Hello there.

Hello.

As some of you will probably know, I tried to do a regular email newsletter this year.

I failed. Well, I managed about three but then I kind of stopped.

That's not good. Especially given the fact that I make my living from writing and actually enjoy it.

So I've promised myself that this is going to change. I'm going to write a regular weekly newsletter but, instead of doing it via email, I'm going to do right here on LinkedIn! Woo!

I'm as guilty as anyone of sending newsletters a-hurtling into the "Trash" basket as soon as they plop into my inbox, so I am going to try my absolute best to make sure that mine is entertaining as well as useful.

I can't promise that what I write in here won't be repeated in some of my LinkedIn posts, or as a blog on my website, or even over on That Other Social Media Platform Of Which We Shall Not Speak, because although I like to write, I don't like to write that much.

I'm likely to be writing about stuff like grammar, LinkedIn, blogs, press releases and basically anything involving words.

I may also write about music from time to time because I like writing about music almost as much as I like listening to it.

But this is where you lot come in. I'd really like to know if there's anything you'd like me to write about and I'll do my best to help. For example, one chap earlier this year asked me to write something about whether to use "less" or "fewer" and so that's exactly what I did.

In fact, I'm going to reproduce that post here as an example of the kind of stuff I'm planning to write. So here goes.

When do you use “less” and when do you use “fewer”?’

I was thrilled when someone asked me that question recently.

It made me feel like one of those musicians who take requests.

The ones who have a?repertoire so vast that they know any song likely to be thrown at them, whether it’s an obscure REM b-side or Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen, or they can play so well that they can just busk it. Either way, I’m hugely jealous.

Anyway.

In my experience, fewer and fewer people use fewer correctly, instead preferring “less” almost every time. Do you see what I did there?!

It’s not one of those grammatical mistakes that can make a huge difference (like saying “Let’s eat grandma” rather than “Let’s eat, grandma!”) but it’s nice to get things right, don’t you think?

The easiest way to think about it is like this:

– If you can number the thing you are talking about, use “fewer”

– E.g. Fewer shops than ever are closed on Sundays these days

Applying this rule should stop you making the common mistake of using “less” when it should be “fewer”. Shops is a plural and you could theoretically count them so it is “fewer”.

– If you can’t number the thing you are talking about, use “less”

– E.g. Could I have a little less milk in my tea next time please?

You can’t count milk or make it into a plural so it’s “less”.

The English language being the English language, though, there are exceptions!

– When talking about money, time or weight, generally use “less” – e.g. “David has less than ￡20 left in his wallet”, “John had been in his job for less than three months before they sacked him”, “Bill had lost less than six pounds on his diet”.

Percentages are even more tricky but personally I wouldn’t worry about it. If you’re determined, the best way to work it out is to ask “can I count the thing I’m talking about a percentage of?”

If so (e.g. “Fewer than 20% of Manchester United fans have ever actually been to Manchester”) then it’s “fewer.”

If not (“Less than 50% of his roast chicken was actually cooked”) then it’s “less”.

Does that help?

So there we have it. My first LinkedIn newsletter.

If there's anything you'd like me to write about, then let me know. Otherwise I'll see you in about a week.