Editors tend to get a bad rap. People perceive them to be nitpicky, tyrannical monsters who live for pointing out other people’s mistakes. Writers might cringe at the idea of having an editor review their work because they envision the cutting and chopping of their words in similar fashion to the demise of a victim in a slasher horror movie. In reality, most editors I’ve encountered have been nice people. They like to help others. They appreciate language. They serve an important purpose and often don’t get much recognition for making others look good. They’re the unsung heroes of the written (or spoken) word. They also have their own techniques and preferences, some of which don't work for every writer. And this leads to the monster perception thing I mentioned above. The Editing Approach The best way to avoid a toxic writer-editor relationship is to shop around and get to know as many editors as you can. Some editors are heavy-handed in their approach, and while most writers might not appreciate it, some writers do feel they benefit from having a more structured and straightforward editing experience. Other editors take a more collaborative approach, making suggestions about subjective areas, and always having a conversation with the writer about why the suggestions are being made. Heavy-handed editing makes sense in situations where a particular style guide has been designated as the be-all and end-all, or where an editor is someone who makes the final call on the overall style of pieces in a publication (newspaper, magazine, etc.). Collaborative approaches tend to work better in developmental situations like a company just starting to put together frameworks for future documents, or when an editor is reviewing pieces of fiction. What Kind of Editor Do You Want? When you’re looking for an editor to work with, consider some of the following so that you can determine which of them might be a good fit for you, your writing style, and your willingness to give up control:
A Little Advice The questions listed above should at the very least start to point you in the right direction. Every editor is different, in both personality and editing approach, and what one writer is comfortable with will be completely different from what another prefers. The best pieces of advice I can give are to learn as much as you can about an editor’s techniques and approaches by asking questions, do a trial run by having the editor work on a few pages to show you what to expect (this may require a fee), and be weary of editors who haven’t written anything before or haven’t had their writing edited by someone else. The editing process should be fun and exciting, not tedious and painful. Choose your editor wisely. What would you look for in an editor? Have you had a bad experience with one? Do you have a story about an absolutely amazing editor you’ve worked with in the past? Feel free to share in the comments section below! More reading on the writer-editor relationship:https://ooligan.pdx.edu/the-writer-editor-relationship/
http://thehelpfulwriter.com/editorial-relationship/ http://www.makealivingwriting.com/5-ways-to-build-a-great-writer-editor-relationship/ http://www.cjr.org/the_kicker/writer_editor_relationship_bre.php http://flavorwire.com/343316/the-artist-and-the-critic-8-famous-authoreditor-relationships When you’re scrolling through your Facebook News Feed, how long does it take you to find a grammatically incorrect post or one so riddled with typos it’s hard to take the message seriously? When you’re reading the latest tweets from those you’re following on Twitter, does it look like those who are tweeting reviewed what they wrote before putting it out there for everyone to see? Social media has made it seem completely acceptable to use language as loosely as possible, and in some ways this is OK. Sharing information with friends and family on a purely personal level on social media is kind of like having a conversation with them in person. You probably don’t need to worry too much about carefully selecting words and eliminating any mistakes from your banter. Presenting Your Company’s Best Image However, if you’re tweeting and posting on behalf of your own business or the company for which you work, being conscious of the quality of the writing you add to social media can be important for the company’s brand. Businesses using social media as part of their marketing strategy should treat social media messages similarly to those they distribute via traditional marketing channels. They should be crafted with care and with the company’s brand in mind. Bad grammar, typos, and poorly communicated messages can damage brand image by making key messages seem untrustworthy, sloppy, and unprofessional. Potential customers can be turned off by messaging that reflects a company that doesn’t seem to care much about how they present themselves. And that might lead to the perception that the company perhaps doesn’t care much about the work they do either. Catching Mistakes Before They’re Posted Some ways to ensure the social media messaging put out by your company is making the right impression include:
Do you ever find yourself doubting a company’s credibility or professionalism when you come across bad grammar or typos in their social media messaging? Please share your stories and opinions in the comments section below! Where to read more on grammar and social media: http://themediahaus.ca/the-negative-effects-bad-grammar-social-media/
http://www.networkcomputing.com/networking/11-most-common-grammar-gaffes-social-media/1884709025 http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2014/07/15/is-bad-grammar-killing-your-brand/ http://www.likeable.com/blog/2014/04/6-grammar-mistakes-youre-making-on-social-media I am helping a client out with a business plan this week and I thought it might be helpful to talk a bit about how to save money when putting a plan together. Chances are, if you’re trying to start a business, you want to save money wherever possible in order to put that money to good use (like, you know, towards equipment or tools for your business, or paying for expenses like commercial rent or advertising). Business plans can be frustrating and time-consuming, and the jumping-through-hoops feeling people get when they’re trying to put one together can lead them to pay someone else to write the darn thing. You Are the Expert I’m certainly not going to turn away work, but if I know something can be done more efficiently and allow people to spend less, I can’t help but speak up. The important thing about tackling the business plan yourself is that you are the expert when it comes to the business you want to open. You likely have a skill or product that you know the most about, and having someone else try to share your knowledge with an audience can be tricky. For example, if you are planning to open a microbrewery, you likely have the skills and knowledge required to operate the business. When you hire someone to write your business plan for you, they probably have little to no knowledge of the industry and must take the time to research and ask questions to put together an accurate description of your proposed business. This can lead to a lot of time spent going back and forth, which leads to less money in your pocket in the short-term. Basic Business Plan Requirements One way to keep your costs in check when it comes to creating your business plan is to put together as much information as possible before handing the task of writing or editing over to someone else. There are a number of free resources available for those who need to write a business plan. Even just putting together the basics ahead of time will save you some money. The financial sections are particularly important. Writers and editors are not accountants or bookkeepers (well, not usually, anyway), so having your financial information in order is definitely helpful! Then you can use the skills of the hired writer or editor to refine the writing and ensure the document is ready to be submitted. Use the Available Business Plan Templates Most available templates will include similar formats and sections, but no two are identical, and keep in mind that if you are submitting a plan to a particular institution or organization, you will probably be required to use a template they have created. The good news is, once you have a business plan completed, most of the information can be copied and pasted easily from one document to another and then reformatted, if necessary. So, to recap, you can usually save yourself some money by putting together basic information about your business and the industry/market before you bring in hired help. To make things go even smoother for you, do your research and determine whether you are required to follow a specific template for the institution or organization that will eventually receive your business plan submission. I'd love to hear about the experiences you've had with this crucial aspect of starting a business. Have you written a business plan? Did you work with a writer or editor to put one together? Please leave me a comment and let me know! Business Plan Links |
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