Abbr.
This topic came up last week. Full stops after abbreviations. Yes, or no?
Like most language options, we differ from the States on this one.
Over there, they put a full stop after any abbreviation.
Here (Australia, NZ and UK), we don't.
The rule is this: if the abbreviation ends in the letter the full word does, you don't. When it doesn't, you do.
'Mr', for example. The abbreviation ends in 'r'. So does the full word 'mister'. No full stop. Same with Dr, doctor.
Etc? Well, the full word ends in an 'a', the abbreviation with a 'c'. So we have a full stop. 'Etc.?'
Days of the week? Mon., as the abbr. doesn't end in 'y'.
ie? Short for 'id est', it should have full stops. Same with eg - 'exempli gratia' - but most modern writing seems to dispense with the full stops.
Language changes over time. Just be consistent.
Oh, in researching the question of full stops after abbreviations, I uncovered an interesting fact.
Harry S Truman. Surely the 'S' would have a full stop after it as an abbreviation for a name? Except his parents gave him the middle name of 'S'. Just the letter 'S'.
Onto the stuff that got me last week ...
On a roll
Tech community site Built In asked an award-winning copywriter to review some toilet roll ads.
They chose toilet paper, because it's so undifferentiated.
Apart from a few cheesy puns ('flush with insights), it's interesting to see what the copywriter, Thomas Kemeny, thought.
First he noted none of the ads started from the truth.
One of the ads, for example, talked about a 'toilet paper revolution'. As Kemeny notes, no-one's thinking about a toilet paper revolution.
Thoughts on writing? 'To come up with unique copy, just start writing. Let the bad stuff and the cliches pour out of you until there’s nothing left.'
Then you can start digging for the real stuff.
Nice. Interesting to see another professional's thoughts.
2021 social predictions
Here we go. The first of (I'm sure) many predictions for 2021.
It's from Social Media Today.
Let's have a look ...
Facebook: a focus on ecommerce, the merging of messaging between Messenger, Instagram Direct and WhatsApp. AR glasses, VR headsets, algorithm shifts.
Twitter: new updates for Fleets (Twitter's version of Stories). Status indicators on profiles, verification categories and a bot crackdown. A Trump ban?
Instagram: in-stream, AR-trying, one-click shopping. Their version of TikTok, Reels, remaining popular in India.
Snapchat: more focus on Snap Originals. An Apple/Snap partnership on their AR glasses?
TikTok: more ecommerce.
LinkedIn: live events and live steaming. A dedicated video section.
All I want for Christmas ...
Wondering what to get me for Christmas?
A wonderful list of gifts for writers from ProWritingAid.
Only kidding about a gift to me ;-).
A literary insults poster. 'He can compress the most words into the smallest idea' (Abraham Lincoln).
Neat.
AquaNotes: waterproof post-its, so you can write down ideas in the shower.
QuietOn Earbuds: noise-cancelling, without needing to play anything through them.
Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a literary twist.
Actually, just cash this year, thanks.
18 unforgettable Christmas gifts for the writer in your life >
QotW
Quote of the week:
'You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.' William Faulkner
Next workshops
• Maximum Copy: in-house and online
• Copy Ninja: a masterclass via Zoom, Webex, Teams
• Writing for Digital: delivered via the web or in-person
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