SmithWriting Blog

A common grammar mistake made by writing novices and professionals alike is the misuse of the words “effect” and “affect.” This is no surprise, seeing as how both words can be used as either a noun or a verb (who makes up these rules?!).

To help ease the confusion, I’ve put together a simple usage guide:

Rule of thumb is to use “effect” as a noun and “affect” as a verb.

effect (noun): result

Never underestimate the effect of your actions.
 

effect (verb): to cause

Our new leader hopes to effect change.
 

affect (verb): to influence

The weather affects my mood.
 

affect (noun): emotional response

This one is kind of tricky, which is why I caution you from using it. “Affect” as a noun is reserved primarily for psychological use, as in: The patient displayed an aloof affect.

Hopefully, our proper use of these words will have a ripple effect and spread good grammar all around!

Filed by rebecca at 5:33 pm under Grammar guide
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A few weeks ago, while compiling financial documents for my accountant, I sat down to prepare a 1099 tax form for my subcontractor. A simple task, right? Well, you can imagine my surprise when I learned that the form had to be typewritten on special paper from the IRS. Well, that’s all well and good, but who has a typewriter in this day and age? I sure don’t, so I had to have a tax professional prepare the form for me.

It all worked out fine, but it got me to thinking: Where have all the typewriters gone?

There was a time not too long ago when every office had at least one typewriter. B.C. (Before Computers), typewriters were used for writing memos, letters, and other important documents. An office just wasn’t an office without the melodic sounds of tapping keys and typewriter bells.

Then along came the personal computer and dot-matrix printer in the 1980s. And it was goodbye typewriters. But where did they all go?

Well, unfortunately, most went to the landfill. Can you imagine millions of perfectly good typewriters piled haphazardly in dumps all over the country? What a waste!

Luckily, some typewriters were salvaged and continue to be in existence. Some offices use them for typing labels and envelopes, and, of course, they are needed for completing certain forms. In fact, most U.S. birth and death certificates are filled out by typewriters.

I also know some writers who swear by their typewriters. They eschew computers and opt instead to compose their works using the more romantic, vintage typewriter. Can’t you just picture the struggling novelist bent over his typewriter, frustratingly ripping out page after page of copy and tossing the rolled-up paper balls into the wastepaper basket? (Wasteful, yet poetic.)

With their unique look, sound, feel, and smell, typewriters are iconic in the writing and business worlds. Although I won’t be replacing my PC with one anytime soon (how do you possibly write without the “backspace” key?), I sure hope typewriters will be around for many years to come.

Filed by rebecca at 9:11 pm under Copywriting
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