Editing

  • Editing, How-to

    Introducing the vocative comma

    This tiny piece of punctuation saves lives.

    One of the best things about punctuation is that when it’s used correctly it’s invisible in plain sight. It’s like driving a road you know so well that you get home without recalling the journey.

    But when it’s misused? Those misplaced commas, semicolons and dashes can be jarring!

    The vocative comma, however, is often completely invisible. That is, writers tend to leave it out of their sentences altogether. This can have disastrous implications for your characters!

    Allow me to explain. 

    What is a vocative expression? 

    Honey, sweetheart, darling, love – your pet names for your loved ones can be a vocative; so too their actual names. Any word you use to address someone directly is a vocative (also known as a vocative expression), whether it’s kind, disrespectful or neutral. Mate, sir, madam, prime minister … the list is endless! It’s how you use it that matters.

    For instance, in the sentence, “Hey, you!”, you is the vocative expression because that’s the word used as a direct address.

    Although you might not hear it in your speech, a comma is needed with a vocative expression in writing. In fact, it’s an incredibly powerful piece of punctuation.

    Consider the difference between these sentences: 

    “Shoot Pete,” the policeman cried. 

    “Shoot, Pete,” the policeman cried. 

    In the first example, without the vocative comma, Pete’s life is in grave danger! In the second, a vocative comma saves his life, showing us that the policeman is, in fact, directing Pete to shoot someone or something. 

    Similarly, the below sentence can take your story in a wild direction without a vocative comma: 

    “Eat children!” the woman urged. 

    Unless your story is exploring cannibalism, you’re going to need a comma with that: 

    “Eat, children!” the woman urged. 

    The comma makes it clear that the woman wants to feed the children, not feed on them.

    At its simplest, the vocative comma offers instant clarity. For example:

    “I don’t know Alison,” said Judy.

    has a completely different meaning to:

    “I don’t know, Alison,” said Judy.

    How to use the vocative comma

    Where you place the vocative comma depends on where the vocative expression lands in the sentence. 

    If the vocative expression starts the sentence, you need a comma after it (the vocative and its comma are in bold): 

    “Kate, bring me that file,” Alice ordered. 

    “Simone, is that your new bike?” Fred asked.

    If the vocative expression arrives at the end of the sentence, use the comma before the vocative. 

    “Give me my bag, you thief,” Ann said.

    “Where did you get that cool shirt, bro?” James asked.

    If the vocative expression is placed in the middle of the sentence, it needs commas before and after it. 

    “Well, Pete, you shouldn’t have fired that gun,” the policeman said.

    “Hello, darling, would you like a cup of tea?” Jenni offered.

    When does a vocative expression not need a comma?

    You don’t need a comma when the vocative expression is standing alone. Instead, you need a full stop, an exclamation mark, or a question mark. Here are some examples. 

    “Pete! The policeman told you to shoot!” cried Mark. 

    “Darling? Are you there?” Jenni called. 

    “You thief. Bring me that bag,” Anna snapped.

    Embracing the vocative comma

    It can be easy to miss this one when you’re in the flow of writing, and in many cases most people will understand what you mean when you fail to add a vocative comma. It’s not actually life or death!

    But, using the vocative comma is a good habit to get into. Firstly, using punctuation correctly makes for clearer sentences and a seamless experience for your reader, allowing them to fully immerse in your world. And secondly, if you’re working with an editor, getting these little details right will save them time and you money.

    So, keep the vocative comma in mind when you’re polishing your manuscript – and see if you save any lives while you’re at it.

  • Editing, Writing

    4 signs you’re ready for a line and copyedit

    A simple explainer to help you work out if a line and copyedit is what your novel needs now.

    So, you’ve written a novel. Now what? 

    You might be thinking about starting the editing process, and perhaps you’re keen to work with a professional editor. That’s an excellent decision (wink!) but before you go ahead and book in your manuscript, it’s important to check if you’re ready for that kind of editing. 

    What is a line and copyedit? 

    When people think of editing, the line and copyedit is probably closest to what they imagine.

