phrases is worth the time and effort it takes. Seriously, jump in and embrace the challenges, and aim to get near the top of those SERPS.

4. Ditch the cliches and be original

Don’t do it!
Whenever you reach for a cliche, stop and find your own words.
Cliches indicate a lack of imagination and a disregard for independent thinking. They’re plain lazy and your readers know it.
Something else happens when you serve up a cliche. Your readers skip over it because they’ve likely read those words thousands of times. They’re desensitised to them. Internally, a voice is telling them that you’re a boring writer.
Enough said?
Here’s a list of cliches to avoid in your writing. Use them and you’ll lose readers. Guaranteed.

Read between the lines
Better late than never
Kiss and make up
Only time will tell
Lasted an eternity

A bee in your bonnet
Cat got your tongue?
A blast from the past
All that glitters is not gold
A bed of roses

5. Choose clarity over cleverness

Do your blog posts align with the reading level of your website visitors, or are you writing above their heads?
Sounds bewildering doesn’t it, but achieving harmony between your writing level and your reader’s reading level really is a deal-breaker.
In 2015, a Deakin University study found that Australian health websites were too difficult for the average person to read.
This was doubly concerning because it meant that websites weren’t delivering important health information that people needed. Information on dementia was the most difficult to read, while the topic ‘obesity’ proved the trickiest to read on government websites.
An average person comfortably reads information online at grade 8 level, which is 13–14 years of age.
But before you decide that writing at grade 8 level is not your thing, let me introduce you to the Flesch reading ease test.

The Flesch reading ease test will help you write a smashing blog post

This tool evaluates your sentences on factors such as sentence length and the average number of syllables per word.
Writing at grade 8 level isn’t about dumbing down your writing, but about composing sentences that have outstanding clarity.
Your subject matter expertise stays intact.

Yoast has an excellent free plugin that uses the Flesch reading ease test to measure the level of your blog writing.
It provides you with a score and feedback that enables you to adjust your writing so that you meet the criteria for grade 8 level.

Want to write a smashing blog post?

Remember this. You can’t write a smashing blog post without optimising your content correctly.
But SEO isn’t enough. You also need to write an authoritative well-written post that people want to read.
We don’t just write blog posts for our clients at Textshop Content Writing Services. It’s how we built our own business!
Our own blog posts rank highly on Google and we’ve achieved featured snippets for several of our popular posts.
If you’d like us to write blog posts for you, press the shiny red button to send us an email. We’d love to hear from you!

Contact Sharon

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Content marketing theory: the secrets of success
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9 common errors every writer should know about

May 14, 2020

9 common errors every writer should know about

By Sharon Lakin

Hitting the wrong key can explain away a typo, but using the wrong word can damage your credibility as a writer.
Here are nine common errors every writer should know about.
Unfortunately, I come across them regularly in my work as a professional editor.
You’ll find explanations and examples to help you use the correct words from here forth!

1. Do I use 'I' or 'me'?

This is one of the most common errors in English usage.
TIP – A pronoun is a word used instead of a noun. For example – using she instead of the name, Louise.
RULE – If the pronoun is the object of the sentence, then use I – otherwise, use me.
EXAMPLE – Could you join Louise and me for dinner?
TEST – How do I tell if the example above is correct? Simple. Take Louise out of the sentence and it reads – Could you join me for dinner? It wouldn’t have worked as ‘Could you join I for dinner would it? That’s because I is never the object of a sentence.

2. Who or that

Another common mistake is using who when that should be used – and vice versa. It’s an easy error to make, but once I demonstrate why it’s wrong you won’t do it again.
If we’re writing about a person such as your sister, a teacher or any other human, then you would not use that.
We use who when we’re writing about a human.
Remember who = human.
EXAMPLE – The actor, who was my sister’s friend, said he would help raise money.
TEST – Ask yourself: Is the actor a human or an object?
If we’re writing about an object, such as a car, tree or office building, then who is not the word you should be using.
We use that when we’re talking about an object.
Remember that = object.
EXAMPLE – The car was a bright colour that I loved.
TEST – Ask yourself: Is the car a human or an object?
Ready for more common errors every writer should know about? Great! Keep going.

