Category: For Editors
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Editor Tool: PerfectIt
Recently I installed PerfectIt. Now that I’ve used it and seen how it interacts with Word, I wanted to share the experience.
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Book Mapping
I recently learned about book mapping. While the class was intended for developmental editors, I found the tool helpful as a writer. What Is Book Mapping? Book mapping is a method of plotting out the action or themes of a story, to help keep track of them. This mapping can be done visually or with…
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The Cost of Editing
When I started freelance editing, the rates charged by other editors seemed pretty high to me—more than I made at my day job, certainly. I figured these rates indicated the editors’ level of experience. I’ve since realized that the rates are needed because of the nature of freelance work. Freelance versus Salaried My day job…
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How to Deal with UK English
When I first started editing, I dreaded getting an assignment that specified UK English. (I hadn’t even known there was a different version of English until I became as editor.) I knew the basics, but was sure I would miss something. I won’t give details here, as there are many websites that do (such as…
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Libel, and Copyright, and Privacy, Oh My!
An important step in writing a book, particularly if you’re self-publishing without the guidance of a legal team, is securing permissions. There are three types of material to consider for permissions: any material that might be copyrighted, any material that might infringe on someone’s privacy, and any material that might be considered libel. Each of…
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What Is Hybrid Publishing?
Hybrid publishing is a new model of publishing in which an author works with a publishing company but pays to publish in exchange for higher royalties. Some in the publishing industry disregard this new category because the idea of paying to publish suggests (to them) poor quality, like the books that vanity presses produced years…
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How to Reduce the Word Count
This week, I edited a paper that had a word limit of 8000. When I received it, the paper had 8905 words. The client asked me to cut as much as possible and to suggest sections that might be reduced. I was determined to return the paper with less than 8000 words—making writing more concise…
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Understanding Hashtags
At one of my jobs, they told me to Use More Hashtags! I know this might come naturally to some folks, but I began using social media later in life and decided to research a bit. I read a lot of articles that repeated each other, but the information organized in my head in a…
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Tips from the Top for Would-Be Science Authors… and Editors
Last month, UNC–Chapel Hill hosted Marc Lavine, a senior editor at Science magazine, to talk on “Communicating Science, Communicating in Science: An Insider’s View.” Most of the audience seemed to be students who might someday seek to publish a paper in Science, and I suspected that most of the talk would be tips for authors.…
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Organizing with Post-its
I’d like to share my system of organizing tasks and deadlines. It involves a physical calendar and a lot of Post-it notes. I’m a paper person. I’m not a luddite, and I’m all for “going green” to avoid waste, but I actually enjoy writing and reading on paper. I don’t want another task that requires…