Editing / Editor/writer / Technology / Editing & Technologies

Picture this: you’re an author who has just sent your first manuscript off to an editor for a professional copy edit. Eventually, the editor returns the manuscript to you, you open the file with excitement, and you see…a sea of red marks?   If you’ve written a document — be it a book, a research report, or an article — and you’re working with an editor for the first time, your first introduction...

Editing / Editor/writer

For our blog just a few weeks ago I was asked about the best piece of editing advice I ever received. I had actually only recently had an epiphany about this, so I replied without hesitation: “Remember, it’s not your book. ” The same might be said about any writing format, but it was this phrase in particular that rang in my head when the penny finally dropped. ...

Editing / Editor/writer

Here at The Editing Company, we occasionally have to answer a familiar question from an inquiring caller: “How can you guarantee perfection?” This is an excellent question, and one I’d like to take a few minutes to discuss.     How Can We Guarantee Perfection?   Well, the short answer is that perfection cannot be guaranteed—a fact that holds true for pretty much every other profession out there (and life in general, actually). ...

Editing / Style / Editor/writer / Language & Editing

Spring is here, and as the trees start to bud, and the snowdrops and crocuses start to poke their green tips out of the dirt, it’s hard not to think about growth, in all senses of the word. At TEC, this got us thinking – as we’ve grown as editors, picking up knowledge and tips along the way, what is the most important piece of advice we’ve kept in...

Editing / Editor/writer / Publishing

As an editor, remaining empathetic and sensitive to the author's needs will always be important. So, we decided to revisit this blog from earlier in the year!   ***   Editing training can teach you many things – grammar intricacies, plotting, structuring, developing proper flow, etc. But there’s more to being an editor than just correcting commas and restructuring sentences.   A big part of being a good editor is knowing how to...

Editing / Editor/writer

Editing training can teach you many things – grammar intricacies, plotting, structuring, developing proper flow, etc. But there’s more to being an editor than just correcting commas and restructuring sentences.   A big part of being a good editor is knowing how to develop relationships with the authors you work with. Like any working relationship, it’s important to conduct yourself a certain way. Relationship-building is the lens through...

Editing / Style / Editor/writer / Publishing / Proofreading

Editorial work entails a variety of different jobs. These include substantive editing, line editing, and proofreading. Because the process of editorial work occurs largely through written exchanges — through emails and through editorial comments left in the manuscript’s margin, for example — it’s critical that writers and editors share a common glossary of editorial terms.   Editorial work, like work in most industries, employs an ever-expanding list of technical...

Editing / Usage / Style / Editor/writer

In this week's blog, we decided to share some of the most basic editing rules that editors must remember to follow, regardless of what type of text they're working with.     Do No Harm Perhaps the most important rule in editing is this: do not introduce errors into the text you are working with! If a text requires a lot of markup and heavy editing, sometimes it can be easy to miss...

Editing / Editor/writer

At TEC, we work with our clients to organize, edit, and lay out their documents – which are short publications like information guides, professional CVs, and resource/information booklets. But how exactly does that work? How can we translate their idea of what they want into something that we can understand and thus recreate? Well, we have a system that helps us do that.   Model Mentoring Guide: A Case Study   We...

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...

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,...

Editing / Editor/writer / Event

Editors Canada’s website describes its mission statement thus, “Editors Canada promotes professional editing as a key in producing effective communication. ” This admirably concise mandate describes well the Association’s ongoing efforts to promote the fine art of editing. This 1,300-member professional editorial membership group didn’t spring up overnight, though.   What started in 1979 as a loosely knit but fiercely dedicated group of 50 or so Toronto-area editors has evolved...

Editing / Editor/writer / Publishing

A famous editor might sound like a contradiction in terms to some, but for those plugged into the literary world there are a few names that pop up time and again. In the past, as with many professions, most well-known editors’ names have historically been those of men, but thanks in part to the pioneering efforts of some very intelligent and driven women, there are now more well-known editorial...

Editing / Editor/writer

There are many myths out there about the editing profession, and there are many myths about editors. An editor is many things, so we know that what we do can be confusing to someone who has written a manuscript and is considering looking for an editor. Some of the more common myths stem from not understanding the editing process and what the role of the editor is. ...

Editing / Grammar / Usage / Style / Editor/writer

January is the time of year when we begin hearing from students who need help with their dissertations, theses, and papers. To help them out, we're revisiting this blog from TEC's archives on how to craft a reverse outline! ***** Could your academic writing use a good de-cluttering?   While doing structural editing for a client—especially with graduate students’ theses or dissertations—I’ve often found myself using the same little trick when faced with...

Editing / Grammar / Usage / Style / Editor/writer

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...

Editing / Editor/writer

Did you know that for TEC's tenth anniversary, we are running a promotion where you can get a free consultation with our Senior Editor, Beth, to discuss your project? (Email us to sign up!) It's a fantastic opportunity to get some guidance on advancing your project, what kind of editing it will need, and ways you can make your writing better.   So come on in to see us -- we'd...

Editing / Editor/writer

  In the last “Ask the Editor” blog, I talked about bringing an editor on board before you’ve even started writing the book, and I pointed out how using your editor in this way can help make your book better from the first word you write. If that struck a chord with you, read on!    This week, I’ll be talking about how you, as an author, can prepare for your first...

Editing / Editor/writer

We posted this blog in 2015, but the information below is timeless! If you're looking to write a book, or have started already, reaching out to an editor is a great way to ensure your manuscript stays on track.   ***   So, you want to write a book. You’ve got the idea in your head, and a vague plan of how to move forward. But how do you get started? Finding...

Editing / Editor/writer

Recently, we posted our second eBook publication, The Author's Guide to the Pre-Publishing Editing Process. In this blog and a few to follow, we want to offer a few insights that are included in the guide. Insights that can help you work your way through the editing process. You can download the full Guide here.   Keeping Control of Your Work during the Editorial Process When an author is...

Editing / Editor/writer

Here at The Editing Company, we occasionally have to answer a familiar question from an inquiring caller: “How can you guarantee perfection?” This is an excellent question, and one I’d like to take a few minutes to discuss.     How Can We Guarantee Perfection? Well, the short answer is that perfection cannot be guaranteed—a fact that holds true for pretty much every other profession out there (and life in general, actually). ...

Editing / Editor/writer

  Editing. It sounds like a simple process, but what many people don’t realize is there are actually a few types of editing that aim to accomplish different things. The different levels involved are: copy editing, stylistic editing, and more in-depth substantive editing. You may not always need every level of editing on your work, but the one that is needed most often is copy editing. But what is...

Editing / Editor/writer

Editors and writers: some see them as bitter enemies, some describe a beautiful partnership—and some say that editors are just writers who’ve given up. It’s common to hear that you can be an editor or a writer—but never both!   I’d like to protest that. You can certainly be both … and you might be already.   As many famous writer-types have said, “Good writing is rewriting. ” Editing is inherent...