This may look like a new blog—and I suppose it is!—but I am by no means a new blogger. I have another blog that began existence in 2004; in its early days I wrote for it a lot, but as time went on I posted there less and less. I’ve been thinking about starting from scratch for a while now, for various reasons, and so why not during a global pandemic? I have things to say about it, and thus here in the blasted hellscape that is March of 2020, The Commaphile is born.
So, by way of introduction: I’m Jon Williams, and I’ve been a copywriter and editor for the better part of going on twenty years now. I grew up a book nerd, got a degree in English literature, and my affinity for the finer points of grammar and punctuation inspired the name for this site. I considered calling it The Pilkunnussija instead, which I think is funny (go ahead, Google it; I’ll wait), but in the end I knew I’d never have a chance of pronouncing it correctly and nobody would be able to remember (or spell) the URL.
Some basic data: I grew up in Troy, Ohio, and then went to school at Bowling Green State University (actually I went to Wright State for two years first, and then three years at BGSU to finish up). I met my wife Brandi in 2003 and we got married in 2006. We lived in Troy from 2007 – 2014, and we’ve been in Columbus since then. I’ve been working as a writer and proofreader for the same company since 2004, as a telecommuter since 2007. And I have a part-time side hustle, also as a proofreader/copy editor, that I’ve been doing for a little over a year.
Topics will be all over the place. Don’t let the name fool you; this is a personal site, not a grammar-themed blog, although I’m sure writing and editing will come up from time to time. There will be posts on current events, pop culture, sports, and whatever else catches my eye in the world outside my window. I may bring over some “archive” posts from the old blog, as well.
The Commaphile 