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Subject:Re: Learning to edit yourself From:Lydia Wong <lydiaw -at- FPOINT -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 13 Oct 1998 13:15:52 -0400
I agree with Geoff's comments (snip below) concerning editing your own work.
Of course, sometimes you have no alternative but to edit yourself.
If you'd like some printed books to help you polish your editing skills, I'd
suggest looking at some of the titles published by EEI Communications, in
Virginia. They offer a range of books and practice guides, including
"Substance & Style: Instruction and Practice in Copyediting." You can check
out their offerings at their web site (www.eeicom.com), I think. They also
offer an excellent newsletter, "The Editorial Eye," that addresses editing
issues.
Finally, they offer courses in polishing writing and editing skills. If
you'd like to get out of your office for a bit, take a course at their
office in Alexandria. It's right on the Potomac, and it has a lovely view!
; )
(No, I don't work for EEI--I just took a course there once.)
Lydia
------------------
Lydia Wong
Technical Writer
FarPoint Technologies, Inc.
Morrisville, NC USA
www.fpoint.com
Snip of Geoff Hart's comments
>There's no substitute for someone else's eyes when editing your own
>work: you're simply too close to it to be objective, plus everyone
>has grammatical or stylistic blind spots that only someone else can
>pick up. (Speaking as an editor, that applies to editors too, btw.)