By chunking the editorial tasks, we focus our attention and our decisions, resulting in maximum speed and efficacy.
Category: substantive / stylistic editing
“Plain Language” Editing Isn’t about Using Simple Words
Easy reading is the goal of most editors. Plain Language is a popular and respected set of principles that focus on structure as well as
Edit Faster! Triage for the Eight-minute Editor
Sometimes there just isn’t time (or budget, or even commitment) to fix everything. Here are the edits (in order) that will help them avoid embarrassment and move the piece in the direction of perfection even if it can’t go all the way.
The Art of the Author Memo
Summarize next steps for the manuscript and get the writer to do their part, with an author memo.
How to Learn Structural Editing
Reading list to develop skills in structural/developmental editing.
Thesaurus Magic in MS Word
Can’t figure out the writer’s intent? Thesaurus to the rescue! Today, in my How To column at Copyediting.com I show you the ins and outs of MS
Illiteracy Might Surprise You
Only 13% of adults can read and compare two essays. What does that mean for editing? Who are we serving? Today, in my How To column at
Fiction Editors: On Demand Training
Whether you’re just starting to dip your fingers into this creative realm or wanting to refresh or expand your skill set, these courses by experts
Alternatives to Paragraphs
A big block of text can be impenetrable to the reader. But there are techniques we can use to make the prose easier to take
Create a Figures Log
Whether because the team is small or because the process is compressing, tracking figures can fall into the editor’s domain. Today, in my How To column at