3. Between or among

The general rule is that between is used when comparing two distinct items, people or events.
EXAMPLE – Two days elapsed between his arrival and his departure.
TEST – How many days elapsed? Two? Good.
The rule is that among is used when there are more than two people, items or events.
EXAMPLE – The choice was made from among four qualified candidates.
TEST – Were there more than two candidates?

4. Affect or effect

These two words function both as nouns and as verbs. They’re also commonly confused because they’re so similar.
To simplify matters there’s a simple rule of thumb that can be used to avoid most errors.
Affect as a verb has two meanings.
The more common use of affect is to exert an influence, have impact or bring about change through an action.
EXAMPLE – Rising interest rates affected the company’s bottom line.
In other words, the rise in interest rates had an impact on the financial position of the company.
The second meaning of affect is to simulate or fake an attitude or behaviour.
EXAMPLE – For this particular role, the actor affected an Oxbridge accent.
By contrast, you should generally use effect with an e as a noun to signify the thing that was impacted, influenced or changed.
Returning to our example we used above, we would say ‘the company’s lower profits are the effect of increased interest rates.’

5. Practice or practise

Don’t let the US spellings confuse you. Americans use practice as both a noun and a verb.
U.S. EXAMPLE – Doctor James practices medicine at his medical practice in New York.
In Australia and the UK there are different spellings for the noun and the verb.
AUSTRALIAN EXAMPLE – Doctor James practises medicine at his medical practice on Phillip Island.
Practice is a noun and practise is a verb.

6. Using i.e. and e.g.

Both i.e. and e.g. are Latin abbreviations that are often confused.
We write i.e. to mean that is.
EXAMPLE – I am a vegetarian, i.e. I do not eat meat.
By contrast e.g. means for example.
EXAMPLE – Citrus comes in many forms, e.g. oranges, lemons and limes.
Note: These two abbreviations are not generally used in sentences, but are used in tables, captions and brackets.

7. Insure, assure or ensure

These three words have one thing in common, but they’re not interchangeable.
What is it that they all share? It’s ‘making an outcome sure’.
To insure means to guarantee against harm or loss.
EXAMPLE – My partner and I will insure our house.
To assure means to earnestly declare or promise something.
EXAMPLE – I assure you she’s going to arrive on time.
To ensure means to make sure or certain something will come.
EXAMPLE – Ensure the papers are posted please.

8. Compliment or complement

It’s surprising how often you see these two words written incorrectly.
It’s probably more accurate to say that some people use compliment to mean both compliment and complement.
Let me explain the difference between the two.
Compliment is a commonly used word that is used as both a noun and a verb. It can be used as an expression of praise, and also to praise or express admiration for somebody.
EXAMPLE (Noun) – Penny paid me a compliment when she said my hair looked nice.
EXAMPLE (Verb) – Nick complimented the chef on the meal.
On the other hand, complement means something else that completes something, or makes it perfect.
EXAMPLE (Noun) – My mother used complementary medicine for her allergy.
EXAMPLE (Verb) – The two colours complement each other.

