Rule Rally

   When it comes to writing well, it's useful to follow some well-tested rules, all the while remembering that when it comes to grammar, rules are descriptions of most people actually do, rather than mandates of what one must do.
   The advantage of following these patterns is that it helps in communicating. And that, fellow communicators, is the goal of writing. (Speaking, too, for that matter.)
   There are, of course, dialects, each with its own set of rules that help to make for regularity -- hence the term regulation.

   The prime directive from this editor's chair is to follow the Three C's of effective communication -- Clear, Concise and Complete. And to help enhance clarity, follow the practices established over many years of effective communication.

   That said, where does one find these rules? There are many available. (Remember the manual of style and usage you bought for your Freshman Comp class but never used?) One of the best is Will Strunk's "little book," still in print as it has been for about a hundred years, and now known as Strunk & White's Manual of Style. It's only a bit more than 100 pages, and the best investment any writer can make.
   There are variations and preferences, of course, and as a practical matter, a working writer follows the preferences of the editor he's working for. When it comes to style in things grammatical, the issue is no more than consistency of usage -- that is, use the same phrasings, spellings and punctuation throughout. For example, if the editor wants percent spelled out as one word, do it that way. Or use two words, if that's the editor's preference. Or the abbreviation. Or the symbol. Whatever. Be consistent.
   For those who want an online reference, the Congressional Budget Office has just issued its newest edition of its "Guide to Style and Usage." It's available at the CBO web site.

   Meanwhile, there are many other style manuals in print, with entries arranged alphabetically and/or by topic. But like any book, a style manual is useless until and unless someone looks into it now and then.
   Don't wait until you have a question; odds are you already "know" the "right" phrasing and get bent out of shape when a reader disagrees with you. Avoid such disagreeable episodes by glancing through one or more style manuals now and then.

   Just as a mechanic knows the difference between a spanner and a wrench, good writers know how differences in word usage can clarify a sentence or muddle the meaning.