Tricky Edits Column for July 2025

Tricky Edits

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Unofficial Most Improperly Used Word of 2025

The Most Embarrassing Tattletale Word of All

By Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the newly released
Third Edition of The Frugal Editor

I have unofficially named the vocabulary word most likely to embarrass a writer. I feel entitled to do that because as a once-upon-a-time journalist I pay attention to things like real newspapers (you know, made of real newsprint!), great magazines (made of beautiful heavy-grade slick or textured paper that get delivered to my door), and TV hosts widely accepted as reliable resources as well, letting TV subtitle errors entertain me as I work at maintaining gratitude for the grammar tips they offer up—apparently unaware of their brilliance—to new ideas for this column that Dawn graciously lets me share with her audience and my Twitter (X) stream apparently provides enough characters unknowingly so I can share them with my followers there! (I’m @frugalbookpromo!).

Perhaps you’ve guessed. It gets used incorrectly often, sometimes in different ways—but we authors are faced with more occasions for using this award-winning blunder more than often than most. The word is “entitled.” 

Here is the tweet I fashioned that meets X’s requirements: “When authors try to substitute the word “title” with “entitled,” they are sure to make some editor—some influencer—groan.” I have some replies ready for those who dare respond including, a little more elucidation on ways it can/should be used:  “Entitled” and its cousin “entitlement” might be put to better use for a little subtle satire,” or “Avoid this mistake and other tricky edits by grabbing an e-book copy of my booklet Great Little Last-Minute Edits for Writers. It’s a frugal way to avoid humiliation or worse!”

PS: Did you notice the way I used the word “entitled” in the second line in this column, implying “snide,” and then went on to prove it for my pleasure and your edification? Aren’t we having fun with words today?

PPS: Did you notice the length of the second sentence in this column? It’s proof that correct English does indeed let a sentence go on and on. Some authors have even become famous using sentences like that as trademarks—certainly as a form of branding. It’s my closing tip reminding authors that everything they read that’s “correct” needn’t be emulated. Please keep in mind that telling readers your book is “entitled” isn’t “correct” and, though it may appear “smarter” than plain old “titled,” that’s an illusion lying in wait to snare the uninformed.

MORE ABOUT CAROLYN:

Once a month Carolyn Howard-Johnson shares something writer-related she hopes might save some author from embarrassment (or make the task of writing more fun or creative.) The third edition of The Frugal Editor from Modern History Press includes a chapter on some of the words most misused by the very people whose business it is to know them. It is the second multi award-winning book in her multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers. The Frugal Editor, now in its third edition,  has been fully updated including a chapter on how back matter can be extended to help readers and nudge book sales.

Carolyn blogs sporadically on editing at The Frugal Editor and at her SharingwithWriters blog on other aspects of the publishing world and welcomes guest posts with ample author credit lines and links and welcomes guest posts complete with credit lines and ample links for her guests. She also tweets writers' resources and tips at www.twitter.com/frugalbookpromo using #FrugalBookPromoterTips hashtag.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson brings her experience as a publicist, journalist, marketer, and retailer to the advice she gives in her HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers and the many classes she taught for nearly a decade as instructor for UCLA Extension’s world-renown Writers’ Program where has found a little humor can decidedly make a lot of learning easier on one’s disposition. 

The books in her HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers have won multiple awards. That series includes both the third editions of The Frugal Book Promoter and my The Frugal Editor. Published by Modern History Press, they have won awards from USA Book News, Readers’ Views Literary Award, Dan Poynter’s Global Ebook Award, the marketing award from Next Generation Indie Books and others including the coveted Irwin award. How To Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically is still in its first (very frugal!) edition but please wait for the second edition from Modern History Press. 

Howard-Johnson is the recipient of the California Legislature’s Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment Award, and her community’s Character and Ethics award for her work promoting tolerance with her writing. She was also named to Pasadena Weekly’s list of “Fourteen San Gabriel Valley women who make life happen” and was given her community’s Diamond Award for Achievement in the Arts.