It’s National Grammar Day (well, it is in the US, anyway), so amuse yourself with some fun blogs devoted to the subject. This post by Copyediting has several fun suggestions.
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Author Archives: copyeditcat
Copy Editor Close-Up
For insight into the work of a copy editor, check out this interview with copy editor Susan Bradanini Betz. The interviewer is writer Edan Lepucki, who has been copy edited by Betz. I particularly appreciated what Betz had to say about being aware of a writer’s style and what the writer is trying to accomplish.… Continue Reading
My Preventive Medicine is Better than Your Preventative Medicine
I came across a post by Grammar Girl today, which discussed the use of two pairs of words: preventive vs. preventative orient vs. orientate Grammar Girl says they’re both correct, but for Americans the shorter words preventive and orient are more common. I’d concur for Canadians — COD equates the words. CP style, however, stipulates… Continue Reading
The Thesis Edit
Do you want your thesis professionally edited but don’t know where to start? Both the Editors’ Association of Canada (Editors Canada) and your university provide guidelines for editing theses. In the publication “Guidelines for Ethical Editing of Theses/Dissertations,” Editors Canada suggests you obtain written permission from your thesis supervisor before hiring an editor, and a… Continue Reading
Find Your Next Good Read — But Not on Goodreads
I’m currently reading Ali Smith’s There but for the, which is one of those books you can’t put down — mainly because Smith’s writing is such a pleasure. Her writing is creative without defaulting to affectation. For me, there’s nothing so tiresome as a relentless display of creativity with the written word — a creativity… Continue Reading
Editors and Writers: Tech Your Work to the Next Level
Who doesn’t love their tech? Editors and writers are no exception. Check out these cool toys: Square Reader – Need a convenient method of payment to hawk your published content at book readings and fairs? Look no further than this device that allows you to accept payments with your mobile phone or tablet. Usito –… Continue Reading
Falling Upward: No Editing Required
I attended a book study on Richard Rohr’s Falling Upward this afternoon. (I wrote a post about Rohr’s book previously.) Group members discussed “Chapter 4: The Tragic Sense of Life.” The tragic sense of life results from the realization that life is more about disorder and flaws than it is about order and perfection. Accepting… Continue Reading
The Oxford Comma
Ah, the Oxford comma: some love it, some hate it. I use it, but I have no problem dropping it when required by a style guide. However, there are some instances when the Oxford comma is indeed needed for clarity: (From blogher.com: Gifts for Grammar Geeks.)
Words: Discovery and Depth
I love writers who introduce me to new words (I’m looking at you, Rex Murphy and Conrad Black). I recently discovered the word irenic (“no irenic third way”) in a well written and well researched article by Reverend Joe Boots in Jubilee, a local magazine. (Sorry about the magazine cover — it’s absolutely execrable.) Irenic… Continue Reading
Coming Soon: Copyeditcat.com
I’m building a website for CopyEditCat Editorial Services. That’s right: I’m building it. So it might not be live for awhile. 🙂 But I’ve bought my domain name, and I’m piling on the bricks to build this baby as fast as I can. It’s fun to be the wizard pulling the levers behind the curtain.… Continue Reading