Need a Crash Course on Web Copy? Try “Nicely Said”
Title: Nicely Said: Writing for the Web with Style and Purpose Authors: Nicole Fenton and Kate Kiefer Lee Publisher: New Riders Publishing Rating: 4 out of 5 Format: Print Writing can be a daunting prospect for many people, and the way that the internet has changed both how we write and how we read can…
How Crutch Words Weaken Your Writing
Whoa! The “4 Myths About Editors” post has really taken off in the past few days. Thanks so much for all the positive feedback! What I want to talk about today is related to one of the myths I discussed in that post: the idea that an editor will change your voice so much that it won’t sound…
4 Myths About Editors
What editors do is often kept hidden. In fact, a good editor is supposed to remain invisible by giving the text enough care and polish that it shines brightly and speaks for itself. The thing is, when your goal is to be invisible, people get a distorted image of what you actually do. Myths about editors exist, and…
The Value of Plain Language
One of the hardest lessons I ever had to learn as a writer was that using complex words was not a sign of good writing. It’s a natural assumption to make. “Good” writing means writing that sounds “smart” — and what’s smarter than using vague or polysyllabic words that you really have to think about to understand?…
What Taco Bell Can Teach You About Bad Business Copy
Do you know what your business copy says about you? Not what you think it says, but what it actually says? What if you want to look professional and competent but your business copy is secretly undermining you? Would you be able to see what you’re doing wrong? Many don’t. But some do, and they know how to use…
Resources for Editors
In September I wrote a blog post about my experience with Ryerson’s publishing program. At the end of the post, I said I would provide more info for people who want to learn more about editing or who want to be editors. So here’s a huge list of resources for editors! These links aren’t organized in any particular order….
Ryerson Publishing: What Other Students Thought
I last wrote about the Ryerson publishing program when I answered some FAQs from prospective students. But what do other publishing students have to say about their experience? I found out — and I hope you get as much out of their comments as I did. Note: all quotes below have been lightly edited for grammar or…
My Perspective on Ryerson’s Publishing Program — 3 Years Later
Ever since I graduated from Ryerson’s publishing program in 2011, I’ve been contacted by people asking for more information about it — about whether the program is worth their time, and whether it’s led to the kind of work I’ve expected. These questions have been hard to answer; as I was going through the program, the publishing industry…
The EAC 2014 Conference: Live Tweets, Landmarks, and Lost Voices
I’ve been a member of the Editors’ Association of Canada since 2009, but haven’t attended every conference since then. I’ve only attended the ones requiring minimal travel, like the 2010 one in Montreal or the 2012 one in Ottawa. Luckily enough, the EAC 2014 conference, which happened just last weekend, was in my hometown of…
Thoughts After the 2012 World Fantasy Convention
The 2012 World Fantasy Convention is over, and I feel deflated. I met so many people, and bought (And got for free!) so many books when I was there that I now feel like Cinderella after the ball – kind of ragged, slightly in disbelief that there was so much fun to be had, and…