Dave Dowling is president
of Write On Course, LLC, a corporate-training company dedicated
to improving the overall writing habits of business and 
technical professionals.
Writing the Right Word, a quick
reference guide on confused and problem word pairs, is Dave's
first book. Dave credits his 25 years in industry as a technical
editor, writer, and instructor as giving him the appropriate
background and material for his debut work.
Before his years in technical communications, Dave
worked in radio syndication in Los Angeles, where he assisted
in the production of nationally syndicated radio shows American
Top 40 and American Country Countdown. There Dave
worked with the likes of Casey Kasem, Bob Kingsley, and other
radio personalities.
An avid film and television fan, Dave's next book
will trace the film career of the screen's first Hercules,
Steve Reeves. Dave's involvement with the Steve Reeves International
Society in Malibu, CA, enabled him to establish a friendship
with Steve until his death in May 2000. The book will cover Reeves'
17 films, his rise to top box office star of 1959, and some of
the roles he turned down (James Bond). The tentative title, Steve
Reeves: His Legacy in Films, is anticipated for a fall 2003 release
date. 
Dave holds an M.S. from the University at Albany,
N.Y., a B.A. from the State University College at Potsdam, N.Y,
and is a member of the Society for Technical Communication. He
lives in Owego, New York with his wife Mary and son Tim. Visit
the author's web site at: http://www.writeoncourse.com/
As president of the Society for the Preservation
of English Language and Literature (SPELL), I receive from
members all over the U.S. a flood of examples of language errors
gleaned from newspapers, magazines, the electronic media, and
elsewhere. Many of them are errors in word usage. If every writer
kept a copy of Dave Dowling's book at his or her elbow, there
would be a lot fewer errors for our members to report. "Writing
The Right Word" is one of the handiest references I've
seen lately. It will save you many a trip to the dictionary.
- Richard Dowis, author of "The Lost Art of the Great
Speech" and other books on language.
Pageonelit.com: Where did you grow
up and was reading and writing a part of your life? Who were
your earliest influences and why?
Dave Dowling: I was raised in Newburgh,
New York a part of upstate New York's scenic Hudson Valley. As
a youth, reading and writing were naturally a part of my life,
but nothing out of the ordinary. I just read the typical novels
one usually reads in high school and college, and I wrote the
required essays. However, English grammar was another story.
Thanks to the private school I attended during 7th and 8th grades,
I became familiar with just about every grammatical ground rule.
We studied every chapter, did every exercise, and diagramed sentences
until our pencil points turned blue. We followed that routine
every afternoon for 2 hours. Unfortunately, few schools today
use that approach or a similar approach for teaching the English
language. In short, the parts of speech were part of my passage
to prose. My early grammar overload helped me immensely in the
challenges and transitions of college, industry, and my own corporate
training business. I never regretted that learning experience.
Pageonelit.com: Why did you write
WRITING THE RIGHT WORD? Tell us about this book.
Dave Dowling: Many of us constantly
misuse and confuse words in our daily writing and speaking. We
may write or say assume when we mean presume, comprise when we
mean compose, or imply when we mean infer. Hundreds of other
troublesome twins also exist. But many writing books contain,
on the average, answers to just 75 or so of the more popular
word pair mistakes. 
I saw a need for a comprehensive
reference where people could browse the 100s and 100s of mistaken
word identities, not just the popular ones. My book contains
over 600 word pairs that address 1,500 confused words (and phrases),
with simple one-sentence examples that aid in the correct usage.
Intentionally excluded are obvious synonyms (flat, level), and
many basic homonyms (than, then) because it would not serve the
book's purpose. The book focuses on words where the distinction
is still preserved, challenging, and important.
Pageonelit.com: Where did the title
WRITING THE RIGHT WORD come from?
Dave Dowling: The title is simply
a play on sound-alike words (right and write). I started with
"Right Words" as a generic title, then considered
"Confronting Word Confusion", and finally settled
on something with more action. Moreover, I wanted a title that
was catchy, rhythmic, and easily recognizable as an aid for writing
and word use. Just as people remember the titles of catchy movie
or song titles, I wanted something memorable and grabbing for
the book's title. Actually the book's subtitle "Its Effect
Can Affect Your Writing" is more a play on words than
the main title. Five of the first six words are everyday misused
words. In hindsight, I would have changed the last word in the
subheading to "Prose" instead of "Writing".
That way I would have all six words as sound-alike words.
Pageonelit.com: How long did it take
you to put WRITING THE RIGHT WORD together and published?
Dave Dowling: From initial manuscript
to printed copy, the book took 10 months to complete. I've lost
count of how many drafts, but it has to be in the neighborhood
of 20. I published an initial version in December 2001, but then
quickly pulled it from distribution, revised it, and republished
in February 2002. Many of the online retailers still list the
copyright as December 2001. The book's copyright is technically
February 2002.
Pageonelit.com: I think WRITING
THE RIGHT WORD is described best by the front cover 'Its
effect can affect your writing' --- Looking back are there some
words you wish you would have included? The one that comes to
mind is the word "novel."
