In our last article on technology for editors we looked at the basic components of a computer and the main differences between a desktop and a laptop computer. This article highlights some of the main problems you might experience with a laptop that indicate it may...
In support of the efforts of Alexis Grewan, our national chairperson, to work towards greater diversity and inclusion in PEG, I offer my thoughts on what this means for PEG and its members and what it requires of all of us as professional language practitioners. PEG...
Collective nouns and the nouns they describe can be either singular or plural. Plural collectives describing singular nouns The words in bold italic font below are a curiously troublesome type of collective noun and usually, when they are plural, the nouns that follow...
Singular subjects must have singular verbs, and plural subjects must have plural verbs. A singular subject + of + a plural object . What misleads many an author and some editors is those constructions where the true subject of a sentence is singular but it is...
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...
In a recent coffee conversation with PEG members, we discussed technology and how it could be used better to help us get our work done more efficiently. A number of questions were raised which prompted me to put together a series of blog posts on this mysterious...
Formatting makes it much easier for me to work with the document, it looks professional, and it is much easier for the examiners to navigate (Richard Steele, 2023). In my last blog, I shared my 14-step formatting checklist and how to work through steps 1 to 6: Open...
Why copy editors mull over sentence structure and composition Subject, verb, object (subject + predicate) – may seem like an obvious order for many people, but recognising how words are strung together and in what order they should be placed adds depth and quality to...
We asked PEG members with a particular interest in Plain Language – and a long commitment as PEG members – their thoughts on Plain Language. This blog post is a collaborative effort of several PEG members: it takes us back and brings us forward as we continue to...
We have all met the development of ChatGPT with a mixture of interest, awe, distrust and mild hysteria. What an incredible feat that a group of software engineers have created generative artificial intelligence (AI) that can mine information in the digital public...
Richard Steele said in his recent blog about his take on academic referencing: Formatting “makes it much easier for me to work with the document, it looks professional, and it is much easier for the examiners to navigate … this is a technical issue, not an academic...
Let’s face it: working remotely can be lonely. Yes, we love the independence and flexibility that being a freelance editor or proofreader allows, but there may still be times when we feel isolated while we work alone in our carefully organised home offices. So, how...
It’s the bravery – the courageous stepping into the unknown – that now delights me. There was a time when pedantry could have been my middle name. When misplaced apostrophes, caps strewn among non-proper-noun words with abandon, misspelling, and incorrect use of words...
We took some time away from the business of copy-editing to hear from Hester von Wielligh, a member of PEG since 2006, about her thoughts and her experiences as a long-standing member of the Guild. She, too, is celebrating PEG’s 30th anniversary. Hester is one of...
I have been a supervisor and an examiner of academic texts but am now an editor of academic texts. I offer my services in academic editing because I want the student’s (and the university’s) efforts to be honoured with a well packaged product. This post explains a...
To me, part of the beauty of a comma is that it offers a rest, like one in music: a break that gives the whole piece of music greater shape, deeper harmony. It allows us to catch our breath (Pico Iyer). This post gives the comma its due regard and highlights its...
The Professional Editors' Guild has a high standard of ethics and codes of conduct. Code of Conduct, March 2021 Constitution, amended June 2022 Data Privacy Policy, June 2021 Data Privacy Statement, August 2021 Organogram, 2022 PEG Operators and POPI Guidelines Using...
1994 | In the beginning Almost since its inception, the Professional Editors’ Guild (PEG) has been committed to keeping its members updated and informed through publications. PEG’s first newsletter was a five-page paper document that highlighted events and news...
PerfectIt is a customisable software program offered by Intelligent Editing to check many kinds of consistency: spelling, abbreviations, quotation marks, capitalisation... Since the application of consistency is at the core of all editing, it is an essential tool for...
What you charge depends on what type of editing or proofreading service you are offering and how much your client is willing to pay. The more work you do, the more you can charge. Unfortunately, there are conflicting ideas about what is a fair rate. PEG members should...