Basic Word Macros for New Editors

Written by Zoey Lackie

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If you’re anything like me, when you first started editing you thought the term “macros” referred to protein, carbs, and fat.

Though they share the same name, I can assure you that editing macros share no relation to macro nutrients. I’m going to share with you the basics of Microsoft Word Macros and give you a few favorites among professional editors to help make you a more efficient editor.

What are Macros?

Now that we’ve settled the fact that the term “macros” does not refer to your macro nutrient intake, what does a macro mean to an editor?

Simply put, macros are little programs you can install into Microsoft Word to perform certain functions for you. They’re similar to keyboard shortcuts but instead perform more complicated actions than copy-paste.

There are macros for everything. You can look up certain words, scripture references, and more. One of the best things macros are good for is saving the number of steps (and clicks) an editor must take.

For instance, if you’re editing a Christian nonfiction manuscript and you need to check a scripture reference, there’s a macro for that. With a single click, you can use a macro to look up the exact reference in a separate tab on your web browser.

Pretty cool right?

Some Favorite Macros Among Editors

I decided to poll some experienced freelance editors to see what some of their favorite macros were. Here is a list of the most mentioned ones:

Merriam Webster Fetch

If you’ve been an editor for any length of time, you’ve used the Merriam Webster Dictionary. But how cumbersome is it to highlight the word you want to look up, leave Microsoft Word, open your web browser to Merriam Webster, and search for the word you want? With this macro you can do all of that with one click.

Biblegateway Fetch

Biblegateway Fetch is similar to the Merriam Webster Fetch. You can highlight a verse reference, and it will look up that verse in Biblegateway. Very handy, especially for Christian editors as we often have to fact-check scripture verses.

Google Fetch

This one is self-explanatory, given the above descriptions. Google Fetch allows you to look up on Google anything within the manuscript you’re working on.

When installing macros on your computer, however, make sure they are from trusted sources. Don’t just get code from any website. It is possible they will have malware. Instead, ask other established editors where they get their favorite macros.

Paul Beverly is a trusted source among editors. He’s compiled a Macro Menu of more than 1,200 macros for Word. Using that you should be able to find exactly the right macro for the task that you need.

I hope this blog post helps you hone your editing skills and makes you a more efficient editor for your current and future clients.

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