E is for Editing


EDITING

 The internet is full of editors and proofreaders who can polish your prose and proof your resumes. And for high-stakes projects, it is great to be able to hire someone to help you out.

 But.

 Most of us can't afford to hire someone to look over everything that we write. That means we have to develop a basic proficiency on our own, lest we be at a disadvantage in this ever competitive world we live in.

 That's the bad news. The good news is that there are lots of things that you can do on your own to strengthen your editing and writing skills.  

 Read up

 There are some wonderful grammar & style books that are also a lot of fun to read:

 Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, by Lynne Truss
The Deluxe Transitive Vampire, by Karen Elizabeth Gordon.
Sin & Syntax by Constance Hale
When You Catch an Adjective, Kill It, by Ben Yagoda
Woe is I by Patricia T. Connor 

 OK, not so fun, but the style bible for many is the Chicago Manual:

 The Chicago Manual of Style 
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html 

The Elements of Style by Strunk & White is also a classic. 

These websites offer great tips: 

 sinandsyntax 
copy blogger
lifehacker
English grammar 101


Mignon Fogarty is a grammar goddess. She just is. Check her out. You'll see.

 www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl

Mignon also does podcasts for NPR-- learn more here:     
 Wiki Mignon


Take a class
Classes can be expensive. If you need the structure, though, it might be worth investing in a writing class or two. Otherwise, if you are disciplined enough to do the lessons on your own, there are lots of free options:

 https://www.coursera.org/learn/grammar-punctuation

 Coursera is one of the giants of free online education. I've only linked the grammar class here, but they have other writing classes worth investigating, too.

 Check out Khan Academy, Ted X & Stanford:

 www.khanacademy.org/humanities/grammar 

ed.ted.com/lessons/grammar

 online.stanford.edu/courses

 Other interesting links: 

10_Universities_Offering_Free_Writing_Courses_Online

 tuition free classes about grammar

 https://alison.com/courses/English-Grammar

 Free_Online_Editing_Courses_

mit.edu/comparative-media-studies-writing

 And lastly, of course, not free but so affordable it might as well be--new classes begin every week at Writers' Village:

writersvillage.com

 Writing groups

 Join a writing group, or grab some friends and start your own. There are lots of groups online, just do a Google search and you'll find many options. Give yourself time to find the right one. Sometimes it takes a little while to find the perfect fit, but it's worth it. We learn so much from critiquing others and being critiqued. 

 Bonus: you might find a fellow writer who is willing to occasionally read your high-stakes work in exchange for your help when they need it.

 Developing editorial style
 
Editing is such a critical part of the writing experience, and yet, explaining the basics is like trying to tell someone how to write. There are many different ways to do it, some of them contradictory, and that's ok. You will develop your own style as you write, and your own editorial process. 

Comments

  1. BobbieTalesApril 6, 2016 at 10:34 PM

    I need an editor, for all the small and short and long stuff I write -- too hard to find one, so I just go with my nemesis, my lack of spelling skills - or I would be inside a jail ran by by critic. GREAT POST!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mary BApril 7, 2016 at 2:58 AM

    This is fantastic! I've often thought about going into editing and wondered what all I would need to do to get started.

    Mary
    #AtoZChallenge F is for Fitzgerald

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beth CampApril 7, 2016 at 6:59 AM

    The first editing book I turn to for its very useful discussion, positive tone, and amazing revision checklists is MANUSCRIPT MAKEOVER by Elizabeth Lyon. I like your post too for the many strategies and resources it offers. Now back to edit, edit, edit!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sati ChockApril 7, 2016 at 5:19 PM

      Ah, that's a good one, Beth. Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  4. sageApril 7, 2016 at 9:01 AM

    Eat, Shoots and Leaves is a very funny book that does remind us of what's important when it comes to grammar.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Rosa Temple WritesApril 7, 2016 at 11:15 AM

    Writing is, fun, exciting, satisfying and it can certainly be expensive. I think it's always worth paying for a proofreader, though. Thanks for sharing some useful links!
    Rosa
    @RosaT_Author
    Rosa Temple writes...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sati ChockApril 7, 2016 at 5:20 PM

      Re the proofreader--I totally agree for important projects, def. a good idea!

      Delete

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