Professional Tributes

With Bill's passing, a light has gone out on the path to clear written communication. The GRM and Bill Sabin were so connected it is hard to speak of one and not the other. The GRM has been—and will always be—the "ultimate authority" on the rules of fine writing. Yet Bill had a way of presenting these rules so they applied to everyday use—becoming usable tools rather than rules merely committed to memory. —Belinda and Bill Belisle, training consultants, Belisle & Associates, West Garden Grove, California

William Sabin was my teacher. I never sat in a classroom with him, never met him, but year after year he taught me the heart of grammar and style through his Gregg Reference Manual. I carried his book with me everywhere, his instructions guiding me, his humor charming me. One day a seminar company asked me to start teaching business grammar and writing in cities across the U.S., all from what I learned from Mr. Sabin and his book. When he learned of what I was doing, Mr. Sabin wrote me, offered help with any questions from me and my audiences. I love what I do, but I couldn't do it (or do it as well), if not for the gift of William Sabin. —Christy Woods, business trainer, editor, writer, Langley Park, Maryland

Opening the GRM was like walking through the front door of my warm, cozy, but small shelter into the vast, splendid, and full landscape of the written word. My journey continues to show me the landscape's many details, nuances, hazards, and pitfalls. The GRM is my map to the terrain—actually, it's more like a GPS in its detail. Bill Sabin was the guru sitting placidly atop the highest peak, surveying the landscape with wisdom and penetrating scrutiny. And when I found him, he, like a true guru, shared his wisdom freely. —David W. Lloyd, instructor, Wordsmith Associates, and plain language consultant, Edmonton, Alberta