Have you ever wondered what impression you make on potential clients when they first see anything about you, the editor? First impressions In Gauteng, a few of us were keen to find out a little more about making a good impression. We joined forces to brave the...
I signed up for a grammar course. I know my English isn’t perfect and I can edit fairly well, but I also know that if someone asked me to explain each and every edit, I wouldn’t be able to do that effectively. I cannot always label all the rules or reasons for my...
Much trouble can be avoided if we editors are mindful of adequate contracting with clients. This starts at the first ‘hello’ and ends with the final ‘thank you’. Take two minutes to remind yourself of the following: Quotations: When you quote, be sure to include...
Being a top-notch editor isn't just about red pens and grammar rules. It's about emotional intelligence, understanding our authors and making the editing journey a valuable experience for everyone involved. In the dynamic world of publishing and editing, effective...
Plagiarism on the grand scale has been made more and more tempting and easy for lazy [writers] by people who provide whole essays on all manner of subjects on the web. – Manning Murphy (2019) To understand the nature of plagiarism, it is useful to consider the origin...
Debating accreditation: This was the title of a contribution by the PEG newsletter editor at the time, André Snyders, in the edition dated November 2007. How far we have come. And how long it has taken! Sixteen years on, the questions regarding whether or not we need...
I recently came across Alexis Grewan’s four-part series, which was posted between November 2021 and January 2022. This post will add my contribution as a follow-on to Alexis’ excellent series. For those who missed her posts, here are the links:...
Editors and websites This straightforward guide by Debbie Emmitt certainly helped me improve my editor website. Debbie is a copy editor and author with over 20 years of experience in web content. She brings together all of her skills in this tidy and easy-to-read...
I tried to find points of reference for this topic (the author's voice) and there were not any in my usual go-to sources. This suggests that the author’s voice is something that cannot be easily quantified or taught in a few easy steps. Maintaining the author's voice...
Your first few jobs as an editor can feel daunting and you may have questions about how best to tackle the initial paperwork so that the project starts without a hitch. Below are six tips to help you to quote efficiently and make sure that the client’s and the...