๐ป Whatโs that music youโd hear on those Radio 2 confessions?ย Bring it to mind to accompany this post.ย ๐ญ A memory popped into my head this morning.ย And that memory involves an occasion where an error I introduced into a text went to print.ย โ Before you all scratch me from your proofreading Rolodex, know this: I wasContinue reading “POV: You do your best proofreading when you’ve committed your work to its most permanent form. Confessions.”
Tag Archives: editing
Come in. The water’s fine. How working with an editor can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
I reckon signing up with an editor must be like looking at the sea and deciding whether you want to dive in. It could be amazing. It might be awful. I shared with you recently that the next six — now eight! — months are looking really decent for me work-wise. All fiction. Perfect. AllContinue reading “Come in. The water’s fine. How working with an editor can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be that way.”
How 2022 was the year that changed everything. My editing journey.
It’s the end of the year and I’m going to be self-indulgent and reflect on the fact that this was the year that changed everything. Early in 2022, I had a financial story session with Mahmood Reza. We worked out that if I scaled up the editing work I’d been doing part-time, I would beContinue reading “How 2022 was the year that changed everything. My editing journey.”
The best non-fiction I’ve read this year: ‘Dialogue’ by Robert McKee
Ah, this was much harder to decide. But here’s my top NON-FICTION read of the year. (Though I’m not enamoured with your cover, Mr McKee.) I’ve also read McKee’s popular ‘Story’, but I found this one better. It’s less pretentious. More actionable. And thoroughly entertaining. It seems I love learning from non-fiction books with aContinue reading “The best non-fiction I’ve read this year: ‘Dialogue’ by Robert McKee”
Is it OK to end a sentence with a preposition?
Where are you from? ๐ From where are you? ๐ฌ People get themselves in knots trying to avoid ending a sentence with a preposition. Roy Peter Clark comes up with three magic words you can add to avoid this. So that you don’t have to face the horror ๐ฑ of ‘from’ being the last word ofContinue reading “Is it OK to end a sentence with a preposition?”
Is it pole or poll?
Here’s a handy graphic to show the difference.
Is it lay or lie?
๐ Stop the press. At some point I shared my advice on the lie/lay confusable. I thought I did a fairly decent job explaining the difference. BUT! Proper dues to Roy Peter Clark who offers this tip: ๐ก Use the vowel sound to remind you. Lay as in place. And Lie as in recline. That’llContinue reading “Is it lay or lie?”
Is it farmers’ market or farmers market? Assassins’ guild or assassins guild?
What does a farmers market have in common with an assassins guild? Well, I consulted this MW article about the former’s apostrophe (or lack thereof) and wondered whether I could apply the principle to the latter…https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/is-there-an-apostrophe-in-farmers-market-punctuation-possessive “Style guides try to make a distinction between possessive phrases and those that are merely descriptive. Since a farmersContinue reading “Is it farmers’ market or farmers market? Assassins’ guild or assassins guild?”
Is it shrunk or shrank? (Did Honey, I Shrunk The Kids get it wrong?)
Did you know some people consider there to be an error in this film title? The argument goes that it should be called: Honey, I SHRANK the kids. Shrank is the past tense of shrink.* Shrunk is the past participle. If he’d wanted to be all passive and wash his hands of responsibility, Rick MoranisContinue reading “Is it shrunk or shrank? (Did Honey, I Shrunk The Kids get it wrong?)”
Do your research before hiring an editor. Beware false economies.
๐ง๐;๐๐ฅ. ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ต๐ถ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฟ. ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐บ๐ถ๐ฒ๐. ๐ I got a new fridge yesterday and it made me think. Not all edits are created equal… (Bear with me.) Because. Here’s the thing. My new fridge, from the outside, looks a lot like my old fridge. It has the same outward appearance.Continue reading “Do your research before hiring an editor. Beware false economies.”
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