Online resources

[markallen]

Grant Barrett, co-hose of "A Way With Words," is a new presence on the Copyediting website, www.copyediting.com. He recently built a specialized Google search tool that searches 70 or so word-related Web sites. It's very handy if you're looking for authoritative answers to word-usage issues. For example, search for "affect, effect" and you get Paul Brians' "Common Errors" site, Grammar Girl, a list of 3210 "Confusing Words" (never heard of this one), the Purdue OWL, etc.

Interestingly, doing a general Google search gets you many of the same sites, so this might not be the best example. But the specialty search means you don't get Yahoo answers junk and sites unrelated to grammar and usage.

It also searches this forum.

I don't know where it exists anymore on the copyediting.com site, but I'm sure it must be there. I installed it on my Web site, I mean website. And, it's here at Google: http://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=00256 ... iklyqoo29u.

[Grant Barrett]

Mark, thanks for the comments. The original blog post is here:

http://www.copyediting.com/wordpress/?p ... od_abbv=ce

If by "co-hose" you mean that we make a muddle of things on the show, then I promise we'll do better! :)

[markallen]

If by "co-hose" you mean that we make a muddle of things on the show, then I promise we'll do better! :)

Am I mixing up my Canadian and Minnesotan?

Of course, I meant "co-host." In fact, I'm listening to today's "A Way With Words" right now on iTunes, and I haven't heard any evidence of muddling so far.

I've been curious, is there is a list of the Web sites included in this specialized search?

On a related note, this just in from Twitter: @lburwash: Simultaneously search multiple online style guides with OnlineStylebooks.com: http://is.gd/bSsVa (via @ KOKEdit)

[crotsch]

Where can I find this show in itunes? I heard he did a show on resumes. I have been looking for it but can seem to find it.

Christopher

[RuthTC]

Thank you so much, Mark, for including KOK's mention of my booklet for the EFA on "Freelancing 101: Launching Your Editorial Business" in the current issue of the ACES newsletter! I'd like to add another resource - an online discussion list I started for freelancers. It's at:

http://groups.google.com/group/freelancewriterseditors?

To subscribe, send a message to me (Ruth@writerruth.com).

[markallen]

Great. That makes me think, I don't check this board as often as I think I should, and it certainly is not yet what I would call active. I think it could be a great meeting place because it brings in people with closely related interests.

Having said that, I'm curious to know where other people hang out and talk shop. I have a loose network of local copy editors, but none that I see on a regular basis. We also have an EFA chapter trying to form here in Ohio, but it's hasn't yet taken off.

I do post on the Writer's Digest and Chicago Manual of Style message boards, but not terribly often. And I subscribe to Copyediting-L, which seems very useful, but I never seem to get around to responding to discussions.

That leaves Twitter, where I'm very active.

How about you? Where am I most likely to bump into you?