Dave: As a youth, reading and writing were naturally a part of my life, but nothing out of the ordinary. I just read the typical novels one usually reads in high school and college, and I wrote the required essays. However, English grammar was another story. Thanks to the private school I attended during 7th and 8th grades, I became familiar with just about every grammatical ground rule. We studied every chapter, did every exercise, and diagramed sentences until our pencil points turned blue. We followed that routine every afternoon for 2 hours. Unfortunately, few schools today use that approach or a similar approach for teaching the English language. In short, the parts of speech were part of my passage to prose. My early grammar overload helped me immensely in the challenges and transitions of college, industry, and my own corporate training business. I never regretted that learning experience.

Question: Why did you write The Wrong Word Dictionary? Tell us about this book.

Dave: Many of us constantly misuse and confuse words in our daily writing and speaking. We may write or say assume when we mean presume, comprise when we mean compose, or imply when we mean infer. Hundreds of other troublesome twins also exist. But many writing books contain, on the average, answers to just 75 or so of the more popular word pair mistakes. I saw a need for a comprehensive reference where people could browse the 100s and 100s of mistaken word identities, not just the popular ones. My book contains over 900 word pairs that address over 2,000 confused words (and phrases), with simple one-sentence examples that aid in the correct usage. Intentionally excluded are obvious synonyms (flat, level), and many basic homonyms (than, then) because it would not serve the book's purpose. The book focuses on words where the distinction is still preserved, challenging, and important.

Question: Would you consider yourself a grammarian or language purist?

Dave: Absolutely not. I'm simply a technical writer and corporate trainer who wrote a book on just one part of grammar - that of confused word pairs. Having taught many years in industry, I realized people had problems with this topic so I wanted to provide a quick reference remedy. To refer to oneself as a grammarian or langauge purist is quite a leap. Writing authors such as Richard Lederer, Patricia T. O'Conner, James J. Kilpatrick, Diana Hacker, Richard Dowis, Robert Hartwell Fiske, and many others are certainly deserving of those titles.

Question: Do you find many people have problems using the right words?

Dave: Yes, it’s quite common for us to trip on one of the 600,000 words resident in our English vocabulary. And we’re not alone. Every day, the most respected and recognized journalists, newspapers, magazines, and advertising agencies make errors involving word usage. Why? Because unlike math and science, writing and speaking have very few absolutes. We’re constantly faced with making choices, and many times those choices are word choices. To no surprise, the errors we usually make in our writing and speaking are more often the result of poor word choice than of poor spelling skills.

Question: How long did it take you to put your book together and published?

Dave: From initial manuscript to printed copy, the book took 18 months to complete. I've lost count of how many drafts, but it has to be in the neighborhood of 10.

Question: In your book, you use the quote, "The difference between the almost right word & the right word is the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning." What are your thoughts on this quote and how it might relate to your book?

Dave: The legendary writer from Elmira New York, Mark Twain, had many great quotes on words and writing, and this one is also one of my favorites. I chose this particular quote because it directly relates to my book's theme: precision in word choice is key for clear and effective communication. For example, people sometimes like to impress their audiences with unnecessary large words instead of clear, familiar words. When they do that, they may misuse a word. Take the word parameter, which means independent variables or mathematical constants. Some people confuse it to mean boundaries, guidelines, or ranges. Then we have the misuse of the word subsequently. People use it to mean because, besides, furthermore, hence, now, prior, therefore, etc. The word actually means afterward or following in time or order.

So my point (and Twain's point) is to use the right word, in the right place, with the right meaning. Be accurate when you can because good writers care about words and their distinctions. Always think about the words you use and realize that accuracy in word choice is a key to successful communication. Aim to use only words that are suitable, fit, and proper. By doing so, its effect can affect your message in a positive way. For the ability to converse well is one of our most distinguishing characteristics and valuable assets.

Question: What has been your feedback from readers and book reviewers? What do they say to you about their interpretations of these books? What do they like about the book?

Dave: The feedback has been consistently positive and encouraging. I hear and read things like, "Anyone can make good use of this book", or "It's about time someone wrote a book on this subject." People like the book's size, find it easy to read, and consider it comprehensive. Whether you're in middle school, high school, college, or industry, this reference is a one-stop book for filtering much word confusion. I'm pleased people have taken to the book the way I intended - a quick reference. The book is simple and direct - no pontificating or theorizing. You get short answers for quick questions. And that's what a reference should do.

Question: Any final thoughts on writing and proper word use?