Author Archive

As a writer, you are going to be edited. That is a simple fact. Learning how to deal with it is part of the business. It can help to remember that you shouldn’t take it personally. Editors edit for a variety of reasons including: to match the tone of the publication, to shorten a piece, or...
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Question:   Who said, “I am not the editor of a newspaper and shall always try to do right and good so that God will not make me one”?   Answer: Mark Twain
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As a writer it can often help to get another pair of eyes on something that you are working on, but this can also be true if you are an editor. Sometimes you will have copy that you are struggling with, or personal issues will be competing for your attention, making it hard to focus. In...
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Good editors are always looking to improve on their work and reading is a great way to do it. There are many different tips on editing that you can learn from, and I have found one resource I really enjoy on the web that offers “ten tips for effective editing”. For new editors this is a great read...
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One great tip for editing a difficult piece is to print it out and make notes on the document itself. Sometimes this can cause you to find things that you otherwise might pass right over. This can be a good idea for highly technical pieces or for days that you are just not feeling...
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If you are trying to work with Microsoft Word and track changes while you edit, you may need some help. Look at the online page designed to do just that at Microsoft for some tips. This is also a great resource for writers who get documents back from an editor with suggested changes. Regardless of which side of the desk you...
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If you are asked to follow the Chicago Manual of Style, you can either buy a copy or subscribe online. Sometimes having things at your fingertips on the web can be more convenient than looking them up in a book. Take a look and see if this type of reference works for you.
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You can never have too many editing resources, but that said, this is one you don’t want to miss. Purdue Univeristy has a collection of resources called the OWL (Online Writing Lab) that is just fantastic. Look here for information on proofreading your work.
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When you will be the only person to edit a piece before it goes to its final destination, you have to make sure you can catch any mistakes. Self-editing can be a difficult task, and if you want to do it well there is no substitute for reading out loud. Reading aloud makes you look...
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If you are a writer that doesn’t understand common proofreading symbols, it might be time to learn. Not all editors use them, but if you run into one that does, it can really help if you understand what they are trying to tell you. Check out this resource to learn some of the basics. Whether you are writing...
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