Editing – Page 2

3 Things You’d Be Surprised to Learn about Your Editor

May 10, 2018 by jhagey

Last weekend I attended my second PENCON - Proofreaders and Editors Network Conference. Billed as the only such conference for editors in Christian publishing, the conference is an opportunity to network and hone our editing skills. By our own admission, many editors are introverts, so you may be surprised that we’re into networking. Despite my own preference for anonymity, connecting with others who share my interest in accurate punctuation, grammar, and usage energizes me. It’s always reassuring to know that other editors struggle with the same insecurities and uncertainties that I do.

Is There an Echo in Here?

April 9, 2018 by jhagey

Some years ago, a discount department store ran an ad in which two similarly dressed persons appeared. The announcer—in a loud, annoying voice—called out article after article: a dress shirt from a high-priced department store compared to a similar shirt from the discount store. “It’s the same thing.” After each item—the slacks, the tie, the shoes—he repeated in the increasingly obnoxious tone, “It’s the same thing.”

Don’t be confused by

January 2, 2018 by jhagey

Run across something you're confused by? Drop me a line and I'll respond directly - or with a post.

Great Expectations for 2016

January 11, 2016 by Judy

The Thanksgiving Day announcement that we are to become grandparents has me facing this new year with a mix of eagerness and anxiety I’ve not experienced since my own first pregnancy.

Take a Deep Breath

May 1, 2014 by Judy

Judging from this sign I saw recently on a computer terminal at an eatery, I’m not the only one who has to stop and think about when to use breath and when breathe is the right choice.

When a Question isn’t Really a Question

April 24, 2014 by Judy

Not every question requires a question mark. Trust me.

Don’t Let Scare Quotes Scare You

April 17, 2014 by Judy

I recently edited a paper that included an inordinate number of scare quotes. The writer may have thought he was doing readers a favor by placing quotation marks around a word he was introducing or using in an unusual or nontraditional way. But really, it was just plain scary the number of times they were used.

603 Reasons I’m an Editor

April 7, 2014 by Judy

That’s the number of footnotes in the academic paper I finished editing over the weekend.

Word of the Week – niggle

June 12, 2013 by Judy

Niggle is an onomatopoetic word—one of several in the English language that sound like their meaning. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the original British meaning of niggle referred to small, cramped handwriting. I suppose trying to read such writing could be niggling.