    A line and copyedit service involves a professional editor going through your work one sentence at a time. They’ll focus on grammar, punctuation and spelling, yes, but they’ll also finetune your sentences for flow, make adjustments to heighten tension or suggest changes to enhance character. They’ll ensure your book adheres to a consistent style and they’ll track details such as characters’ appearance or movements so that your scenes make sense. No coffee cups that magically morph into glasses of water; no Matthews turning into Michaels halfway through.

    It’s labour-intensive, detailed work that can take your book from good to great. But if you’re just getting started on redrafting and editing your novel, I’ll be honest: it’s unlikely you’re ready for this service. Going too early on a line and copyedit is like plastering over cracks in your home instead of spending the time getting the foundations right.

    Here are four signs that I look for that tell me you’re ready for this detailed form of editing.

    1 Your manuscript is structurally sound

    If you’ve already taken steps to ensure your manuscript is structurally sound – whether that’s working with an editor on a full structural edit or manuscript assessment, engaging professional beta readers or participating in an editing course like this one – that’s a great sign. 

    After taking in this feedback, you will have done significant work on your novel to make sure that the character arcs are strong and complete, the pace, POV and story structure are working for you and there are no glaring plot holes. You should be feeling confident about your overall narrative.

    A line and copyeditor will address small plot holes such as timeline hiccups or minor instances of head hopping, but they’re not able to resolve your big-picture issues at this stage. That’s because those overarching elements like plot, theme, character journeys, setting and POV can affect so many different threads of your book and issues with these will likely require significant rewriting. 

    2 You’re ready to embrace feedback

    In a line and copyedit, your editor will suggest changes to sharpen and elevate your writing. It’s not just about spotting typos! 

    Are you open to this kind of feedback? As an editor I take great care to ensure my feedback is sensitive and considerate, but if you’re not expecting this level of engagement with your work, it might come as a shock. Perhaps you’re too close to it – consider putting your manuscript aside for a while so you can get some distance and come back to it with a fresh perspective.

    One way you might be able to check if you’re ready to embrace this kind of feedback is to book in for a sample edit with your chosen editor. This will show you the kinds of issues your editor is likely to pick up and their style in relaying it to you, so you know what to expect. You might even find yourself looking forward to the process!

    3 You’ve done as much as you can 

    Think of this one as cleaning up for the cleaner. You can save yourself some coin if you do your own polishing on your manuscript before you send it out for a line and copyedit. 

    This means spending time on self-editing – reading over dialogue and sharpening up those action beats and speech tags, looking out for filter words or common phrases you use over and over, cutting back long descriptive passages that don’t move the story forward, and as obvious as it may sound, doing a basic spellcheck! Try doing two to three passes over your manuscript, focusing on tightening it up.

    Ideally, you’ll also format your file with double line spacing, indented paragraphs and page breaks for new chapters. 

    4 You’re going around in circles

    Constantly googling grammar questions and wondering why the answers are clear as mud?

    If you feel like you’re going around in circles and not getting anywhere, or making minor changes just for the sake of it, that’s a key sign you’re ready to hand your book baby over to a professional. You don’t have to do this writing thing on your own!

    A line and copyedit can be your saving grace, offering clear, sensible changes and suggestions that will elevate your story. Even better, while your manuscript is out for editing, you open up mental space for your next great book idea. 

    It sounds like a lot of work…

    I hear you – why put in all this effort when it’s going to be edited anyway? Well, the more work you do beforehand, the better shape it will be in for your editor, which equals a less expensive quote! 

    It also means that when your edited manuscript returns to you, it won’t be so littered with red mark-up that you immediately freak out. Instead, you’ll be able to concentrate on those helpful suggestions that enhance your writing and make it shine, rather than getting bogged down in the small stuff. 

    Plus, the more you polish, the more you’ll learn about writing craft, making you a better, more confident writer.

    Reckon you tick these boxes? Check out my line and copyediting services or contact me for a sample edit.

