This story from the NYTimes was just too good to not share. As someone who studied journalism as an undergrad and creative writing as a grad student, and who has job duties now that include being the guardian of Time Union style (aka Conan the Grammarian), I had no idea that the world of publishing included the rule mentioned in the following story:
“Next,” Michael Crichton’s new novel about the perils of biotechnology, has not proved as polarizing as his previous thriller, “State of Fear,” which dismisses global warming. But one of the new book’s minor characters — Mick Crowley, a Washington political columnist who rapes a baby — may be a literary dagger aimed at Michael Crowley, a Washington political reporter who wrote an unflattering article about Mr. Crichton this year.
Continue reading “The language rule they don’t teach in school”