FAQ

What is this?
This blog is just for fun. I like thinking and talking and writing about grammar and related topics (like punctuation and spelling) so I started a blog about grammar and related topics. Sometimes I have funny things to say about these topics, and people laugh when I say them. I wanted to share these funny things with the world.

Who are you?
I'm Alex: librarian, crafter, and blogger. I'm 26, engaged, and I have a cat named Gimli. I live in Virginia and eat more popcorn than is considered reasonable by human standards.

What makes you the expert?
I'm not - and do not pretend to be - an expert on grammar. That's why I called the blog "grammar amateur." (That, and it rolls off the tongue nicely.) If I'm wrong about something, please correct me. But do it nicely.
In no way do I intend to come across as thinking that I'm smarter than anyone. Different people know different things: I know grammar; the guy who fixes my car knows car things; the lady at the aquarium knows all about sharks. I just want to share what I know with people who want to learn it.

I hate Grammar Nazis!
Yeah, me too. That's why there aren't any here. I'm having fun with grammar, not shrieking about the evils of comma splices and how dangling participles will ruin America. People make mistakes or use shortcuts sometimes, and that's alright.

When do you post?
I have three jobs, work 7 days a week, and run a few other blogs, so I'm only planning on posting here twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays.

You should write about...
If you have suggestions, I would love to hear them! Tweet them to me at @Alexampersandra, or comment here on the blog! I can't promise I'll write about everything you suggest, but I will consider all serious suggestions. I do write my posts far in advance, so don't be discouraged if I don't get around to your suggestion immediately.

You made a typo!
Yeah, that happens, as it turns out. If you catch a typo, feel free to let me know. If you're a jerk about it, I might just leave it there to irritate you. If you're nice, I will thank you and praise your sharp editing eyes.
Sometimes, grammar (and spelling and punctuation) are a matter of personal opinion or preference, especially when you're writing casually, as I do here. I use the serial comma; some people do not. I typically spell in the American way, because I am American. If your correction has to do with one of these discrepancies and you're trying to pick a fight, go away. If your correction has to do with one of these discrepancies and you didn't know that, I will embrace the teachable moment and tell you about it.