9. En dash or hyphen

This is one of my bugbears.
If you want your writing to look truly professional, learn the difference between a hyphen and an en dash.
There are three types of strokes and dashes – hyphens (-), en dashes (–) and em dashes (––). Let’s forget the em dash because it’s rarely used these days.
A hyphen is a short stroke that’s used within words that are divided.
EXAMPLE – My ex-husband was wearing a suit.
A hyphen is also used between words that make up compounds.
EXAMPLE – Her manager asked for a one-on-one chat.
Note: Over time hyphenated words become established and the hyphen can disappear.
EXAMPLE – We used to write co-ordinate, but now we write coordinate.
En dashes are the length of an N and are also versatile punctuation marks. They’re used in the following examples in text.
En dashes are used in number spans in numerals, time and distance.
EXAMPLES:
The date was 13–15 May this year.
Kate arrived at 5–5.30 pm.
The road was about 20–25 kilometres long.
En dashes are also used to demonstrate an association between words that retain their separate entities.
EXAMPLES:
They performed a cost–benefit analysis.
He was holidaying in the Asia–Pacific.
You can use a set of en dashes in sentences to replace the commas around non-essential clauses.
EXAMPLE:
The street was closed – which seemed strange – so I took a shortcut through the park.
That’s it, all nine of them! It wasn’t a conclusive list of common errors every writer should know about, but it was a good start!

Where to go for extra help

Dictionaries offer great guidance on grammar and sentence structure.
The Macquarie Dictionary is used by publishers, newspapers, magazines and journals across Australia. They also have a great blog.
The Australian Government Style Manual has the most recent styles and usages, as well as comprehensive explanations.
If you’re after an American style guide, you can’t go past the Chicago Manual of Style.

Are you done with common errors every writer should know about?

We hope this list will be useful in your writing.
You might also enjoy reading Which is that pronoun.
Have an annual report coming up? Read our 6 annual report writing tips from a professional editor.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if Textshop Content Writing Services can help you with your writing or editing.

Contact Sharon

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Searching for Rome’s oldest public library

December 15, 2019

Searching for Rome’s oldest public library

By Sharon Lapkin

I love working as a professional editor.
It’s like being a tailor who works away quietly behind the scenes.
We help writers present their words in the best possible way, leaving no part of our own voices behind.
When an audience applauds our client’s speech, compliments our author’s story or pens great reviews about their book, we’re quietly rejoicing because we know their success means we’ve done our job well.
So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that many editors are bibliophiles – that we cherish and collect books.
That when we travel, we look for historic libraries to explore.
When I hold a beautifully written and designed book in my hands I’m drawn to the meaning of its words, the texture of its paper and the scent of its pages.
I’ve found many remarkable libraries and bookstores in my travels. On my quest to find the oldest public library in Rome, I discovered Bibliotheca Angelica. It’s one of my favourites now, not only for its overall charm but its unforgettable interior.

In the early 1600s, when the Angelica opened its doors, books were generally kept under lock and key, or in chained libraries, such as the 15th-century Bibliotheca Malatestiana in Cesena and the Hereford Cathedral Library in England. It took thousands of hours of painstaking work to make a book.

They’d be copying text by hand, adding decorative elements, illustrations, page numbers and indexes before binding the pages together and adding a cover.
This made books expensive and valuable items. Medieval books sometimes had ‘book curses’ placed at the front, warning people that if they stole or defaced the book they would be cursed. (See Medieval book curse above.)

But, in a revolutionary step, the Angelica opened its door to all people with no class distinctions or government restrictions.
All they needed to access this remarkable collection of volumes, rare maps and other material was a curious mind, a yearning to read and a thirst for knowledge.
It was a momentous decision to grant ordinary people access to scholarly knowledge.
Looking back we can see that Bibliotheca Angelica and other early public libraries, such as the Milan’s Bibliotheca Ambrosiana, helped bring about the democratisation of education when, rather surprisingly, ordinary people were free to embrace the archives of history and knowledge.

Even for somebody accustomed to Rome’s ancient piazzas and cobblestone alleyways, it’s easy to get lost searching for the Bibliotheca Angelica.
The library’s humble street presence belies its importance as Rome’s oldest public library and one of the first public libraries in the world.

The entrance to the library provides no indication of its historical or the treasures within it.
Like the adjacent Basilica di Sant’Agostino, which is home to works by Caravaggio, Raphael and Sansovino, its riches are cloaked by a plain unassuming exterior.

