Tag Archives: editing
Who Are We Writing For?
Who Are We Writing For? OR For Whom are We Writing? (I can’t decide which title is grammatically correct) Who am I writing for? That is the most important question to answer before writing for publication. The final answer, though, … Continue reading
Another Revising Example
Before: In certain cases, an existing Texas child custody order may need to be modified by a court after custody has been initially determined. This means you can request a court to modify a custody order when a new and … Continue reading
Shun “tion” in Revising
I recently worked on this paragraph from one of our writers. Mentioning the state name repeatedly is for SEO purposes. Original “Assets and debts division is frequently a major point of contention for divorcing couples in Arkansas. As a rule, … Continue reading
Outguessing Google
I’m taking on new responsibilities for inFocus, the Vancouver company I have written and edited for since 2015. Our clients are law firms throughout the United States and Canada. We build their websites and maintain them, filling them with content tailored … Continue reading
Revising 60,000 Words One Paragraph at A Time
This paragraph took twenty minutes to revise, with the emphasis on reducing word count. While I have become better at revising over time, I have never been able to increase my speed. Before: Tucson’s downside is its overwhelming scale and … Continue reading
Word Count Out of Control!
I’ve reached 64,000 words with many more road trips and subjects to explain before my August deadline. I can easily see the word count going to 80,000. But my contract calls for 50,000 to 60,000. There is no way my … Continue reading
Turning the Organizational Corner: Inside Baseball
With nine months to deadline I have turned the corner on writing my book and I can clearly see how it will finish. And that it will finish. There’s an American saying: inside baseball. It means discussing obscure details that … Continue reading
Progress Report on My Book
With eleven months to go before my deadline of August 1, 2019, I’ve written approximately 28,000 words. My contract calls for a total of 50,000 to 60,000 words so I feel good about my progress. Ideally, I’d like to submit … Continue reading
Not Only
Writers use “not only” to vary their writing but it can be wordy. It also brings in a negative tone with the word “not.” See how much more direct the second instances are compared to the first. In the first … Continue reading
More Revising Examples
Before and after. The original sentences are just fine, partly making up an entertaining review of a colorful Mojave Desert town. No criticism intended. But these revisions should come to mind immediately on first read. Tighten, tighten, tighten. Many of … Continue reading
Posted in Thoughts on writing, Uncategorized, Writing by others, Writing tips
Tagged active voice, editing, making sentences move, revision
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