I've got a new tip. This one is about when to use quotation marks. This is one of those things that the Chicago Manual of Style is very wishy-washy about, so this is what my boss and I decided: if your reader will get your message (irony, sarcasm) without the quotes, leave them off. So often they're unnecessary, and that can get annoying.
Here's an example. I recently edited a story for someone I know, and I got an e-mail afterward that said, "Thanks for your 'expert' help!" OK. It's possible this person has a weird sense of sarcasm, but it's more likely she's just quote happy. Those quotes there imply that she doesn't trust my judgment, and that she most certainly does NOT think I'm an expert--a slap in the face. Thanks.
So please, save the quotation marks for irony and sarcasm. Reread your sentence, and consider striking them whenever possible. Your reader is probably more clever than you think!
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