Posts Tagged: Copy Edit

A Sneaky Writing Tip to Trick Your Brain

Posted by Christi McGuire

If you’re a writer, most likely you’ve been working on a manuscript of some sort. Fiction, non-fiction, short story, or a magazine article—your ideas have been percolating in your brain and swirling around on paper for a while.

Sometimes a looong while.

You are sick of opening that document with the same title. The same unpublished title of the same unfinished, unpublished book.

The solution? Trick your brain! This tip sounds corny (well, it is!) but it helps to trick your brain and put a smile on your face each time you open that document to work on your manuscript … again.

One of my clients and good friends taught me this trick: rename your document with something goofy, silly, funny—anything but the real title of your manuscript.

For example, my above-mentioned client and friend has worked on a manuscript for many years. She got sick and tired (and tired and sick) of seeing the same title. So she changed it to “Scooby Doo.” Every time she saw the document in her folder, she smiled. Even giggled. It was enough to get her brain rejuvenated and inspire more creativity.

Seeing the title of your book in the document name yet again can be discouraging and set off your writing time with negative thoughts. Instead, bring humor to it. My client’s document soon became Scooby Doo 1, Scooby Doo 2, and so on.

Silly? Maybe. Easy? Definitely!

Bring a smile to your face each time you open that document!

I renamed my book manuscript “Tinkerbell” because it reminds me my youngest daughter flitting around with her wings, wand, and slippers. Always brings a smile to my face!

What are some crazy title names you can create for your manuscript?

Join me on Facebook and Twitter!

©2011- 2012 Christi McGuire. All Rights Reserved.

 You Might Need an Editor If …

Posted by Christi McGuire

Trying to get published without the help of experts in the publishing industry is like trying to sell your house without a realtor. Can it be done? Sure. But will you face more obstacles along the way without guidance of someone who knows the market? Yes. Are there tips and tricks and industry pointers that experts know that you don’t? You betcha. Is the paperwork more daunting? Yep. Would you be taken more seriously and find better success if you hired a professional?

Definitely.

The same is true in the world of publishing. Professional editors and consultants know what the “biz” is all about—and they can help you navigate your way to success.

If you are seeking publication, you might want to consult an editor if …

    • You don’t understand what the term “industry standard” is. You didn’t realize publishing was an industry, nor do you know what its standards are.
    • You believe having your mom proofread your manuscript is good enough.
    • You think Chicago Manual of Style refers to the local fashion talk show.
    • You write “This book is going to be the next Harry Potter!” in your query letter or try to convince the literary agent that you will be the next J.K. Rowling.
    • You do not research or request writer guidelines before submitting a query letter.
    • You don’t know what writer guidelines, query letter, or proposal mean.
    • You tell the literary agent that you were “born to write” or that you are positive that “God wants you to tell this story.”
    • You pitch your ideas (not a specific manuscript) to a literary agent.
    • You pitch many book manuscripts to a literary agent (not just one).
    • Your query is addressed to “Dear Agent” or “Dear Ma’am or Sir” or “To Whom It May Concern.”
    • You write the word “very” 587 times in the first 50 pages of your manuscript.
    • You blind copy your email query to several agents.
    • You have written a first draft and have not rewritten, edited, rewritten, edited, deleted, started over, written, rewritten, edited … you get the drift, right?
    • You query an agent with a genre he/she doesn’t represent.
    • You don’t know how to format your manuscript according to industry-standard format (there’s that term again!).
    • Your only publishing credit is having your poem in 5th grade published in Mrs. Smith’s monthly newsletter.
    • You are not sure about the difference between single spacing and double spacing.
    • You love to use italics, all caps, and bold font—ALL THE TIME!
    • You write in your query that Kate Hudson or Ryan Reynolds could star in your novel-based movie script.
    • You capitalize a, an, the in your book title (and they are not the first words).
    • You lowercase the word Internet.
    • You’ve never heard of an em dash or en dash but think they might be Olympic sports.
    • You don’t know what a word count is or how to do it—but you are hoping every word does indeed count.
    • Your proposal is in Comic Sans font because it’s your favorite font—it is cute, after all!

If you are passionate enough to put your heart and soul into a manuscript to submit for publication, then take the time to consult a professional to help you along the way. The publishing industry is competitive! The Christian publishing industry is rapidly growing and becoming just as competitive as the secular industry. Agents and publishers want to know why your manuscript is different from others, how you can assure success as an author, and how you can guarantee sales.

