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If you’ve taken a writing class or read a craft book, you’ve probably been told to eliminate or minimise ‘filter words’. But what are they and how do they affect your writing? More importantly, is it ever okay to use them?   In this article, I’ll take a look at common filter words and why they can weaken your writing. I’ll also show you how to correct them and when they might actually be useful.   What are filter words?   Filter words are usually verbs or phrases that show th

We’ve all been there. The file comes back from the editor and … it’s a sea of red (or green or blue). Your first reaction is to curl into the foetal position, watch some trashy TV and then polish off a tub of Connoisseur. (Is that just me?) After the nausea wears off (from the trashy TV), you reluctantly go back to the file. As you review the Track Changes, the panic subsides. You start to realise the editor isn’t out to get you. They’ve made some good points: you missed some

When was the last time you read something that went over your head? Maybe it was a scientific paper at university or an annual report you had to read at work. And let me guess: you tried to stay focused, but it wasn’t long before you lost interest. I'm not surprised. This is what happens when authors write for their peers (or to prove their expertise). But here's the truth: if you're writing a book, your peers aren’t your primary market. While they may read your content, they

For a profession that prides itself on catching errors, here's a hard truth: editors can’t guarantee perfection. That's right, we're fallible. The best we can do is catch about 95 per cent of errors .   That’s probably not what you want to hear as an author, but when you consider the fact that editors catch hundreds or even thousands of errors, depending on the length of the manuscript, that’s pretty good.   In the meantime, a lot of authors complain about missed errors. A ro

After you’ve written the last chapter of your book, there’s one more hurdle to jump: the book conclusion. But what should it include? And...

Unless you work in publishing or marketing, you’ve probably never used a style guide. You just write up your report or email and send it off – and that’s fine! Short documents usually have minimal style requirements, particularly if they're simple and only have one reader. But if you’re writing for a wider audience or you want to get published, it helps to follow a style guide. In fact, if you’re an author or content writer, editors will usually ask about your preferred style

There seems to be a divide in the editing community when it comes to marking up pages: some editors make silent edits while others track all changes. So which is best practice? And does it matter? Two years ago, I worked with an author who was burnt by silent changes. The copyeditor of their previous book had made executive changes that weren’t flagged or negotiated. The author only noticed when they were reviewing the pages at the end. As a result, they had to check the enti

When it comes to self-publishing, editing is a no-brainer. You need to get your book in the best shape possible before publication, and that means getting developmental editing, copyediting and proofreading. But how important is it if you’re submitting to a literary agent or publisher? Are you blowing money on a service that isn’t necessary, or could it help you stand out? Well, like most things in publishing, it depends. To help you decide if you should hire an editor before

As a non-fiction editor, I read a lot of book introductions (and I mean A LOT). Whether they’re long or short, detailed or brief, they...

I tend to work with book publishers, so the non-fiction books I work on are finished. In other words, they’ve been through a...

Editors always talk about the importance of self-editing. But it's not just about catching typos and spelling errors. Sure, that’s part of it, but it’s not the full picture. Self-editing goes much deeper. It involves analysing, rearranging, rewriting, correcting and, often, killing your darlings. And it should be a part of every writer’s process. But how do you do it – and when? Well, there’s no right or wrong when it comes to self-editing, but certain best practices can impr

So you’ve finished your non-fiction book. Congratulations! Now it’s time to send it to a copyeditor. Well, not so fast. There are a few...

I started charging for sample edits a few years ago. Before that, I used to do them for free (because I thought they’d win me the job)....

When I was training to become an editor, our instructor gave us a writing sample to edit in class. I remember whipping through it:...

A while back, I proofread a book that was full of ellipses. If the manuscript hadn’t already been typeset, I would’ve asked the author to expunge them – mercilessly. I did my best to correct them without messing with the layout, but it was tough. And I’m sure it was a nightmare for the poor desk editor who had to take in those corrections. But it’s not the first time I’ve seen red over ellipses. I had a manager who used them with wild abandon. Their emails had more ellipses t

I’ve been on both sides of the editing fence. Not only have I edited other people’s work, but I’ve also had my own writing edited. When I...

A few years ago, I was asked to copyedit a 50,000-word book in 24–48 hours. At first I thought it was a joke – or an error (did they mean 5,000 words?). It wasn’t. They were dead serious. It was a full copyedit, with a dizzying list of requirements. Well, it should come as no surprise that I politely declined. Copyediting is a marathon, not a sprint. The faster you go, the more errors you miss – or make! A copyedit should be slow, thoughtful and attentive. When it’s rushed or

One of the first jobs I got when I started freelancing again (yes, this is my second run!) was a website copyedit. The client accepted my...

Editors often bang on about the importance of sample edits. But once you’ve got one (or three), how do you evaluate them?   The truth is,...

I’m a foodie. So it should come as no surprise that I used to work for a food publisher (I love test kitchens!) and that I still edit...