Person of Honor: Holly Johnson
In honor of National Grammar Day, we went straight to the source: a favorite teacher/ writer/ friend of HCC. And we’ve got answers.
Honor Code Creative: When we met I was a fashion/ beauty editor and you were my beauty writer. Do you still write about beauty or freelance right at all?
Holly Johnson: I rarely write about beauty these days. I miss it! Researching skincare was one of my favorite things to do. Now, my days are mostly spent correcting comma splices and dangling modifiers.
HCC: When did you become a teacher, and what was your motivation?
HJ: When I was in the first grade, I won the “Most Likely to be a Teacher” award. I still have it. I have always loved teaching as it is a way to impact the next generation. I have spent a decade working with high school students. The best part about teaching is that it is different every day. Never a dull moment.
HCC: As someone who’s been both of these things, teacher & writer, I bet you have a lot to say about grammar. What are some of your pet peeves?
HJ: I despise SMS language or textspeak. Many adults use it in emails and it is unprofessional. If my students can avoid using it in their writing, adults can too. I think that the only acceptable textspeak outside of text is “LOL.” It seems to have crossed the divide gracefully and is well accepted in emails with friends or close colleagues. Along the same lines, the use of a lower case “ i” when referring to oneself is ridiculous. You are a proper noun. Use capital letters. ( Yes, even when texting.)
HCC: How do you feel about some of the expressions we use today like..."lean into"?
HJ: I think that we are more aware of our overuse of expressions in writing as most people proofread. One should not be using a common expression more than once in a piece of writing. It loses impact.
HCC: Please settle for once and for all: Does the period really always go inside the quotation marks?
HJ: To keep it simple, yes.
HCC: How do you feel about intentional grammar breaches? Like a purposeful fragment. (See what I did there?)
HJ: I think they are fine in colloquial writing. If you are unsure, craft a full sentence to avoid it.
HCC: Do you ever see ads where the grammar makes you nuts?
HJ: I actually haven’t in a while. I have seen some word choice errors in Instagram stories from influencers. For example, “insure” was used for the word “ ensure.” Both are verbs and it is easy to do. Insure, think insurance or to secure. Ensure means to make sure it will happen.
HCC: What's a grammar deal breaker on a resume?
HJ: Spelling errors on a resume are unacceptable. We all make mistakes, but resumes are typically your first impression and need to be perfect. Always enlist a friend to take a look at your work.
Additionally, word choice errors are unfortunately common. Be sure to know the difference between their/there/they’re and affect vs. effect.
Also, please don’t use emojis. Ever.