Zen Comma (Paperback or Softback)

"Five stars well deserved."

Commas are confusing. Unlike other types of punctuation, they are used in many ways. If you want to write clearly and professionally, you need to use commas correctly. Zen Comma will show you how.

Zen Comma uses examples, instructions, and anecdotes to teach you the 14 major uses for commas and the most common errors. It also contains exercises to help pinpoint the comma rules you need to learn, and summary of all the comma rules for quick reference.

Each chapter begins with correct examples, explains the rules for correct usage, covers common errors, and discusses special considerations so you can use commas correctly, intelligently, and conscientiously.

Topics include:
Commas in Series
Commas when Joining Sentences
Commas after Introductory Descriptions
Commas with Interjections
Commas with Appositives
Commas with Side Comments
Commas with Names
Commas with Therefore, Too, and Other Conjunctive Adverbs
Commas with Adjective Pairs
Commas with Which and Who
Commas with Final Descriptions
Commas with Parenthetical Expressions and Absolute Phrases
Commas with Dates, Addresses, Ages, and Titles
Commas with Quotations
Commas with Either...Or and Other Correlative Pairs
Commas between Subjects and Predicates
Commas between Compound Predicates

David Bowman has provided editing services since 1992, helping writers worldwide communicate professionally, engage their readers, and meet their writing goals. He is the owner and chief editor of Precise Edit, a top-rated writing instructor at the University of New mexico, and the author of 6 writing guides.

Mr. Bowman received his Bachelor's degree in Education/Communication Arts from the University of New Mexico, Master's degree in English from the University of California-Irvine, and Executive MBA from the Anderson School of Management, University of New Mexico.
Following a teaching career with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, he was a program administrator for the New Mexico State Department of Education. Now, in addition to teaching university-level writing courses, Mr. Bowman serves as executive director for 2 non-profit leadership organizations.

He wrote his first writing guide, Precise Edit Training Manual, in 2007 to help his freelance editors understand good writing and meet his high standards for effective writing.