Funniest Query in History (or at least in the top million). Thanks to Alan for the inspiration!
Okay, it's not a whole query, but here are the first three sentences of the query letter that eventually sold "Grammar Snobs Are Great Big Meanies." (Thanks to Alan for the inspiration!)
Ms. Agent:
Who among us has not, while composing a “Dear John” letter, fretted over whether to hyphenate “chronic halitosis”? What red-blooded American guy hasn’t found himself at a frat party misusing the word “whom” in a vain attempt to score with a hot English major? Who can honestly say she has not, while composing a sonnet, wondered whether to put a comma between “here I sit” and “broken hearted”?
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Rosy Cole says:
Bon Mot (or something of the kind!)
Ah, those little clips that bracket off one clause from another and subtly alter meaning. As the philosopher said: "You're not what you think you are, but what you think, you are."
June Casagrande says:
Actually ...
.. the sentence structures here were just to make sure the punch lines came at the end (a comedy requirement). So I can't take credit for any subtleties of meaning. I was just trying to set 'em up, then knock 'em down.
I'm kind of a laugh whore like that. But what the heck -- it sold a book or three.
Your philosopher line is great. I'm going to use it to replace my punctuation lessons of:
Woman: without her, man is nothing
vs.
Woman without her man is nothing
Thanks!
Alan Goldsher says:
No problemo...
Glad to be of inspirational service, June. This now makes the number of people I've inspired to three. YAY, ME!!!
Evie Shockley says:
i have indeed . . .
. . . wondered, while writing a sonnet, where to put a comma (though in a line that is, I hope, less commonly encountered than the grammar problem!) . . .
: )