I’ve posted before about enjoying Ali Smith’s writing, and here I go again. There’s no pleasure that compares to curling up with great writing. Some writers express ideas so well that they seem to know what you’re thinking and feeling before you do. This sentiment is expressed by one of the main characters in John… Continue Reading
Terry O’Reilly is an award-winning copywriter and broadcaster. His CBC radio program, “Under the Influence,” focuses on advertising strategies both past and present. Terry always rewards his listeners with the inside scoop behind well-known marketing campaigns. Today Terry revealed that the Aero chocolate bar tagline “Irresistabubble” was coined by none other than Salman Rushdie. That’s… Continue Reading
…/My copy edit struck your copy edit right in the nose/What was the final word count? Remember this skipping rhyme from childhood (with different words, of course)? I’ve been amusing myself and learning at the same time by completing short copy edits and then comparing my work to that of another copy editor. The Society… Continue Reading
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
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
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
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
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
Compound words often have me reaching for the dictionary to confirm I’ve spelled them correctly. The Chicago Manual of Style confirms that compound spellings are indeed the most common spelling questions for writers and editors. Is the compound in question two words, hyphenated, or closed up as a single word? Non member, non-member, or nonmember?… Continue Reading
From shepherding a project to completion to identifying nitty-gritty mistakes in grammar, there are several types of editing that improve text — not to mention a myriad of additional operations such as rewriting, electronic coding, fact checking, indexing, obtaining permissions, etc. Copy editing is the last type of editing that a text undergoes. When a… Continue Reading