Looking for practical hacks for life, writing, and beyond? Grammar Girl doesn’t waste your time—and best of all, it’s free. I have no equity connection to the Quick and Dirty Tips (Q&D) network, nor am I an affiliate. I just genuinely appreciate what they offer.
The Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips collection
The Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips network began as a grammar, usage, and style resource created by Mignon Fogarty, a former science writer. What started as a simple grammar website in 2006 has since evolved into a multi-platform empire. Today, Grammar Girl, under Quick and Dirty Tips, spans:
Podcasts
Social media engagement
A YouTube channel
Books
A mobile app
Web-based tips
Fogarty embodies the diversified career path many of us aspire to, but she spent nearly 20 years making it a reality. We’ll get there, given time and energy.
Why Grammar Girl is a must-have for writers
As writers—especially prolific ones—we often run into grammar and usage questions mid-project. When time is tight, I appreciate that Grammar Girl offers quick, accessible, and incredibly useful information.
The Q&D network has expanded its scope to cover life tips, writing strategies, and general self-improvement, but its core remains the same: helpful, time-saving, and free.
About Mignon Fogarty
Mignon Fogarty, also known as Grammar Girl, is the founder of Quick and Dirty Tips and remains actively involved in shaping its direction. She has authored seven books, including the New York Times bestseller Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing, and even created the Grammar Pop iOS game app. (No, I haven’t tried it, but I will when I get time…)
Some people have seen her on the old Oprah Winfrey Show, but she’s also:
A Podcast Hall of Fame inductee
The creator of Quick and Dirty Tips, which is a Writer’s Digest “101 Best Websites for Writers” honoree
A fan of the word “kerfuffle” and a critic of the phrase “Grammar Nazi”
With a career spanning TV, radio, books, podcasts, and digital platforms, Fogarty is a true powerhouse in the world of writing and grammar. Bookmark Quick and Dirty Tips—you’ll thank yourself later. And try not to hate her because everything she touches turns to gold.
What makes Grammar Girl so good?
Clarity and simplicity: Fogarty’s explanations are clear, well-organized, and engaging—perfect for quick answers or deep dives.
Comprehensive coverage: From blog articles to ebooks and apps, the content is easy to scan and packed with valuable insights.
Entertaining and practical: Grammar Girl makes learning fun with light, humorous, and relatable explanations. Even if you just need a refresher, it’s a great resource.
Effective search function: Looking for a grammar rule? The search tool makes it easy to find exactly what you need—instantly.
More Than Just Grammar: There’s extra content on fun, unrelated topics, keeping the experience fresh.
Areas that could be better
No interactive features: The resources are read- or listen-only, meaning there’s no direct feedback on your grammar skills. (But hey, you can always ask me!)
Not always up-to-date: While the blog is regularly updated, the ebooks and app may not reflect the latest grammar changes. That said, most topics remain timeless and relevant.
The main site is a tad clunky to navigate.
Other writing and grammar resources
If you’re looking for alternatives or complementary tools, consider:
Grammarly – An AI-powered grammar checker that provides real-time feedback and plagiarism detection (free and paid versions available).
The Purdue OWL – A free educational site offering grammar tutorials, exercises, and reference materials. If you’ve followed me for a while, you know this is a go-to for me!
The Chicago Manual of Style – A must-have for professional writers and editors, this guide provides detailed grammar, punctuation, and style rules.
Have a question? Ask me anything—I’m happy to help! Email Pen2Profit.help@gmail.com
And if you want more help for your writing journey, browse some ebooks!
When I taught college composition, Grammar Girl was their best friend (that and OWL). Teaching grammar is not an easy gig, so having this resource was wonderful.
I discovered Grammar Girl years ago. Wonderful resource at a time when there were few online.