Acquisitions dating back to the 13th century grace the ancient shelves of the Angelica.
These hand-inscribed manuscripts were bestowed upon the Monastery of Sant’Agostino before becoming part of the Angelica collection.
Some of them were donated to the

Augustinians by Roman nobles in previous centuries.
Safely stored within its walls are 1100 incunabula, which are books or broadsides printed in Europe before the year 1501, when books were printed using metal type.

Rare incunabula in Rome’s oldest public library include a manuscript from the ninth century – the Liber Memorialis from Remiremont Abbey.
The first book printed in Italy, in 1465, De Otatore by Cicero is also in the Angelica library.
So, too, is one of the earliest copies of Dante’s Divine Comedy.

The person responsible for the founding of Bibliotheca Angelica was Bishop Angelo Rocca, who was born in Rocca in 1545.
He earned a doctorate in theology from the University of Padua, and went on to become head of the Vatican Printing House in 1585.
A renowned editor and book lover, his vast

collection of 20,000 volumes was incorporated into the Angelica’s collections.
The building and funds required for the library were provided by Bishop Rocca and, as mentioned above, it was on condition that the library would welcome all people, regardless of social status or income.
In 1873, the Angelica became the property of the Italian State, and in 1975 it became part of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Environment.
You probably need to be a local or a determined tourist to find Bibliotheca Angelica, but once you step inside this ancient place it’s a remarkable feeling to be surrounded by millions of timeworn pages and their stories from the ages.
Rome’s oldest public library is a treasure worth searching for.
Bibliotheca Angelica is located at Piazza di S. Agostino 8, in Rome, Italy.

Take a minute to see the interior of Biblioteca Angelica in Rome.

Harper's Bazaar Italia (2021). Unique interiors in Rome: Biblioteca Angelica

Before you go

If you love reading about ancient libraries, you might also enjoy The library that Michelangelo designed in Florence.
If you’re interested in slow travel you’ll want to read How to have a slow travel experience.
Love writing about travel? Dive into my Slow travel writing tips and examples.

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What’s wrong with using free photos

December 10, 2019

What’s wrong with using free photos

By Sharon Lapkin

Is there anything wrong with using free photos on your blog or website?
If you search online for freebies you’ll see there are dozens of options. There are also dozens of advocates recommending free stock photos as a good cost-saving strategy.
After all, why would you pay for photos from stock libraries such as Getty Images, iStock or Shutterstock when you can easily get them for free?
For the sake of transparency let me state here that I earn money as a stock photographer.
I am a contributor to Getty, Alamy and the book cover agency, Arcangel.
If you use stock photos in your work, it’s important to know that there are important differences between commercial stock libraries and the free stock sites. Some of them are easy to live with, but others need careful consideration before you participate.

Quality and access

There are too many free stock photo sites to examine individually, and there are certainly some good photographs available for download.
Access to the images also appears to be good. I signed up, selected and downloaded a high resolution photo in just a few minutes.
So let’s skip quality and access and go to some of the other considerations.

Types of creative commons licences

The free photo sites I’ve visited offer their photos for use under a Creative Commons dedication.
Creative Commons is a global not-for-profit organisation that enables copyright creators to share their work without infringing copyright law. The creator retains copyright of their work, but they provide licences to allow users different types of rights to publish it.
There are six different types of Creative Commons licences, so it’s important not to take the name of the organisation at face value, and investigate what type of Creative Commons licence you’re dealing with.

The six types of Creative Commons licences

1. Attribution – CC BY

This licence allows users to distribute, remix and build upon a work, and create Derivative Works – even for commercial use – provided they credit the original creator/s (and any other nominated parties). This is the most accommodating of the licences in terms of what others can do with the work.

2. Attribution-Share Alike – CC BY-SA

This licence allows users to distribute, remix and build upon the work, and create Derivative Works – even for commercial purposes – as long as they credit the original creator/s (and any other nominated parties) and license any new creations based on the work under the same terms. All new Derivative Works will carry the same licence, so will also allow commercial use.

