Writing about the movies

There’s lots to learn about writing at Yahoo! Movies. And mostly it’s what not to do. There are lessons on grammar, spelling, and accuracy. All in a single three-paragraph article:

What do you think? Is a corporation “people, too”? And if so, is it just one person or multiple people? Regardless of what Mitt Romney says, when you’re writing about a company and you’re writing for an American audience, treat a company as a single entity that requires a singular verb (like is, not are).

Another thing you can learn: If you don’t want to look like a fool, check the spelling of every name you write. You wouldn’t want to be writing about Glenn Ficarra and misspell his name, would you?

Don’t forget to check the facts. Accusing someone like John McAfee of being a murder suspect just isn’t smart. Mr. McAfee is not wanted for murder; he’s a “person of interest” in a murder investigation.

Finally, if you want to set yourself apart from Yahoo! Movies scribes, make sure you know the actual name of any movie you’re writing about. The movie is “I Love You, Phillip Morris.”

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