Editing / Grammar / Usage / Style

The most common mistakes with grammar often involve seemingly simple things. In English, possession is indicated using an apostrophe and, usually, an added “s. ” But maybe because spoken English doesn’t mark the difference between plurals and possessions, such as in “dogs” and “dog’s,” it is common even for experienced writers to make mistakes. This blog reviews some of the basic rules that can help you avoid these...

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 / Grammar / Usage / Style / Usage

In 2009, “unfriend” was the Oxford American Dictionary’s Word of the Year, leading to teeth-gnashing of grammar purists across the world. How could this be? How did “unfriend” become a word at all, when “friend,” until not so long ago, wasn’t even a verb, but merely someone with whom you enjoyed spending time?   The English language, like all languages, is constantly evolving. “Unfriend” may still seem strange to us,...

Business

In a blog post I wrote in 2013, “3 Professionals Every Entrepreneur Needs in Their Corner,” I noted that when an entrepreneur launches a new business, they must have three good professionals in their corner — a good bookkeeper, a good accountant, and a good lawyer. I was fortunate enough to find these three professionals and start a working relationship with them early on in the business. I continue...

Event / Books And Reading

Whether the instigating factor in a book-banning campaign is religion, sexual expression, “anti-establishment attitudes,” or some other vague concern, books may as well be picked at random for all of the consistency with which campaigns to ban them are approached.   Freedom to Read Week (February 24 to March 2, 2019) continues its 35-year fight against book-banning campaigns by reminding the book-buying public that the censors are still at work, even...

Event / Books & Libraries

Cities across Canada are celebrating #BlackHistoryMonth with film screenings, gallery exhibitions, dance parties, and galas. If you’re wondering what kind of events are happening in your city, we’ve helpfully compiled a list of some of the events you can attend this month.     VANCOUVER Vancouver offers a diverse array of events for all kinds of interests. Starting on February 5th, The Vancouver Film Festival is showcasing a series of...

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...

Book Reviews

As the subtitle suggests, Rachel Toor's Write Your Way In (University of Chicago Press, 2018) is a book about writing an application to an American undergraduate institution (what we’d call “universities” on this side of the border). In fact, it is mainly about just one part of the application: a short personal essay that is meant to introduce the person behind the academic and extracurricular achievements detailed in the rest of...

Office Happenings / Social Media & Community

If you’re thinking about holiday gifts for the editor in your life, look no further! This gift guide is your ultimate resource for picking out that special something to make even the most professional editor put that red pen down!   The Editors Canada Calendar   This calendar has become an absolute favourite at the TEC office. We have one in every room! The calendar has a simple, yet charming design. Some pages...

Office Happenings / Social Media & Community

It’s an exciting time in the TEC office — we have our new working space set up, our new website is launched, and our new editor is joining our team. And to top it off, we are welcoming back our Week of Indulgences to celebrate the holidays, December 17 to 21!   We first celebrated the TEC Week of Indulgences in 2016. We each brought in baked treats, opened up...

Office Happenings / Social Media & Community

It has been quite the whirlwind of a year at TEC! We’ve had a lot of changes throughout 2018, many of which have culminated just within the last few months. At times it seemed overwhelming, but now that the dust is settling, we’re back in the game and eager to get back to helping all our clients, and clients yet to come.   A New Office  Perhaps the biggest change this...

Business

We have had a few calls recently from clients looking for help with business writing projects, so we thought we would repost 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...

Editing

  Citing sources from the internet is something most academic writers do all the time; papers can be written without consulting a single sheet of paper. But citing web sources seems to be a continuing source of confusion, trouble, and headache.   Dynamic Development Part of the confusion comes from how citation styles have developed alongside the internet: no one knew exactly what place web sources would take in academic work, so...

Language & Editing

Inclusive writing is often confused with politically correct writing, but political correctness isn’t an author’s main goal when writing inclusively. Instead, inclusive writing seeks to limit reader alienation by avoiding the use of phrases and terms that include some demographics at the expense of excluding others.   When writing inclusively, a glossary of politically correct and incorrect terms could be used as a reference, but this glossary would act as...

Books And Reading

    The summer is drawing to a close, but that doesn’t mean the festivities are over! For booklovers out there, you’ll be happy to know that a number of literary festivals are only beginning to kick into high gear. Check out our list of FREE Toronto festivals you should check out before the summer’s up!  Pivot Reading Series – SEPTEMBER 13 8:00–10:00 PM Tranzac Club Donations are accepted   The Pivot Reading series is...

Book Reviews

Have you heard of any strange or amusing idioms, or perhaps have one you like to use? At TEC, we’re always interested in wordplay, so we were excited when we recently received an unexpected package at the office — a large envelope from Simon & Schuster Canada filled with pre-publication copies of Watch Your Tongue: What Our Everyday Sayings and Idioms Figuratively Mean by Mark Abley. We loved the...

EBook Technology & Services

Recently, Beth and I were able to partake in a webinar put on by Editors Canada, entitled “The Editor’s Place in Ebook Development. ” It was a fantastic learning experience, and the host, Kevin Callahan of BNGO Books, was a great teacher with a lot of knowledge to pass on to us. Here are some of the things we picked up from the webinar.   E-book or Epub? One of the...

Usage

    For centuries, questions of proper usage have provided editorial professionals fodder for debate. Although publishers’ styles are often defined by usage rules, such as never ending a sentence with a preposition, when exposed to a bit of research these rules are often revealed as illogical modern constraints placed on the historically flexible English language. That said, there are some usage rules that even staunch descriptivists must respect when...

Editing

  The publishing world has well-developed rules and guidelines for describing and citing work that exists as printed text. Things can be less clear for a writer when dealing with other kinds of cultural production. Visual art works, for instance, pose particular questions and challenges.   Description as Interpretation and Framing No matter how we go about describing the visual in words, the process inevitably involves imposing a certain way of...

Social Media / Editing & Marketing

Being good at social media is important for everyone. And I mean everyone. From Starbucks to The Editing Company to your own personal account—recognizing the potential of a robust social media presence is key! For the rare breed of niche and underground businesses, not having some or all social media could potentially be a component of their brand. For the rest of us, social media efficiently tackles...

Usage

    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...

Event

If you're looking for an intimate one-person show, a Mirvish-level musical, or a production somewhere between the two, Toronto is a great place to catch any kind of show. With a number of different venues and theatre companies to choose from, it can be difficult to see even half of the productions on offer each year.   The Big Names However, quality live theatre isn't confined by the boundaries of the...