Happy Thanksgiving!
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV)
Nonfiction Editing: How to Handle Questionable Theology
by Rebecca Florence Miller As nonfiction editors, our vocation is to midwife better ideas into the world. But as we work out that calling, one challenge we face as Christian editors is how to handle questionable theology. What is our obligation—both to our client and to God in that case? First, do your best to…
Take Your Copyediting to the Next Level
by Dori Harrell When it comes to fine-tuning a manuscript, there can be as much art involved as science. If you insert a comma before that dependent clause, even though conventional wisdom says no comma is needed before a sentence-ending dependent clause, will it reveal the author’s true intent? That introductory phrase is five words,…
Living within Your Means
by Rachel E. Newman, ACP One of the greatest challenges we face in our culture is living within our means. I’ve never been more aware of this than right now. God is walking with and leading me through a new season in which I’ve found myself a widow, a single mom, and the one responsible…
The Makings of an Excellent Proofreader
by Sharon Ford What Is Proofreading? Proofreading is usually the last step in the publishing process. It is the final analysis of the visual and content levels of a document after it has evolved from various cycles of revision and has been finalized by a content editor. By the time a document reaches the proofreader,…
How Do I Punctuate Dialogue (Part One)
by Iola Goulton My last three posts have looked at comma usage: commas with dependent and independent clauses, commas with coordinate adjectives, and the serial comma a.k.a Oxford comma. Today, I’m going to look at a related issue: how we punctuate dialogue in fiction. Specifically, when do we use a comma, and when do we…
How to Judge Writing Contests
by Lora Doncea If you are asked to be a judge for a writing contest, take time to consider the opportunity seriously. It requires much more than just editing the piece or giving your impression. You need to carefully score the writer on several key areas, each one appraising a specific skill set. Key points…
Five Ways Realism Ruins Good Fiction
by Karin Beery Let’s be honest—unless it’s vital to a plot, most people don’t want to read about a character’s bowel movements, mouthy kids, or hangnails. Often authors include mundane details to make their characters seem more realistic, but that realism doesn’t always come across well in books. Today we’re going to quickly look at…
Editing Consistencies
by Sue A. Fairchild As part of my editing business, I do content and line editing, but also proofreading and interior design. I have a keen eye for small errors and inconsistencies that others may miss—it’s probably my graphic design background and my obsessive-compulsive nature. Frequently, I think, “How did someone miss this?” Because I’ve…
Dear Editor: Where Do I Add a Comma? (Part Three)
by Iola Goulton In my last two posts, I’ve covered: Commas with conjunctions. The Oxford comma. Comma after “so.” Today I’m looking at commas with coordinate adjectives i.e. adjectives of the same type. Many of us were taught in school that we put commas between all adjectives. As a result, I often see sentences like…