Punctuation saves lives

Punctuation marks are like road signs, telling us when to stop, start and slow down. My favorite example illustrates the lifesaving ability of the simple comma:
Let's eat Grandma.
Let's eat, Grandma.

Old-school or 21st century – period

If you’re old-school, you may hit the space bar twice after a period and before the next sentence. Once is enough. Here’s why one period is all you need after a sentence.

How we read online

Here’s an eye-tracking map from the Yahoo Style Guide showing how people read online.

We be stylin’

Following a style guide makes life easier. You don’t have to think about the details. Once you accept the usage of “website” as one word, lower case, that’s it. You don’t have to ponder Web site or Website each time you use the term. You know to spell out numbers one through nine and to use numerals for 10 and above. You don’t have to stop and think about it. And so on and so on. I am a life-long adherent to the Associated Press Style Guide; however, because writing for the Web calls for a different style, I follow the Yahoo Style Guide.

Make it reader-friendly

• Avoid long sentences and long paragraphs. Write in concise chunks.
• Write your article, then cut it in half.
• Never use a 50-cent word when a five-cent word will do.
• Avoid acronyms unless universally known. Not everyone’s an insider.
• Go easy on the verbs and adverbs. They add to story length and sabotage the goal of concise writing.
• Write in the active voice. 
• To learn the difference between active and passive voices, check out Grammar Girl at http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/active-voice-versus-passive-voice.aspx