Bottom line: the publishing industry is a business. A business’ goal is to make money. If your manuscript looks unprofessional, is filled with grammar mistakes, and has not been submitted according to industry standard, you will not stand out among the thousands of others wanting to get published, too.

Seek professional expertise—an editor is worth the investment in your publishing career!

Photo Source (cc)

Join me on Facebook and Twitter!

©2011- 2012 Christi McGuire. All Rights Reserved.

Grammar and Your Reputation

Posted by Christi McGuire

Who cares about grammar?

If I don’t notice mistakes, no one else will either.

Grammar has nothing to do with my business.

I don’t have time or money to hire an editor.

I know what I’m doing.

Grammar? Who cares about that?

ANY CHARACTER HERE

These are all comments I’ve heard from people about grammar. Does grammar matter? Does it affect your business, sales, product, service, or platform?

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Absolutely.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Look at the example below. Do you see the glaring mistake?

ANY CHARACTER HERE

ANY CHARACTER HERE

(Please note that this is not a post about pro-life vs. pro-choice. This is merely the example I’m using. If you are interested in reading my personal opinion on this matter, please click here.)

ANY CHARACTER HERE

This photo has been passed around on Facebook. The originator of this photo obviously feels passionate. But how is he or she portrayed based on this one sentence? The use of “your” is incorrect. “Your” is possessive (example: your shoe). “You’re” should have been used, which means “you are.” This person’s conviction becomes discredited when a grammar mistake is present. Not many will listen to or be swayed to agree with his or her views. A simple grammar mistake can … pardon my frankness … make you look like an idiot!

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Grammar absolutely affects how people look at you and whether you are effective and successful at what you do. It affects your …

    • Business
    • Website
    • Sales
    • Products
    • Service
    • Platform
    • Debate
    • Argument
    • Case
ANY CHARACTER HERE

Do you get the idea? Whenever you speak or write, how you do so matters—a lot! I’ve worked with many businesses who have asked me to review their websites and business material. What did I find? Mistakes, mistakes, and many more mistakes. All of these companies did not think that their sales, whether products or services, were affected by grammar. However, their reputations are on the line with each customer interaction. Every time a customer views a business’ website, flyer, mailer, advertisement, pamphlet, booklet, contract, or brochure, the company can either look competent and professional, or it can look incompetent and ignorant—all based on grammar.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Take the time to learn proper grammar, punctuation, word choice, and style. However, if you know you’re not an expert on these matters, then hire someone who is. There are many things I know nothing about—cars, plumbing, electronics. So I either learn about them or hire an expert who knows to get the job done correctly.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

If you want to learn a little more about grammar, check out these previous posts:

ANY CHARACTER HERE

The next time you put out a post, newsletter, website, blog, advertisement—anything!—check for proper grammar. It can affect your reputation more than you think.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Share with us—what is the funniest grammar mistake
you’ve ever noticed?

Spiritual Style

Posted by Christi McGuire

*Style guides have been updated since this post was published. Be sure to read the updated post here.

I’ve been in Christian publishing for over 10 years, first as an editor at LifeWay Christian Resources, and now as a freelance contributor. In addition to stylebooks, such as the AP Stylebook and the Chicago Manual of Style, those who work in Christian publishing have additional style guides for religious terms. For example, how do you know whether to capitalize “godly” since it refers to God? Is “Bible” always capitalized? One of the best resources is “The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style” by Robert Hudson (Zondervan, 2004). However, each publishing house will have its own style guide, as well. LifeWay may style curriculum and resources differently than Zondervan or Thomas Nelson. But most of them agree on the following styles below.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Whether you are a writer, editor, or you merely refer to religious and spiritual terms as a Christian, these following tips can serve as a helpful guide.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Capitalize Words That Refer to God

Examples: Lord, Almighty, Baby Jesus, Christ, Comforter, Counselor, Creator, Father, Godhead, Judge, King, Providence, Redeemer, Savior, Servant, Son, Sovereign, Trinity

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Lowercase General References to Jesus

Examples: friend, person, baby, child, boy, and man (Jesus is my friend.)