  • Editing, Writing

    5 gifts to give your WIP this festive season

     

    Slow down, chill out and experiment with your writing practice.

    Happy Holidays! It’s that magical time of year where we get to sit down, relax, stuff ourselves with treats and – if you’re a fiction writer – spend some quality time with your manuscript. 

    While showing up and writing is always a good idea, you might be in the mood to experiment. If you want to tap into that spirit of creativity that seems to hover nearby when you feel relaxed and happy, here are five ways to play with your words these holidays. 

    1 Interview your characters

    I love this writing practice for its ability to bring out greater depth in your cast of characters – and as a result, strengthen your novel. 

    It’s particularly useful if any of your characters are feeling one-dimensional on the page. 

    They may play an important role in the story arc, throwing up obstacles for your main character or helping them unravel a mystery, but who they are and why they act the way they do isn’t clear. 

    Or perhaps it’s your main character. You know they have a strong surface desire – they might want to fall in love or be married by 30 – but you haven’t fully explored the deeper desire underpinning that goal. The result is that readers might not connect with your character enough to go on that journey with them. 

    Interviewing your characters allows you to access hidden feelings, strengths, flaws, traits and more. 

    How to do it? Find a space where you can work uninterrupted for a while – around an hour. Then, start by throwing some basic questions at your character to get them talking. Where are they from? Where did they grow up? How many siblings? What colour is their eyes? How do they dress? 

    Then start throwing in some curlier questions. They might be directly related to your plot or characters (eg why do you dislike so-and-so, why did you make that decision?), or they might be more personal: What’s your earliest memory? What’s your greatest fear? What past hurt can you not forgive?

    You might be surprised what comes out and how it can take your novel to another level. 

    2 Read a (craft) book 

    Sometimes, you just need a break from writing. 

    If you’re lacking inspiration or wondering how to unravel a sticky spot or want to level up your writing skills, why not devote this holiday period to some writing theory instead of practice. 

    There are loads of great books on the craft of writing to explore. Some of my favourites are: 

    Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

    Perfect if you need a gigantic shot of inspiration. Gilbert makes any creative task feel achievable in this guide.

    Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss

    Truss’s guide to punctuation is funny, interesting and informative. The trifecta!

    The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi

    Use this fantastic handbook to liven up your characters’ emotional responses in dialogue and action beats. Perfect if you find a character routinely groaning, blushing or biting their lip.

    Searching for the Secret River by Kate Grenville

    Grenville generously shares the story behind her beautiful novel The Secret River, from the family history that inspired the tale to the twists and turns it took in editing. 

    3 Go on a creativity date

    This tip is based on the artist date exercise in Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, which is a 12-week program designed to get creative juices flowing. 

    I love the idea of taking yourself on a date to inspire creativity, and the holiday period is the perfect time to do it. You could visit an art gallery, have lunch solo, go to the cinema or walk in nature – it’s about finding an experience that will spark your curiosity. 

    To make it even more closely related to your WIP, imagine the experience through one of your character’s eyes. What would they order at the café? What kind of movie would they choose? What would be their favourite artwork at the gallery and why? How would they feel walking in the bush on their own?

    The idea is to be playful to unlock your creativity and bring unexpected ideas to the surface. 

    4 Try a different point of view

    Do you always write in the same close third-person point of view? Maybe you love the intimacy of first-person stories.

    There’s no right or wrong, but if you’re feeling stuck with your story you might want to flip the POV to see if that helps to address a stagnant pace or brighten up a sluggish mid-section. 

    You don’t have to commit right now – this is about experimenting. Try rewriting a scene or a chapter in a different POV, whether it’s going from third to first person or swapping from one character’s perspective to another’s.

    It’ll feel unfamiliar at first, maybe even a bit ick. Push through and notice what comes out in your story as a result – perhaps more insight into a character, perhaps a lighter, brighter voice. It could unlock a whole new perspective on your novel and your writing style. 

    5 Create a style sheet

    Think of this as life admin for your WIP. 

