Editing
Thank goodness for Mrs Sweet, Mrs Hooper and the staffroom in general
21st May 2020 | Posted in Editing, Marketing communications, Website
I’ve been thinking of late how much I owe to the lessons at school that I didn’t really appreciate at the time. During lockdown I’ve reacquainted myself with my exceedingly dusty sewing machine. Quite honestly, if I hadn’t been taught by the terrifying Mrs Sweet about how to thread up the machine (and why are […]
Rules for writing – sensible or balm for the ego?
6th August 2019 | Posted in Editing, Marketing communications
Plenty has been written about Jacob Rees-Mogg’s rules for writing for his staff, and I am no doubt very late to the party. Like many before me, I have worked through his list and muttered along the lines of: Right Right Wrong Bizarre Where did he get that from? Hmm, maybe (Though not necessarily in […]
Tips for creating a consistent writing style
2nd July 2019 | Posted in Editing, Marketing communications
When you’ve got multiple contributors to a document, it can be tricky bringing together different writing styles into one coherent piece. If you want just one style, which of your authors wins? And how do you explain your edits to the others who have ‘lost’? It’s their hard work that you’re altering. And people who […]
When you ask me to edit or proofread, what exactly do you mean?
14th January 2019 | Posted in Blogging, book, Editing, Marketing communications
You know what you want. But do I? “Editing” and its sibling “proofreading” are words that mean everything and nothing. So it pays to make sure we agree. Let’s take the examples of Jack and Susu (who are not really called Jack and Susu but they are real customers). Jack is way out of […]
How do you say ‘I’m sorry but your book is dire’?
15th November 2018 | Posted in book, Editing
As editor of the When They Get Older website, I’ve been reviewing gift ideas for grandparents. It’s a regular list we compile for holidays and special days, and I often get sent books to review. Generally, they’re worth a mention. But this one, this year. Oh dear. The joys of self-publication. I don’t want to […]
Board member bios. Why so dry?
19th September 2018 | Posted in Branding, Editing, Web content, Website
When I wrote my book on B2B copywriting, I devoted a section to writing for websites. Content for websites, said I, should be in line with the tone of voice determined by the company. In many cases that means professional, approachable and easy to consume. The one exception is the page of bios for the […]
Reviewing a newsletter
5th November 2014 | Posted in Editing
I’ve just done a quick and dirty review of a business newsletter for a networking buddy. As I’ve tried to provide constructive criticism in a general sort of way, I thought it might be helpful to share a few thoughts with the world. Many of these comments apply to just about any marketing collateral. 1. […]
Clients, copywriters and correct writing
29th November 2012 | Posted in Editing
Now here’s something I never thought I would write. It’s certainly something that my children would be disturbed to see me say, given their strict use of English upbringing. The truth is I now believe it is possible to be too correct about grammar. This is a bit of a revelation, as I also believe […]
Preserving brand voices in a multi-authored book
30th August 2012 | Posted in Editing
A few months ago, I edited an e-book bringing together the knowledge and skills of networking colleagues to give advice to anyone setting up a small business. Our contributors could talk from experience and training about finance, marketing, creating content, time management and how to still take time for yourself as an entrepreneur. In a […]
The return of the red pen
2nd November 2011 | Posted in Editing
Never sure whether to reveal my longevity in this business, but when I started editing copy, there was no Microsoft Word or markup highlights to turn on. What we used was the red pen. Big, fat, inky, satisfying red pens. And we would whizz through hard copy content, using the standard copy-editing and proofreading marks […]