Language evolves, including in writing. And as someone who's been writing professionally for about a decade or so, there are a few things I've noticed, and I wanna share them.

All-caps headlines - no, just no please

This used to be a thing in English (it never was in several other languages) but now it's on the way out. And I'm very happy about that.

Headlines That Look This look clunky, and they also require extra effort to remember what must be capitalised and what mustn't.

So, in the words of my favourite YouTube comment ever, "please can you don't?"

US or UK - pick one and stick to it

By default, unless I'm asked not to, I write in British English, but that changes depending on a variety of factors. However, I've noticed a trend where many mix both in the copy.

Don't do it, it feels a bit silly.

I understand that sometimes spelling can be ridiculous (focussed with the double S for example), but if you pick UK spelling, stick to UK spelling, diction and expressions. And vice versa.

A line that reads "I realized my favorite colour is gray" isn't great.

Also, this applies to expressions, too. If your average reader is British, you can't write 'get your panties in a wad'. In the same way you can't write 'get your knickers in a twist' if your average reader is American.

Vs vs Vs. vs Versus vs V

The correct version is vs. but vs or v often slip into the copy.

Personally, I'd drop the period. It just looks a bit 'overdone'. 'Vs' is the version we should all use, even though a lot of people use 'V', probably because it's been popularised by the movie Ford v Ferrari.

Then there's versus, but that's slightly different. That's an entire word, not just an abbreviation.

Drop those effing exclamation marks!!!!

Exclamation marks in the copy just look silly. Sorry. They do. Look! Silly! Why!?

They're unnecessary, and they make it look like it was written by a teenager.

Also, definitely never use all caps unless required (some brands insist their name is spelled in all capitals).

If no one talks like that, then no one should write like that

No one says 'utilise', we say 'use'. If you wouldn't say it, then don't write it. Especially in English. English is a simple language, and people often overcomplicate it. 

I vs we

Unless your name is bankable, there's no 'I'. There's only 'we'.

Most writers don't really have a recognisable name, so it's always better to stick to 'we', not 'I'.

actually, basically, literally, virtually, honestly

These are called 'fillers'. They're good. They're useful. But you should probably use them sparingly. Obviously (see?) that's a completely arbitrary choice but, generally speaking (again), these should help if you're trying to make a point, not if you're trying to get to a specific word count.

Ellipsis is a password from a James Bond movie, not an editorially stylish choice

In Casino Royale, the first James Bond from the Daniel Craig era, 'Ellipsis' is a password that's also a plot point.

Ellipsis is also the correct expression to describe this: ... 

But writing... like this, makes the the writer sound like they're writing a cryptic Facebook status from 2010.

That's all I got for now. But I'm sure I'll think of more. Feel free to chip in in the comments.