Dave Dowling: I agree. The description
of the book is given away in the subheading; it tells the reader
exactly what this book is about - problem words. If the reader
looks closely at "Its Effect Can Affect Your Writing",
he or she will realize I intentionally gave an obvious "clue"
to what's inside. (Note that it took me a few minutes to think
of that word play.) I can relate to your word "novel"
being used as either a noun or adjective (reading a novel or
a novel idea). That was clever on your part John. I like it.
I can see we both appreciate homographs (lead, live, perfect,
record, putting, etc.).
Pageonelit.com: One of my favorite
quotes by Mark Twain is , "The difference between the
almost right word & the right word is the difference between
the lightning bug and the lightning." What's your thoughts
on this quote and how it might relate to your book WRITING
THE RIGHT WORD??
Dave Dowling: Mark Twain had many
great quotes on words and writing, and this one is also one of
my favorites. I chose this particular quote because it directly
relates to my book's theme: precision in word choice is key for
clear and effective communication. For example, people sometimes
like to impress their audiences with unnecessary large words
instead of clear, familiar words. When they do that, they may
misuse a word. Take the word parameter, which means independent
variables or mathematical constants. Some
people confuse it to mean boundaries, guidelines, or ranges.
Then we have the misuse of the word subsequently. People use
it to mean because, besides, furthermore, hence, now, prior,
therefore, etc. The word actually means afterward or following
in time or order. So my point (and Twain's point) is to use the
right word, in the right place, with the right meaning. Be accurate
when you can.
Pageonelit.com: What has been your
feedback from readers and book reviewers? What do they say to
you about their interpretations of these books? What do they
like about the book?
Dave Dowling: The feedback has been
consistently positive and encouraging. I hear and read things
like, "Anyone can make good use of this book", or "It's
about time someone wrote a book on this subject." People
like the book's size, find it easy to read, and consider it comprehensive.
Whether you're in middle school, high school, college, or industry,
this reference is a one-stop book for filtering much word confusion.
I'm pleased people have taken to the book the way I intended
- a quick reference. The book is simple and direct - no pontificating
or theorizing. You get short answers for quick questions. And
that's what a reference should do.
Pageonelit.com: Tell me about your
publishing experience -- The good, the bad and the ugly ...
Dave Dowling: Considering this is
my first book and I made my share of mistakes, the experience
was positive. I worked with a great publishing team and had exceptional
cooperation. In fact, I thanked the team in the front matter.
I am also pleased with the graphic designer's cover design, which
was designed solely on my brief description in an e-mail. And
yes, if I knew 10 months ago what I know today about the book
publishing process, the book would cost me less and the editorial
reviews would be fewer. Probably like other first-time authors,
I was not ready for the first submission. Regardless of how many
times you may view a manuscript, it's almost impossible to get
it 100% correct the first time.
Pageonelit.com: Are you working on
a follow up? Or something totally different?
Dave Dowling: As a follow up, I started
a grammar reference on a closely-related subject, but that is
currently on hold. Instead, my interests have turned to a project
on a movie celebrity from yesteryear. I'm writing a book on the
late actor (and bodybuilder) Steve Reeves. Reeves was the silver
screen's first Hercules and the popular star of 15 other adventure
films of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Though his film career
was brief (at his choosing), I discovered a continued popularity
and curiosity about his films not only here in the U.S. but many
foreign countries as well. His video releases have done quite
well all over the world. The book idea is actually a follow on
of sorts because for the past 4 years I've published articles
on Steve's film career by way of The Steve Reeves International
Society magazine in Malibu, CA. The book will contain many unpublished
behind the scenes photos and rare interviews with Steve, which
I'm sure will please his admirers. Steve was a friend of mine
from 1996 until his death in May 2000, so I feel very close to
the project. My tentative title is Steve Reeves: His Legacy in
Films Look for a fall 2003 release date.
Pageonelit.com: What was the last
book you read?
Dave Dowling: This may sound dull
and nerdy, but the last book I technically read from front to
back was the grammar reference, Woe Is I by Patricia T.
O'Conner. It's an excellent reference that covers many areas
of better writing. I'd like to say I've read Tom Clancy's or
John Grisham's latest novels, but usually I'm viewing their theatrical
releases or video versions before I finish turning the pages.
In addition, my eyes usually focus on news magazines, newspapers,
or writing books before I have a chance to read a long novel.
Newsweek, Time, Sports Illustrated, Wall Street Journal, New
York Times, and writing books by Richard Lederer and Richard
Dowis.
Pageonelit.com: Do you have any hobbies?
What are they? How do they enhance your writing.
Dave Dowling: I spend time reading
about better writing, researching word and phrase trivia, and
looking for good used writing books, though I'm not a collector
per se. In addition, the Internet has been my virtual Library
of Congress. I never have to leave the house.
I am always in the market for new and better material
for my corporate training classes. When I uncover something different
for a class, such as a better technique of organizing, the students
appreciate it. That keeps me motivated.
Television news reporting is also important to
me. I tell people if you do not want to read a grammar book or
any book on writing improvement, at least listen to the network
news. And it's free! 
You'll
hear good, concise, and clear language from reporters who have
a command of our language. In other words, you can learn effective
language just from listening.
To keep the blood flowing, the cholesterol down,
and the pounds afar, I enjoy running, golf, a little weight training,
and the family Bowflex machine. They're great releases, and I
thank God I can still regularly do these things in my early 50s.