3. Attribution-No Derivatives – CC BY-NC

This licence allows others to distribute the work, even for commercial purposes, as long as the work is unchanged, and the original creator/s (and any other nominated parties) are credited.

4. Attribution-Non-Commercial – CC BY-NC

This licence lets others distribute, remix and build upon the work, but only if it is for non-commercial purposes and they credit the original creator/s (and any other nominated parties). They don’t have to license their Derivative Works on the same terms.

5. Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share-Alike – CC BY-NC-SA

This licence lets others distribute, remix and build upon the work, but only if it is for non-commercial purposes, they credit the original creator/s (and any other nominated parties) and they license their derivative works under the same terms.

6. Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivatives – CC BY-NC-NC

This licence is the most restrictive of the six main licences, allowing redistribution of the work in its current form only. This licence is often called the ‘free advertising’ licence because it allows others to download and share the work as long as they credit the original creator/s (and any other nominated parties), they don’t change the material in any way and they don’t use it commercially.

What you need to know about a CC0 dedication?

Each licence has a set of core conditions that must be complied with when the photo, or other work, is published.
The core condition that applies to all six Creative Commons licences is that the creator of the work is attributed – otherwise known as the ‘Attribution’ condition.
None of these licences, however, apply when the photo is ‘dedicated’ to the public domain. All the free stock photo sites I visited use a CC0 dedication, which enables them to offer the photos free of rights to the fullest extent possible by law.
Following is a copy of a CC0 Public Domain Dedication.
There are a number of important things you need to know about a CC0 licence. Firstly, it is not possible to dedicate a photo to the public domain if it already has copyright and trademark rights over it.
Secondly, remember that copyright is conferred on creators’ work automatically by law. Relinquishing a protection that was granted by law does not sit well in some jurisdictions around the world.
This is why you sometimes see a note added in the Terms and Conditions of free photo sites that states: ‘To the extent possible under law uploaders to this site have waived their copyright and related or neighbouring rights to these photographs.’

Let's get even murkier

Say I take a photograph of my neighbour in her garden. She doesn’t mind at all, and even poses for me under her magnolia tree.
I process the photo and upload it to a free photo site for anybody to use. I don’t bother reading the fine print in the Terms and Conditions because I’m not a details person. I tick all the boxes and sign off on my upload.
The following day I’m excited to see my photo on the free stock photo site released under Creative Commons CC0.
So this is great right?
My photo is high quality and there’s no doubt that I am the photographer.
Actually, it’s not that simple. I overlooked one or two important things. Do you know what they were?
I took a photo of my neighbour and she verbally agreed to my doing that. I didn’t tell her I was going to publish it, and she didn’t sign a model release.
So, in effect, I uploaded a photo without a model release to a free photo site, which accepted it after l skipped over the fine print in their Terms and Conditions.
This is what’s wrong with using free photos.

What the fine print says

Model release requirements differ depending on the free photo stock site. Most will tell you it’s your responsibility to get a signed model release, but don’t want you to forward it to them. Others ask you to send all signed model releases to them.
Generally, they explain that all photos uploaded will be available freely to the public for commercial and non-commercial uses. Further, the person who downloads them may edit, amend or change the photos.
Many free stock sites stress that you cannot use photos of people in any way that is distasteful. This appears to be a condition of use by the free stock photo site because a Creative Commons CC0 licence means the photographer has surrendered all publicity and privacy rights.
You’re also usually informed that you do not need to attribute the photos.
You are required, as a photographer, to ask a person (‘the model’) who you’re photographing to sign a model release if you are selling, or publishing, an image of them. Usually, a model release for a Creative Commons CC0 licence will contain terms such as non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide and royalty-free.

Who's responsible for copyright infringements?