    A style sheet is a document that keeps track of the world inside your novel, from the nuts and bolts of specific spelling decisions to the traits of characters who inhabit your story. 

    It’s a great consistency tool, because it allows you to quickly check those finicky details, like if you use OK rather than okay, if your character’s eyes are blue or green, and if you use italics or quote marks for thoughts. 

    You can create your own style sheet easily in Word, listing your world-building decisions under categories such as ‘settings’ and ‘characters’ and spelling and punctuation choices under alphabetical subheadings (for example, an entry such as quotation marks: single, double within would fall under Q).

    This is especially important if you’re working on a series, as it helps you maintain consistency across books, and it’s great for speculative fiction, which often has a long list of world-building rules to keep up with.

    If you team up with an editor on a copy and line edit, they will create a style sheet for your work (I provide authors with a comprehensive style sheet when I return their copyedited manuscripts). And if you’ve already created your own, you can pass it on to the editor or proofreader for their reference as they work on your novel – they’ll love you for it! 

    I hope these ideas help you get your creativity firing these holidays! Let me know in the comments which of these writing practice gifts have been most useful for your WIP.

  • Editing, How-to, Writing

    No words ever wasted: Why writing to rewrite isn’t a waste of time

    Worried that all that writing you’re doing might eventually end up in the bin? Here’s why your words are never wasted, even if they don’t make the final cut.

    Tension square. 

    These two words, without fail, elicit a groan in me every time I see them at the top of a knitting pattern. 

    If you’ve ever been seduced by a silky skein of wool, you’ll no doubt be familiar with the concept of tension squares. They ask the knitter to make a small test square using the yarn and needles required for the pattern to check their tension – that is, how tight or loose they naturally knit. If you have more stitches per centimetre than the pattern indicates, you need to loosen your knitting. If you have fewer, you need to tighten up. 

    It’s a quality-control process that good crafters understand and follow, knowing that if their tension is off they won’t wind up with a well-made garment in the end. It will look shrunken and silly, or hang limp and uneven. Taking the time to check their tension at the start can insure them against a disappointing finish. 

    Unfortunately, I’m not one of those crafters. 

    To me, tension squares have always felt like a waste of time. I’m excited to start the project and I want the finished product yesterday. 

    That’s fine if I’m making something like a scarf or a beanie. But for a garment? Well, let’s just say I’ve never made a jumper I’d wear in public. 

    Patience makes perfect

    My refusal to sit with the tedium of knitting tension squares has always held me back from achieving my goal of making a beautiful jumper, cardigan or vest. I’m simply too impatient to be a great crafter.

    I think the same can apply to the craft of writing. 

    I know a lot of writers worry about the possibility that they’re putting in loads of writing time and effort only to have to abandon great swathes of copy at some distant point in the future. They think:

    • What if an editor suggests cutting a whole section of the book? 
    • What if a publisher insists on changing the point of view or adding a new character? 
    • What if I wake up one day and decide the plot is all wrong, the main character sucks and I hate the ending? 

    Writing a book is a lot like knitting in that it’s a skill that takes a lot of practice – and even more patience. 

    You’ll start off excited to work on your idea and see where it ends up, but it’s slow and painstaking work. You might drop a stitch and have to work backwards to fix the hole. And at some point in the process, you might find yourself pulling on a loose thread and unravelling the whole damn thing down to nothing. 

    So, is it a waste if you had to pull out your work and start from scratch? Well, maybe, but only if you think you have nothing to learn. 

    Yes, it hurts to cut chapters you spent hours putting down or to give up on a character you once loved. But those early drafts weren’t wasted. The process of writing them taught you about structure, narrative arcs, characterisation, dialogue, showing vs telling, deep point of view. They might even inspire new stories further down the track. 

    What about writing exercises? Like tension squares, practices such as interviewing your characters, writing a detailed backstory or testing out a different narrative tense might feel like a distraction from the main game – finishing your novel – but they’re not as pointless as they can seem. 

    Sure, they’re time consuming and they might not ever make it to the published page. But are they a waste? No. They’re an opportunity to work on your craft and expand your skills. A quality-control process to ensure that the finished product is polished, engaging, and definitely worth showing off in public. 

