Ron's Writing Style Guide

I feel that it's more about correct grammar, but what's considered correct can depend on dialect. One dialect isn't necessarily more correct than the others.

Its vs it's

It's is a contraction of it is, while its is indicating possession.

Further vs farther

Farther is for distances, further is for concepts.
You don't develop an idea farther, you develop it further.
You don't travel further, you travel farther.
The "far" in farther can help remind you that it's for distances.

Bring vs take

You bring something to your current location, or you take something to another location.

Less vs fewer

Less is for a fluid amount, fewer is for a number of items
There aren't less patients that are infected, there are fewer.
There aren't less bugs in the house, there are fewer.

Parentheses

Parenthese are for an aside, i.e. non-essential information that could be omitted from the text. I think they're often overused. If something's relevant to the topic of your writing, it shouldn't be in parentheses. And if it isn't relevant, why is it there? You need a good reason to include irrelevant information.

Gray vs grey

Gray is the American spelling for the color. We only use "grey" when it's part of a name for a business or book or film or such.

Mr. & Dr

Mister is abbreviated to Mr., including a period like most abbreviations. Doctor is abbreviated to Dr without a period.

The Oxford Comma

I side with the Chicago Manual of Style in always using the Oxford comma.

With the Oxford comma:
We bought bananas, apples, and oranges.

Without:
We bought bananas, apples and oranges.

And Coming, More

As I think of it.