Because Communication is Key!

One of the main sources of confusion (and frustration) for the non-specialist is the vehement difference of opinion among editors and English teachers expressed with the authority of a maxim despite being so often myth--

 Never begin a sentence with the word because, or end one with a preposition.

 Which may only be used to introduce non-restrictive clauses.

 Always (or never) use a comma to separate the last item in a list.

 —all of which are matters of opinion, although you wouldn’t know it to hear some of the debates I’ve witnessed. And any writer who has been at the receiving end of some pundit’s red pen may feel less than confident that they have had a mere difference of opinion. So here’s how to build your confidence.
 
Step number one, return to your desk and curse your editor for being so thorough.
 
Step number two, discover which style manual sets the standard for your field.
 
Most disciplines have a professional organization within which publishers and editors establish the guidelines for said differences of opinion. They also set provisions for manuscript preparation, typesetting, and in some cases, research methodology. (Your style guide will also specify which dictionary you should be using—see advanced for more information and recommendations.) A few of the more common organizations and their latest publications and guidance are listed below.
 
Step number three, pick up a usage manual that’s bizarre, quirky, funny, entertaining, illustrated, and preferably all of the above.
 
And here’s the reason for that: I can think of nothing more tedious than reading a style guide, except perhaps counted cross-stitch (apologies to all of my cross-stitching friends.) Unfortunately, when you’re preparing a manuscript for publication, you do have to know how to format a footnote. And you can look that up fairly easily in a style guide.
 
But the kind of information that’s in a usage manual most of us wouldn’t even think to look up. (And why does graffiti have a singular form? When was the last time you saw ONE graffito?) So you need to browse a usage manual, over lunch or during a coffee break, for short bursts.

Keep a cheat sheet for the problem areas you recognize. And as you self-edit, you’ll be surprised how often your memory is jogged to double check the usage manual for commonly confused words or a thorny punctuation decision.

Step number four, breathe deeply, and send your manuscript along its life path, trusting that you did your level best to commune with your readers in a thoughtful and considerate fashion, which is really what communication is all about.