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Capitalize Adjectives That Are Part of God’s Name

Examples: Almighty God, Anointed One, Divine Savior, Good Shepherd, Great Physician, Heavenly Father, High Priest, Holy Father, Holy Spirit, Promised One, Sovereign Lord, Suffering Savior, Suffering Servant, Supreme Being, Wise Creator

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Refer to the Holy Spirit as “He,” not “It”

Examples: The Holy Spirit comforts me; He brings peace into my life.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Capitalize pronouns (except relative pronouns) that refer to God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit

Examples:

God gave His Son for our sins.

God loves His children; He loves us with an everlasting love!

When Christ died on the cross, He gave Himself for our sins.

O Lord, You are holy!

Christ is the One in whom we find salvation

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Lowercase Relative Pronouns (who, whom, whoever, whomever) referring to God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit

Examples:

The God whom we serve is faithful.

God, who is most faithful, loves us unconditionally.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Lowercase Most Derivatives Referring to God, (Whether Nouns or Adjectives)

Examples:

godly (He is a godly man.)

fatherhood messianic

lordship

saviorhood

sonship

Exceptions:

Capitalize these words: Christian, Christlike, God-fearing, Godlike, Godhead

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Always Capitalize “Bible” and “God’s Word”

Examples:

The Holy Bible is God’s Word.

God speaks through His Word, the Bible.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Always Capitalize “Scripture”

Examples:

The Scripture says, “Great is thy faithfulness!”

The Scriptures are God’s truth to His people.

Read the Scriptures daily to know God.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Gospel: Whether to Capitalize Depends on Meaning

    • “Gospel” meaning “good news” is not capitalized.
      Examples:
      Tell others the gospel message of Christ!
      I love good old gospel music!
    • “Gospel” meaning first four books of the New Testament is lowercased, except when it is included in the name of the book.
      Examples:
      The four gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
      The Gospel of John is my favorite book.
      John’s gospel is my favorite book.
ANY CHARACTER HERE

Lowercase Names of Places

Examples: heaven, hell, paradise, garden of Eden, kingdom (God’s kingdom; kingdom of God)

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Which of these styles do you use most in your everyday life?
Do you blog about “God” or how the “Scriptures” impact your life?
Do you have a question about how to style a particular word or phrase?
Let me know by commenting below!

Capitalization Tips

Posted by Christi McGuire

As I was working on a manusript this weekend, I had look up a few words to see whether or not they should be capitalized. I discovered that “Founding Fathers” is always capitalized. Here are a few other capitalization tips.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Family Titles

Capitalize family titles when they can stand alone or are followed by a personal name. Do not capitalize family titles when they are preceded by a possessive.

Examples:
I’ll ask my mom if I can go.

I’ll ask Mom if I can go.

I’ll ask my aunt if I can go.

I’ll ask Aunt Anna if I can go.

But I really want to go, Mom!

ANY CHARACTER HERE

 Capitalization and Numbers

Capitalize a noun followed by a number or a letter that indicates sequence. However, there are exceptions. Do not capitalize: line, note, page, paragraph, size, step, or verse.

Examples:
Account 100
Act 2
Appendix B
Book IIV
Chapter VII
page 10
line 10
Room 100
verse 10

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Items in a Bulleted List

Capitalize each item in a list or an outline.

Example:
Here are the items I need:
• Paper.
• Pen.
• Books.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

States

Capitalize the word “state” only when it follows the name of the state or is part of the nickname.

Examples:

Florida State is also called the Sunshine State.

The state of Florida is a peninsula.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Compass Points

Capitalize compass points (and any derivative words) when they designate a definite region of the world or a proper noun. Do not capitalize compass points when they merely indicate direction or general location.

 Examples:

Many people have relocated from the East Coast to the Midwest. (regions)

Go west on Route 66 and turn south at the stoplight. (direction)

The west coast of the U.S. is on the Pacific. (not a region)

Amy lives on the West Coast. (region)

I have just visited the Far East. (region)

How far east do you go to get to the shore? (not a region)

Santa Claus lives at the North Pole (proper noun)

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Poetry

Capitalize each line in a poem. However, if you’re quoting a poem, then follow its style.

Example:
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.
You’re on your own.
And you know what you know.
You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.
~Dr. Seuss

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Common Nouns

Some expressions were created from proper nouns but are now common nouns and are not capitalized. (Note: Microsoft Word will most likely try to automatically correct these!)