It should be clear by now that you cannot license or publish a photograph with a recognisable person in it without that person’s explicit consent.
Note that editorial images, used in news stories etc., fall under a different criteria, and are not dealt with in this discussion.
Free photo sites often make a statement in their Terms and Conditions that the photographers are legally responsible for the photos they upload to the library.
They might have a statement such as ‘Please only upload photos to which you own the rights,’ or ‘When you upload a photo you agree that you have the proper releases, ownership and permissions needed.’
They also generally state that the free stock site will not tolerate copyright, trademark or property right infringements, and will not be held responsible if any photographer uploads photos that infringe any of these rights.
Some go even further with an indemnity section in their Terms and Conditions that states ‘You agree to indemnify and hold us harmless from all damages, injuries, liabilities, costs and expenses from any action.’
In addition, an end user who downloads a photo for publishing from a free stock site is also informed, in the fine print, that the site will not be held responsible for any misuse or abuse of the photos. If there are any legal infringements, the site says it is not liable for them.
The free stock photo site sees itself as a go-between, or a service, and it is clear in its fine print that it does not accept responsibility for any legal issues arising from the photos it makes freely available to the public. According to them, the onus falls on the photographer and the end user (the person who downloads and publishes it on their blog or website).
The important thing to note is that some photographers and end users may not understand what these legal responsibilities are. They may upload and download photos in good faith. An end user may skim over the fine print and decide the photographer would have taken care of the legal details. After all, they uploaded the photo. They know what they’re doing right?
Unfortunately, the photographer may not have understood what the legal requirements were. They may not have a proper model release for a neighbour who posed for them under a magnolia tree. They may even have uploaded a photo of a child and overlooked asking the parent to sign a model release. Copyright is a complex business.
There are a lot of assumptions in this three-way relationship, and as an end user you must acquaint yourself with the potential ramifications of what you’re publishing.
Remember if you publish a photo of a person or of private property without signed releases, then it is you who is likely to be sued for damages. You can go after the photographer, sure, but they didn’t publish the photo did they. You did, and this is what’s wrong with using free photos.

Can you eliminate the risk?

You might be thinking that you can eliminate your risk by not downloading any photos that have people or private property in them. This will definitely reduce your risk of infringement, but it won’t eliminate it.
The reason is that even photos of trees on public property can have licence or ownership restrictions governing their use. Remember you cannot overrule an existing copyright licence by putting the photo into the public domain and dedicating it to CC0.
The best thing to do is to contact the photographer, or the free stock site, and ask to see the model or property release. Sometimes there is a link to the photographer and you can leave a message for them. Although, free stock sites often give their contributing photographers the option to opt out of communication with end users.
Even if there are no recognisable people or private property in the photo, it’s good practice to check with the photographer that the image is free of all copyright restrictions.

Moral rights

This right is sometimes waived or transferred by consent in writing by the creator of a work, and this type of clause is often included in employment contracts where the employee is contracted to create intellectual property for an employer.
In the US, moral rights fall under two categories: the right of attribution or paternity, and the right of integrity – where the creator of the work is able to take steps to prevent that might destroy their intent or vision in a work.
The US Copyright Act grants moral rights to creators of visual works, although from the literature l have read it is not often enforced.
Note that in some jurisdictions it is difficult to waive moral rights.
A Creative Commons CC0 licence does not require attribution. The request you see on free stock sites for attribution is simply that – a request.

Do people really get caught for infringing copyright?

Yes they do. All the time.
Many of these cases are settled before they reach court, so you don’t read about them. The chances are if you take enough risks with copyright you will eventually be caught out.
Here’s a list I found doing a random search online. I take no responsibility for its accuracy, but it does clearly demonstrate that you should never take a free photo lightly.
– Stop before you post! That website photo could cost you big-time
– CBC sues man for copyright over screenshots of 59-year-old TV show
– 8 legal cases every photographer should know
– Stolen photo wins Samsung’s live in the moment photo contest

Contact Sharon