Event / Language & Editing

On January 25, 2020, the Chinese lunar calendar will turn over once again. In preparation for this year’s Spring Festival, I did some research, and prepared a brief history of this important annual event. The Chinese calendar is a complicated and storied institution with uncertain origins, but key points to remember are that years, months, days, and even hours are associated with animal and elemental symbols. These...

Publishing / Editing & Marketing

As an author, you probably think about the relationship you want to have with your readers. After all, you are writing to appeal to your audience, and that fact will influence many decisions you make along your writing journey. But how often do you stop to consider the relationship you may have with your publisher? What if you submit your manuscript to a traditional publisher (rather than choosing...

Writing / Writers Support Group / Usage

There are plenty of different approaches to writing. Some writers like to let the words pour out on the page and clean and shape them later; some outline and structure in detail and then fill in the framework; others might be writing up point-form ideas developed through team work or provided by someone else.   Regardless of style, in non-fiction and argumentative writing a writer needs to take a certain...

Event

It’s the holiday season, and nothing gets party guests feeling as festive as a delicious cocktail! In this quick blog, we’ll share some great recipes for you to try.   First up, TEC blogger Michael shares two of his picks for seasonal cocktails, both using ingredients you might not have tried before: advocaat (an eggy Dutch liqueur) and Lillet (a wine-based aperitif).   “Despite Jack Torrance's appreciation of bourbon and advocaat in The...

Event

The holidays are fast approaching, and recently we started talking about what would be on our “pie in the sky, dreaming big” editorial wish list — what we would ask for if money was no object! Check out what TEC editors are dreaming of this holiday season!     Molly’s Ideal Office Reno If I could ask for anything as an editor, it would be an all-expenses-paid office renovation. I’d have bookcases built into...

Language & Editing

As the world grows dark and cold in the Northern Hemisphere, cultures across the globe gather to drive away the gloom. There are dozens of holidays celebrated around the world in the darkest months of the year, and almost all of them centre on light, warmth, and community. For this week’s blog, I’m going to step away from editing and focus on candles and light in some of...

Event

Days get shorter, nights get longer, and festive winter holiday markets start popping up everywhere. Some holiday markets are understated, and others sprawl down streets, taking over entire city blocks. One doesn’t have to look hard to find holiday markets cropping up. In fact, on November 17th I attended the first one I’ve been to this year.     Christmas Market in the Creek   Christmas Market in the Creek, hosted...

Editing / Grammar / Usage / Style / Editor/writer

November has rolled around again, which can only mean one thing (for students, anyway): midterms and papers are coming up and will be due before the winter break!   We’ve had a flurry of formatting projects at TEC in the last few weeks, and a few of them have involved formatting academic papers. Writing the paper is hard enough, but when it comes to proper formatting, depending on the assigned style...

Usage / Language & Editing

Punctuation marks are the signposts of prose. They indicate what’s important and where to pause. They add rhythm to your sentences. They help your readers follow the twists and turns of your thoughts.   But there are so many different kinds of punctuation marks that it can be tricky to decide which one to choose. Periods and commas are the most common, but trying to write with...

Business / Language & Editing

Chances are, you have had a lot of experience or contact with business writing: compiling expense or business reports, writing up contracts, and crafting proposals. Whether you work for yourself or for a small or large business, many aspects of your job will involve writing. When most people think about "business writing," they probably think of the type of writing I listed above — more formal, structured types of...

Business

We have had a few calls recently from clients looking for help with business writing projects, so we thought we would re-post this timeless blog to help others improve their business writing as well!    *****   Good business writing is clear and succinct. There are no unwanted words. The meaning is delivered with precision. The right tone, correct usage, and elimination of jargon strengthen the message. Rene Cappon, former...

Business

Being a small business owner demands a great deal of dedication and energy. Growing a business has never been easy, and as successful online marketing becomes an increasingly important part of growing a small business, staying informed on the latest business trends becomes similarly important.   There is a wealth of information online for those looking to start or grow a small business so finding websites that curate and consolidate...

