http://ginalaguardia.com/blog Where Grammar is Glamorous and Commas Are Chic Thu, 12 Mar 2009 02:31:08 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en If I had to pick one thing I pride myself on, something that has helped steer the course of my career, it would be my willingness eagerness to look beyond my job title and responsibilities. For 10 years, I served as editor-in-chief of CollegeBound Teen Magazine, which, during its heyday, ... http://ginalaguardia.com/blog/2009/03/02/a-good-editor-must-also-be-a-good-leader-aka-that-time-i-parked-wwe-superstar-john-cenas-truck/ I’m an editor, so it’s no surprise that I’m all about words. When it came time to write my wedding vows, I let my heart pour out from my fingertips. During my first pregnancy, I documented the changes in my body and the development of my firstborn on what became ... http://ginalaguardia.com/blog/2009/02/23/what-writer%e2%80%99s-block-taught-me-about-the-power-of-a-twitter-avatar/ After deleting my 14th spam email about reigniting the spark in my love life; how I can get more Web traffic; and all the money that's waiting for me in a Nigerian bank account, a figurative light bulb bounced up in my MacBook Pro's dock. Maybe one of the ways ... http://ginalaguardia.com/blog/2009/02/10/spammers-need-editing-love-too/ My daughter got this "Being Girl" toy from her school's grab bag. I'm an editor, so typos of any kind make me ill. But this one has even my ironworker husband who can't spell worth a buck reaching for a red pen! There are really no words..... http://ginalaguardia.com/blog/2008/12/17/and-this-my-friends-is-why-i-will-always-have-a-job/ It's not everyday that you get to "interview" yourself. I've got quite a few years of experience asking questions of others and then writing about them. I think when you interview yourself, though, all that means squat. Anyway, the challenge was set by Nora Burns (@noraburns), who "Twitter tagged" me to ... http://ginalaguardia.com/blog/2008/11/24/tag-im-it-and-so-i-interview-myself/ One of the "rules" I try to apply to my role as editorial director and consultant is to examine the overwhelmingness factor of content. (Oh, in case you missed the memo --  since I'm an editor, I can make words up!) Though isolating these Twitter Tag rules onto a separate ... http://ginalaguardia.com/blog/2008/11/24/twitter-tag-rules/ ... her name was misspelled on her invoice. Yes, her name. It's no wonder she couldn't complete a copywriting project without rampant typos. So that's just a quick what-not-to-do-to-an-editor ditty. Now, find out what not to say... http://ginalaguardia.com/blog/2008/11/22/how-you-know-you-fired-the-right-person/ The more I dive into (er -- become obsessed with) social media, the more amazed I am at how very much the Internet can shape, cultivate, and bring the fulfillment of goals to fruition. I started exploring Twitter.com only a few months ago, and in that time have discovered a whole ... http://ginalaguardia.com/blog/2008/11/16/i-tweet-therefore-i-make-a-difference/ 1. Do you want me to proofread my article before I send it to you? Astounded editor: Hmmm... that would be helpful. We all make mistakes — that’s human nature — but as a writer, you’re held to an even higher standard. Submitting work, especially as a first-time writer for a ... http://ginalaguardia.com/blog/2008/10/15/things-to-never-say-to-an-editor-a-work-in-progress/ I'm so busy pimping other writers' content that I've limited time to craft my own. But for me, NOT writing this blog is like not eating breakfast... Check in regularly to see if I've gotten my act together. Once I do, this blog will be like a fortified breakfast for those ... http://ginalaguardia.com/blog/2008/09/26/big-pimpin/