    Five ways to reframe your rewrite

    If you’re struggling to let go of some of your darlings or worried that you’re wasting your words, try these tips: 

    • Create a safety net: Put any cut material into a separate word file and save it. You might come back to it later, you might not. Tell yourself it’s still valued material by keeping it on file. 
    • Set a time limit for your writing practice. If you’ve been staring at your screen for 15 minutes and feel like the words aren’t flowing, don’t force it – you’re unlikely to love the work you create in this mood. Put your laptop away and come back to it later when you’re in a more creative mindset. 
    • Try writing just for fun, sometimes. Don’t pressure yourself to create something amazing or reach a certain stage in your novel every time you sit down to write. Practise writing for the joy of it – try writing some flash fiction, pen a poem or just free-journal your thoughts.  
    • Make a plan for your rewrite. Don’t just dive in – go through your manuscript with a critical eye and pinpoint what areas need work, then follow through systematically. Not sure where to start? An editor can give you sensitive, professional feedback on your story and a plan for how to strengthen its weak points. Check out my structural editing service here.
    • Accept that rewriting is part of the process, no matter how far along you are in your writing journey. Even the best, most accomplished authors write multiple drafts of their novels. As Anne Lamott says, “Almost all writing begins with terrible first efforts.”

  • Author interviews, Editing, Writing

    “I like to make people laugh, but I also want to make them feel” – Karina May on writing rom-coms, travelling for inspiration and dirty first drafts

    Debut author Karina May was born to write rom-coms. She’s the kind of funny that leaves you gasping for air, and her sharp observations have a way of injecting life into tired romance tropes.

    Karina’s first novel, Under the Influence, will be released on 1 September under the HarperCollins imprint Escape. It follows banker Louise Lane and philanthropist Blake Goldfield as they grapple with their unravelling lives, the weight of society’s expectations and their unlikely attraction as their paths cross in flashy Sydney and beautiful Peru. 

    I’m so excited for the launch of this book, not only because I got to work on it at both structural and line-editing stages, but because I know exactly how much dedication and determination has gone into this incredible achievement.

    I met Karina when we were both working as editorial assistants for a niche publisher of craft magazines. Back then, our biggest creative hurdle was coming up with headlines for articles about sewing techniques and scrapbooking tools. It was seriously tough work and whenever we were stumped, our foolproof formula was to simply add ‘-tastic’ to the topic of choice. Tassel-tastic! Cushion-tastic! Quilt-tastic! I’m happy to say our standards have lifted significantly since then. 

    While I stayed in magazines, Karina was savvy enough to opt out of the declining industry early, moving into the booming world of digital marketing. She kept her creative muscle flexed writing rom-coms for fun, and here we are! Under the Influence is out now and Karina has another two novels in the works for next year (more on that below).

    I used my considerable influence with Karina to ask her about her journey to published author, her writing routine and, of course, how she feels about the editing process. 

    Cover of Under the Influence by Karina May

    Your first book, Under The Influence, is out on 1 September. Congratulations! How long have you been dreaming of this moment? 

    Thank you! I think I’ve dreamt of this moment for as long as I’ve been writing creatively – around 10 years or so! Like so many of us do, I changed the goal posts almost as soon as I started. Initially, I was writing a book just for fun – to see if I could actually do it … but that quickly changed to wanting to get it published!

    Can you give us a rundown of your journey to becoming a published author? When and why did you start writing?

    I have a background in journalism and studied communications at uni so I’ve always loved writing. My first couple of jobs were in magazines, writing articles. When I was growing up I actually wanted to be a foreign correspondent. I did a uni placement at an English broadsheet in Bangkok and quickly realised that a foreign correspondent was not the same as a Getaway reporter (LOL), so I ditched my Catriona Rowntree fantasies and went into magazines. I wrote non-fiction stories exclusively for years until the unfortunate decline of magazines pushed me to re-skill in digital. Once I wasn’t writing as much in my day job I found myself with a bit of an itch to scratch. I’ve always enjoyed being a storyteller, so I started jotting down funny anecdotes – mainly dating stories – then tried to string them together to make a book. Note: this is not how you write a book! 