Writing / Writers Support Group

When a writer shows her/his work to someone and asks them to read it, there is the inevitable dread that she/he might hear those infamous words, “This is your first draft, right?”   This phrase can be said in two distinct ways. If the person reading your work looks at you and grimaces as she says, “It’s your FIRST draft, RIGHT?” what she really saying is, “This is your first draft,...

Publishing / Editing & Marketing

This week, we took a look at some of our popular archived posts and decided to share this one with you one more time! We hope it helps you achieve your publishing goals, and remember, you can always give us a call if you need guidance.   *****   So, you've finished your manuscript. Congratulations! Now, it's time to think about next steps. If your dream is to be traditionally published,...

Book Reviews / Books And Reading

Recently, Beth saw that the University of Toronto Press would be launching a very interesting book in September: Toronto Trailblazers: Women in Canadian Publishing by Ruth Panofsky. She and I were so intrigued, in fact, that we actually contacted the University of Toronto Press to request a copy for review! I was excited to review this book, which covers a topic that has not gotten much focus or recognition...

Editing / Grammar / Usage / Style / Writing

As anyone who edits (or writes) non-fiction knows, few things are as frustratingly difficult to keep straight as acronyms and initialisms. Two weeks ago, TEC editor Ronnie Morris broke down the difference between, and history and uses of, acronyms and initialisms. For anyone who needs a refresher on what those are, read Ronnie’s blog post on acronyms and initialisms, and then check back in here for some tips...

Publishing

New Canadian authors working without the benefit of representation are probably familiar with House of Anansi and Douglas & McIntyre as being Canadian publishers that continue to accept unsolicited manuscripts. But if you’ve already received rejections from these two houses, don’t give up: there are many independent Canadian publishers that accept unsolicited work. The following list features five up-and-coming Canadian publishers that publish groundbreaking work in a variety...

Editing / Grammar / Usage / Style / Usage

It has been considered a usual style to shorten words in order to save time or space for some time now. Some of us will remember acronyms and initialisms used by bands (XTC, AC/DC, KMFDM, R. E. M. , U2,  the KLF, and the Notorious B. I. G. ), by television shows (M. A. S. ...

Writing / Writers Support Group / Book Reviews / Language & Editing

For academics across disciplines, writing and publishing journal articles is an unavoidable part of professional life. Anyone who’s been or been close to a scholar starting out in their career, struggling to find work, or approaching tenure knows that the need to publish can be a tremendous source of stress. The huge field of journal publishing can seem arbitrary and impersonal, and the connection between quality of thought...

Editing / Editor/writer / Language & Editing / Guest Blogger

Over the years, TEC has grown, acquiring new editors and a new office. One of TEC’s greatest strengths is that its editors work together in the same room, creating a collegiate space of teamwork and collaboration. During my time at TEC, I learned more than I could have imagined by spending my days in a team of outstanding editors. In honour of TEC turning 12 this September,...

Writing / Writers Support Group / Language & Editing / Guest Blogger

Though I can agree with the adage that anyone can write, we seldom take the time to unpack how people come to the writing process. In my world of academia, writing is not a choice but an expectation. Because of this, one has to quickly find their flow and stick to it. Everyone has their own style when it comes to writing. I’ve had the good...

Social Media / Editing & Marketing

As I discuss in my earlier blog, “7 Steps to Writing Good Online Content,” ensuring that your online content meets SEO guidelines will help ensure that your writing gains some publicity, but there’s more to online marketing than just counting your key phrases and checking your subheadings for relevance. Social media gives online writers opportunities to market their content directly to their target demographics, and although Facebook, Twitter, and...

Editing / Grammar / Usage / Style

Although you’re unlikely to find many writers or editors willing to give up the hard copies of their dictionaries or style and usage guides, working as a writer or editor in the 21st century has its perks: the list of reliable online editorial resources gets longer every year. Here’s a great listing to get you started.   Online Style Guides Online bastions of editorial integrity include well-known editorial authorities such as...

Writing / Writers Support Group / Usage / Language & Editing

Our blog series on confusables (a. k. a. , easily mixed up words) has remained popular throughout the years, so we thought we’d revive it and take a look at some more tricky word pairings!     I. e. vs. E. g. These are both Latin abbreviations that we often see switched around. “E. ...