Examples:
charley horse
plaster of paris
manila envelope
bone china
napoleon (the dessert)
boycott
diesel
macadam
ampere
watt
joule
kelvin
texas leaguer
arabic numbers
roman numbers

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Proper Names

Capitalize nicknames that designate specific persons, places, or things.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Examples:
the Founding Fathers
the First Lady
the White House
the Oval Office
the Stars and Stripes
the Gopher State (Minnesota)
Mother Nature
a Good Samaritan
Big Mac
Down Under
a Green Beret
the Little Dipper
the Top 40
Bloody Mary
the Third World

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Question Within a Sentence

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Capitalize an independent question within a sentence.

Example: The question is, How far are you willing to go?

ANY CHARACTER HERE

 These are only a few tips in capitalization. What words do you wonder whether or not they are capitalized?

ANY CHARACTER HERE

One Space or Two?

Posted by Christi McGuire

As I edit, whether it’s college English papers or marketing copy for business owners, there is one common blunder in most copy: two spaces between sentences.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Years ago, we were all hounded by our English teachers to put TWO spaces between sentences. Two spaces. Two spaces. Two spaces. But what were we using years and years ago before everybody had a personal computer (or two or three)? Yep, you guessed it—typewriters.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

I learned to type in high school in Keyboarding class on a typewriter. Seems like it must have been the Stone Age, doesn’t it? Typewriters only had one font: monospaced font. If you open Microsoft Word and use “Courier” font, you can visibly reminiscence about the days of the typewriter. Monospaced font was not proportional, meaning that each letter and character occupied the same amount of space. The typewriter, God bless its ancient soul, moved the same distance forward after each letter was typed. Because of that, typists inserted two spaces between sentences so that the page didn’t look all smashed together and very difficult to read.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Today’s word-processing programs have hundreds, if not thousands, of fonts that are proportional, where each letter or character has its own width. This allows for better readability and a more professional-looking page. Therefore, two spaces are no longer needed—at all. Nada. Nope. Never. Ever. (Ever!)

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Breaking the habit of adding two spaces between sentences can be hard. But no worries! You can easily change an entire document in mere seconds with the “find/replace” function.

  • Press “Control” and “F” and the “Find and Replace” box will pop up.
  • Click on the “Replace” tab.
  • In the “Find What” row, press the space bar twice.
  • Then in the “Replace With” row, press the space bar once.
  • Now click “Replace All.”

Every single page will be adjusted immediately, and it will tell you how many replacements were made. You may want to do this several times until the program says “0” replacements. I’ve worked with some professionals (who will remain nameless) who put more than two spaces between sentences, so I’ve had to “find and replace” over and over again to make sure only one space is between each sentence.

ANY CHARACTER HERE

No matter what you write—whether emails or blogs, college papers or professional copy—stop typing two spaces between sentences, as if in the Dark Age of typewriters. Join the technologically-advanced age of ONE space between sentences! Editors will thank you!

Positive Proofreading

Posted by Christi McGuire

What was one of the things your teacher always told you in school? Do your best. Keep your hands to yourself. Practice makes perfect. Raise your hand before speaking. Yes, these are all valid. But the particular one I am thinking about is: Double check your work.

As an editor, that’s pretty much what I do all day long: Double check other people’s work! Was it only applicable in seventh grade? Nope! Anybody who writes a letter, word, or sentence needs to double check—triple check—his or her work. Whether or not you are a grammar goddess or spelling bee queen, you need to proofread everything you write.

Proofread, proofread, proofread!

You may never be congratulated for using proper grammar, but you sure may be ridiculed if someone finds a mistake in your marketing copy, your resume, a business email, or even a restaurant menu. Incorrect copy, misspelled words, and improper sentences can cost you a sale, a job, or even your reputation.

The cure? Proofread! No matter who you are or what you do, anything you write needs to be double checked for correctness. So how can you proofread accurately to catch mistakes?

1. Take a break for at least 24 hours.
Write your copy, and then leave it alone for at least full day. Writing is like having blinders on—your brain knows what it wants to see, and it can’t always see the mistakes. Not looking at it for a while will give you fresh eyes when you pick it back up again.