    Writing a novel around a full-time job is no easy task. How do you juggle your fiction writing with your day-to-day life? Can you share any tips for being consistent with a writing routine?

    For sure! When I first started writing I was working in a pretty demanding full-time job. I wrote in the evenings as a bit of an outlet, and on some weekends. Now, I’m lucky enough to work for myself as a freelancer so I can choose my hours (to a degree). I’m someone who can’t really write in short bursts so I typically structure my week around writing blocks – at least one or two hours. I normally write first thing – which is a big change to how I started – as I’m less likely to skip the writing this way. My client/paid work has to get done, so I know that I’ll get to it after writing and I’m normally happier once I have some words down, too. So my main tip is, writing first! Even if that is before the sun is up (vom).

    Travel is a big theme in your work. What role does travelling play in your creative process? 

    It plays a massive role. My writing ideas are mostly sparked by being in new environments. My senses and observational skills are heightened and the juices start flowing! It could be an experience, a conversation, or even a look that gets the imagination going. It’s almost like when I’m away, I give myself permission to play – I’m now doing my best to give myself the same permission slip when I’m home. It’s about harnessing that ex-pat mentality and curiosity in everyday life. 

    I know you’re a fan of writing getaways – I’m always jealous to see you writing in beautiful locations! Where, apart from Sydney, did you pen Under the Influence?

    Oh yes, I’ve lost count of the number of writing getaways I’ve done (so very lucky!) I actually started writing Under the Influence in Berlin in late 2019. I was there for six weeks and wrote the first 30,000 words in my studio apartment in Kreuzberg and in surrounding cafes. The rest of the novel was written during Covid time. Between lockdowns, I managed to escape to Patonga on NSW’s Central Coast with my amazing writing pal, JoJo Swords, for some editing. Editing can be very painful so I like having a change of scenery (and a buddy).

    “The main thing I love about the editing process is help with identifying my blind spots”

    Speaking of editing, I’m lucky to have worked with you on a few manuscripts now, and I know you’ve worked with other editors and beta readers too. What do you find most helpful about the editing process? 

    Gosh, I’m so lucky to have you edit my books. You make them exponentially better! I think the main thing I love about the editing process is help with identifying my blind spots. By the time I’m done, I’m normally so close to the story that I can’t see the wood for the trees. It’s so helpful having expert assistance to suggest which parts of the story need attention and why. I think the why is just as important, as I’m not going to make any changes unless I truly believe it’s going to better the story. 

    How important is it to you to get that outside perspective when you’re shaping your story? 

    It’s imperative. I think it’s helpful to get the advice of an expert editor to help with the technical elements, like ways to raise the stakes, and a handful of trusted beta readers to tell you in non-technical terms what they love and what might not be working as well. Once you have multiple opinions you can identify trends. If everyone is saying the same thing it’s hard to ignore! 

    What writing or editing rule do you love to break? 

    Haha, I love this. Apart from thinking punctuation is entirely optional (sorry, Penny!), maybe the rule that you should write a dirty first draft. I’m not someone who can get my thoughts down fast. I am certainly of the school of thought that you can’t edit a blank document, but I’m also cautious about making more work for myself by writing too much nonsense. I don’t make myself write every day, so if I’m writing rubbish I won’t persist. I personally like to write a pretty clean first draft. I write leanly, then add.

    What do you want Karina May books to be known for? 

    Oh, that’s a tricky one. I’ve been told that my stories are ‘lively’ – I think that means that I have big plots with big characters. I like to make people laugh with my writing, but I also want to make people feel. To make big feelings, ideas and themes more accessible by delivering them in a palatable way. Palatable? I’m not sure I would buy something marketed as palatable, so let’s go with spunky. I also want my books to just be a bit of fun! I have so much fun writing them – especially the travel aspect – so I want people to have fun reading them!

