AP Style: How to remember the numbers rule

Many young news writers - and some veterans as well - struggle to remember the basic rule for numbers: when to use numerals, and when to spell them out. People seem to have an especially hard time with 10: They know it's the cutoff; they just can't remember whether it's spelled out.

Here's the easy way to remember: Spell out single-digit numbers; use numerals for anything larger.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 ...

And don't forget that there are exceptions, such as not starting sentences with numerals, and using numerals for age, except at the start of sentences. There are way more exceptions, which is all the better reason to buy a copy of the AP Stylebook and consult it frequently.

© Holly A. Heyser

Photography: Photojournalists need angles too

We often hear people ask reporters, "What's your angle on this story?" But photojournalists have angles too - literal ones.

Robert Durell, a friend of mine who was a photographer for the Los Angeles Times for 10 years, once gave my students this excellent piece of advice: Never shoot at eye level. Change your perspective: Get down low, or get up high.

When you shoot everything at your eye level, you're showing the viewers exactly what they're used to seeing, which means your photo can easily become wallpaper. But show them something they don't normally see, and your photo will grab their attention.

Here's an example in which I shot my cat, Harlequin, at my eye level:

© Holly A. Heyser

If you have cats, you recognize this human-eye view. Nothing to see here - just another pretty cat ignoring her human.

But check out this angle:

© Holly A. Heyser

This is an unusual perspective, unless you're the kind of person who thinks it's fun to loll around on the floor with your cats. Hell, I'm that kind of person, and I still love this photo. Harlequin cracks me up.

Now, think about it: The first photo is what pretty much any amateur would shoot - it would've looked at home on any number of Facebook pages. But the second one is different. It catches your eye.

Sometimes you can get away with an eye-level shot. Sometimes it's your only option.

But whenever possible - especially when you're shooting pets, children or people who are sitting down - change your angle and get the better shot.

© Holly A. Heyser

Grammar: who vs. whom

I had a teacher in high school who said one day there was no difference between "who" and "whom." I never could figure out whether she was stupid or she just misspoke, but her statement still bothers me more than 30 years later.

Why? Because the difference between "who" and "whom" is so easy to figure out. The only reason we struggle with it in written American English is because we have become sloppy in spoken American English, rarely bothering to use "whom" where we should.

Here's how you can tell which word belongs where: "Who" is to "he" as "him" is to "whom." If you're looking for a mnemonic device, notice that "him" and "whom" both end with "m."

So when you're trying to figure out whether to use "who" or "whom," rearrange the sentence to use "he" or "him" - if you speak American English fluently, you should have no problem figuring it out.

Here are some examples, starting with what should be a perfect mnemonic device:

For _____ the Bell Tolls.


Is it "the bell tolls for he" or "the bell tolls for him"? Duh! The answer is "him," which means we use "whom."

We gave the job to Bob, _____ was clearly more educated than the other candidates.

Is it "he was clearly more educated" or "him was clearly more educated"? No brainer: The answer is "he," which means we use "him."

Let's pick on Bob just a bit more.

We gave the job to Bob, _____ we consider to be the most qualified.


This is the one that gets people. It was Bob comma who the first time, so why shouldn't it be Bob comma who this time?

This is why you have to use the "he-who, him-whom" test: Is it "we consider he to be the most qualified" or "we consider him to be the most qualified"?

The answer is "him," so we should use "whom" in this one.

© Holly A. Heyser