Tag Archives: editing
Three Good Paragraphs
I’m happy if I can write three good paragraphs in a row. In my now dead book project of 60,000 words, I probably had 11 or 12 instances in which I produced a set of three good paragraphs. I still … Continue reading
Posted in editing writing, revising writing, Uncategorized, Writing by others, Writing tips
Tagged art, editing, practicing, revising, the business of writing, writing
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More on Revising
Editing and proofreading fiddles with copy, revising recasts. One of our writers submitted a page with this paragraph. He is a fine writer but under deadline for this piece. I have more time as I am generally not doing original … Continue reading
Posted in editing writing, non-fiction writing, organizing writing, Thoughts on writing, Uncategorized, Writing by others, Writing tips
Tagged client concerns, copy, copyediting, corporate interests, editing, positive. business writing, positivism, recasting, revising, revising copy, writing
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Good Writing is Unnatural
First draft writing resembles contemporaneous speaking. Record yourself for five minutes delivering an impromptu speech on a subject and then transcribe it. Then think about how far it is from tight, vigorous, organized writing. It’s a long way. We think … Continue reading
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