Never call a stomach a tummy without good reason.

A dash is a mark of separation stronger than a comma, less formal than a colon, and more relaxed than parentheses.

Never call a stomach a tummy without good reason.

Remember, it is no sign of weakness or defeat that your manuscript ends up in need of major surgery. This is a common occurrence in all writing, and among the best writers.

If you use a colloquialism or a slang word or phrase, simply use it; do not draw attention to it by enclosing it in quotation marks. To do so is to put on airs, as though you were inviting the reader to join you in a select society of those who know better.

Instead of announcing what you are about to tell is interesting, make it so.

Rich, ornate prose is hard to digest, generally unwholesome, and sometimes nauseating.