On the use of Italics

Writing Tips
Written By Jimmy Stamp, Principal ADVSCOPY

This post originally appeared on instagram.

Sometimes I get a little pushback on my use of italics. But I love the subtle ways emphasis shades the tone or changes the meaning of a word.

Italics reveal what’s truly important to us — something easy to do with spoken language, but much harder to accomplish in writing.

They can give a static sentence on the page a jaunty lilt that just sounds more human.

That’s what it is, more than anything. It makes writing sound more human.

If there’s any takeaway here, I guess it’s that. I think we should all strive to be a little more human in the way we talk about our work — whether you use italics or not.

 
Jimmy Stamp, Principal ADVSCOPY

By day, Jimmy helps firms of all sizes, all over the world, win projects, earn recognition, and grow their practice. By night, he keeps his voice fresh and pencil sharp as an avid reader and writer, finding inspiration in everything from Faulkner to the Fantastic Four.

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