    What advice would you give aspiring writers hoping to follow in your footsteps?

    Seek out expert advice! Whether that’s a course at the Australian Writers Centre (where I did the Write Your Novel six-month course, twice!) or listening to writing podcasts (my current faves are The First Time pod, Talking Aussie Books and Writes4Women), and when the time is right, engage a professional editor like Penny! [Ed’s note: I did not pay her to say that!] Not only does being tapped into the writing community provide you with support and accountability to help you stay motivated, it will set you up with the foundations you need to create a manuscript worthy of publication. And, read lots! Everyone says this – because it’s true. Reading widely will help your writing, and it’s also useful for staying on top of trends and understanding where your manuscript fits in the market.

    And finally… when can we expect the next Karina May story?!

    Ooh, 2023 is going to be very exciting! I recently signed a two-book deal with Pan Macmillan, so I’ll have new books out in March and December next year. I’m also going to start work on my fourth book. I have an idea for the one after that too, so for the moment it’s writing, writing and more writing!

    You can pick up Karina’s delightful debut Under the Influence here or follow her on Instagram @karinamaywrite

  • Editing, Proofreading, Writing

    Why every dream team needs an editor


    In May 2017, hundreds of journalists walked off the job at top newspapers around the country, including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review.

    They were protesting Fairfax Media’s latest round of job cuts – 125 editorial positions were slashed from its metropolitan mastheads. While the strike created headline news, one headline went unnoticed… Until it was published, at least. During the week-long strike, The Sydney Morning Herald went to print with a page-one headline that read, embarrassingly, ‘Household debt a threat to ecomomy’.

    A typo in bold type on one of the most respected papers in the country? It was possibly the best press the striking journos could have hoped for – published proof that their editorial skills were not disposable, but essential. It’s also a simple way to explain why you should consider hiring an editor or a proofreader to review your business material before publishing it, online or in print.

    Even if you aced English at high school or routinely correct your best friend’s bad spelling, enlisting the help of an editor is a smart idea. Here’s a few reasons I reckon it’s worth the investment…

    Quality control
    Let’s start with the obvious, shall we? Employ an editor or a proofreader and you can expect that they’ll pick up the embarrassing typos, the repeated words and the misplaced apostrophes on your behalf. If you care about your brand and how it’s perceived, keeping the wording clean is essential (more on that below). And if you often find yourself getting confused about the rules of grammar, it’s a real relief to offload the finicky stuff to an expert.

    Wordsmithery
    The real value of working with an editor is allowing them to massage your ideas into shape. You might have a great blog post concept in your head, but struggle to get it out succinctly. Maybe you’re stumbling over one awkwardly long sentence in your ‘About’ page, or have lost your way with the flow of a press release. This, friends, is where an editor shines. They’re trained to smooth out the problems on the page, without losing your unique voice. Think of your editor as the fairy godmother who turns plain Jane copy into a sparkling Cinderella.

    Perception
    Sure, people will gloss over mistakes in your website copy or marketing material. They’ll see a typo, automatically correct it in their mind and keep on reading. But every time you let a little error slip through, it damages your brand. It looks sloppy and careless, which dilutes your message and lowers your value. Good, strong writing, on the other hand, is seamless. You don’t get props for it because when people read well-crafted copy, they don’t even notice it. Instead, they’re thinking about how great that product would be in their life, or how awesome that designer would be for their project.

    Collaboration
    If you enjoy the creative collaboration process, you’ll love working with a pro writer and editor. Just like in other creative fields, they’ll help you conceptualise your ideas. They’ll take the time to talk to you about your aims for the project, the style that best represents your business and what information you need to get across. Then they’ll work their magic before allowing you to give feedback, taking in your suggestions and tweaking the wording till they’ve nailed your vision. Meanwhile, you get to direct the whole show without the stress of trying to do it all yourself. Win-win.

    I’ll be honest – I’d love to be part of your dream team. If you’re looking for help writing, editing or proofreading your business materials, get in touch here.