Nobody stands taller than those willing to stand corrected.

Dangling punch lines to forgotten stories remain in the language like the smile of the Cheshire cat.

Do not be taken in by 'insiderisms.' Fledgling columnists, eager to impress readers with their grasp of journalistic jargon, are drawn to such arcane spellings as 'lede.' Where they lede, do not follow.

A dependent clause is like a dependent child: incapable of standing on its own but able to cause a lot of trouble.

Never assume the obvious is true.

Never look for the story in the 'lede.' Reporters are required to put what's happened up top, but the practiced pundit places a nugget of news, even a startling insight, halfway down the column, directed at the politiscenti. When pressed for time, the savvy reader starts there.

By elevating your reading, you will improve your writing or at least tickle your thinking.