2. Block out noise.
Proofreading = precision. It’s hard to work precisely with noisy distractions. I can often write with music on, the TV blaring, and the kids playing. But I absolutely cannot edit when it is noisy around me. I need a quiet place to focus and concentrate on each word.

3. Read out loud.
OK, I know, this seems silly. But it does work! (Although you might want to do this when nobody is around!) Read your work out loud, and you will catch the mistakes and the parts that don’t flow well, seem awkward, and not what you originally wanted to say.

4. Print a hard copy.
I always edit on paper. Maybe I’m old school, but it really does help me edit better. Reading on a screen, my eyes become tired and glance over mistakes. When I print out a manuscript, article, or any other copy, it is easier and more effective to edit properly.

5. Read it backward.
It may sound like Jabberwocky, but reading backward will help you catch misspelled words.

6. Use color.
When you print out a copy to proof, use colored ink to make your corrections. It’ll help you as you enter in the corrections.

7. Take a break.
Proofreading and editing takes focused, concentrated effort, so take a break every 10 minutes or so, just to give your eyes and brain a quick rest.

8. Let someone else read it.
After you’ve done the previous seven tips, the last (and best) thing to do is ask a friend to read your copy. Ask them, “Does it make sense? Do you see any mistakes? Do you understand the point I am trying to make?” Someone reading a document for the first time will more likely be able to catch mistakes and give you feedback (whether positive or negative) better than you, especially when you have read the same sentence twenty-five times.

Please proofread! Make your seventh-grade teacher happy, don’t forfeit the job interview, secure the sale, and, most of all, look like an intelligent, competent person with correct copy by proofreading, proofreading, proofreading!

Writers vs. Editors = Creative vs. Critcal

Posted by Christi McGuire

As a writer, you’ve got one shot to make a good impression, and you want it to be the best impression and the best representation of you and your work. Are editors going to accept your article for publication when it is cluttered full of misspellings and bad punctuation? Even if you have an interesting topic, probably not. The more copy ready you are as a writer, the better. The less time an editor has to take to correct your work (and even rewrite it), the more often that editor will ask you to write again.

So as a writer, you must morph into your own editor and be copy ready if you want to get published and continue getting published.

Being a writer and an editor are two entirely different skill sets that not everybody possesses. Writers are creative and inventive. I imagine a more bohemian type of person whose creativity oozes from their unkempt hair all the way down to their mismatched painted toenails. Editors are precise, thoughtful, critical . . . ready to catch everybody else’s mistakes. I imagine a person at a neatly-kept desk, round spectacles, equipped with a red pen, excited to circle each and every comma splice.

Is every writer a flower child and every editor the strict librarian type? Of course not! I’m just having fun stereotyping. But that exemplifies the two very different skill sets that society often confuses. Writers work with words and get their creative thoughts down on paper. Editors take apart each of those creative words and analyzes them into coherent, formatted, grammatically-correct publications. It’s a battle of creative vs. critical.

I used to consider myself “editor” first and foremost. But because I rewrote so many articles received from writers when I was editor of ParentLife Magazine, I feel that I was able to hone my writing skills. Now I feel equally competent in both areas. The benefit of being able to do both is when I am “editor,” I understand the creative writing process; I understand the heart and soul that the writer has put into her words. When I am “writer,” my text is extra-copy ready and formatted to industry-standards.

If you are a writer and do not have the skill set to be an editor of your own material, no worries! All you must do is invest in a good, experienced editor. In order to have the best shot possible at getting published in today’s very difficult publishing industry, you must put yourself ahead of the game and make sure your work is copy ready by hiring an editor. Think of it as a “team” approach. You need both players to have a winning team.

If your material is extra copy ready, it will . . .

Stand out on an editor’s desk full of hundreds (and maybe thousands) of other writers trying to get their manuscripts published.

Catch the attention of editors who love your topic and can understand your true intent because they are not bogged down with grammatical mistakes and are able to read your “voice.”

Continue getting you published because editors will want to work with you if your texts are copy ready. That means less work for them!

Know your strengths and weaknesses. If you have amazing, awesome ideas but have no clue how to format a manuscript or where to insert commas, that’s OK. Contact an editor to work with you on your manuscript before submitting it for publication. In the end, it’ll be worth your investment of time and money in doing so.

And if you need an amazingly talented editor . . . contact me today! (Shameless plug!)

Happy Writing!