Fake AP Stylebook Will Make You Laugh, Get You Fired

Posted by: Amelia McDonell-Parry Filed in: news
4:20PM, Tuesday November 3rd 2009

I’ve become slightly, nerdishly obsessed with the Twitter feed for Fake AP Stylebook. See, for us writer types, Associated Press style has been the grammar and spelling rulebook chasing at our heels ever since journalism school. The web has made certain AP style points archaic, but for the most part it’s still the copy editor’s Bible. However, the Fake AP Stylebook Twitter offers hilarious suggestions for the modern writer/blogger. Seven of my faves, after the jump…

comments

joyy
wrote on November 3 2009 @ 04:26 pm: [report]

this is so funny it’s making me consider actually joining twitter.

Jessica Wakeman
wrote on November 3 2009 @ 04:31 pm: [report]

My favorite is:

Replace “situation deteriorated/worsened” with “s**t got real.” Ex: On day 3 of the hostage crisis, sh** got real.

joyy
wrote on November 3 2009 @ 04:44 pm: [report]

My favorite: You can replace S with $ any time you feel like money, playa.

C.Munro
wrote on November 3 2009 @ 05:17 pm: [report]

Oh, man. That is awesome. I’m going to have to start forwarding it.

Shasta
wrote on November 3 2009 @ 08:01 pm: [report]

@Amelia,

This is FANTASTIC.

@Jessica - will I get an e-mail alert of your update like I do traditional AP changes. Hee.

Good find.

wild-ting
wrote on November 4 2009 @ 08:34 pm: [report]

baristi = journalism majors

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! *snort*

hahahahahahahahahaha

anoldguy
wrote on November 4 2009 @ 08:52 pm: [report]

I like #7 best…

retro chic
wrote on November 5 2009 @ 10:46 am: [report]

Hilarious site and list, Love it! my favorites so far:

A “cougar” is a large cat native to North America. An older woman who pursues a younger man is “embarrassing herself.”

Naa. I’ve said it before: “Cougar: the only time in nature when the prey stalks its predator.”

The plural of “vagina” is “vaginas.” The plural of “penis” is gross, nobody wants to read about that.

Not only gross, but it’s hard enough describing a plate of it to the Adonis servers at an Italian restaurant how you like it rigate or zita style, and very, very al dente, without using your hands!

Use “verbal” to compare words with some other form of communication (“poor verbal skills”), use “oral” to be more popular.

Darn, I knew “verbal” was not the way to go in high school, and why my oral reports lacked substance.

Addendum to the AP Stylebook for Proofreaders:
Foolproof: Can spot a dropped comma or a fool at 50 paces.
PC Proof: Double-proof and edit, say to each other “I’m right, and you’re right! Initial, and hug.
Bullet Proof: the corrected version by a female proofreader, oh about every 28 days or so.

My work is done here.

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