Some other rules

When referring to when an event will take place use: time, date, place.

For example: He will speak at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the auditorium.

---

Keep tenses consistent. For example, do not switch between said and says in a story.

Also attribution should maintain subject-verb order.

"I'm on fire," he said. NOT: "I'm on fire," said he.

The exception is if the person speaking is modified.

"The house is on fire," said Tim Russell, a neighbor.

---

In a crime story, say the suspect was charged with the crime, not arrested for, which assumes guilt.

ALSO:

Day vs. Date.

Use one or the other, not both.

So, when should you use a day (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday) or use a date (Oct. 14.)?

If the event you are writing about happens within a week of the publication date – either in the FUTURE or the PAST – then use the day of the week: Wednesday.

If the event happens more than a week from publication date – either in the FUTURE or the PAST – then use the date: Oct. 14.

If the event happens on the day of publication, use: today.

So, if it is a Tuesday, but you are working on a newspaper being published on Wednesday, Oct. 14, and the event is happening Saturday, Oct. 17, you should write: Saturday.

If it happened on Saturday, Oct. 10, you still write: Saturday. There’s no confusion because in one case you are writing in the future tense and the other in the past tense.

If the event is Saturday, Oct. 24, then you should write: Oct. 24.

If the event was Saturday, Oct. 3, then you should write: Oct. 3.

If the event happened Wednesday, Oct. 7, you should write: Oct. 7.

If it will happen Wednesday, Oct. 21, you should write: Oct. 21.