Just when you thought you had a handle on the English language, more than 1,000 new words get added to the dictionary. This was Merriam-Webster's announcement yesterday: Just as the English language constantly grows, so does the dictionary. More than one thousand new words have been added, … [Read more...]
Updated Professional Editorial Standards from Editors Canada
There is precious little standardization in the editing profession; we don’t even have consistency in what each phase of editing is called. Ironic, for an industry tasked with delivering clear and consistent communication. Only two or three professional organizations have even undertaken to detail … [Read more...]
Bullet Journal Your Way to Better Time Management
Last month, I attended a now-annual business retreat with my mastermind group (affectionately known as The Quad). It’s a great way to review our businesses and create goals for the coming year. One item we all struggle with is time management, particularly for large projects or tasks we’ve been … [Read more...]
Editing with Bated Breath
"Have you heard about the cat who ate some cheese, breathed into a mouse hole, and waited with baited breath?" Logodaedalist and former Punster of the Year Richard Lederer posted this little joke back in 2014. The obvious comedy here is the depiction of a preternaturally intelligent feline using … [Read more...]
7 Themes & 5 Means for Raising Clients Right
Struggling with your resolution to get better editing assignments? Here are three approaches that will net you assignments with better pay, interest, joy, or career advancement. One way to improve the average is to cull your client list. Another way is to resolve to say no to assignments that don’t … [Read more...]
Study Your Work Habits to Increase Productivity
How you start your day often dictates how it continues on—firefighting notwithstanding. Last week I shared my approach to email in the morning, which goes against some productivity experts’ advice. This week I’ll share the rest of my daily routine. As always, productivity tips aren’t one size fits … [Read more...]
Alternative Conventions for Numbers
One of the first questions copy editors seek an answer to when they begin a new project is which convention to use for numbers. With some exceptions, AP Style is to spell out whole numbers zero through nine and use numerals for numbers 10 and up. Chicago style is to spell out zero through one … [Read more...]
Editing the Academic Voice
It’s important to let the experts talk their talk. Good use of industry-standard language is important to the author’s credibility. “Every group expects its members to show that they accept its values by adopting its distinctive voice,” writes Joseph Williams’ Style.* But that doesn’t mean the … [Read more...]