Editing Tips

From complete beginners to experienced editors, our blog has something for everyone! Learn about the different types of editing – developmental, comprehensive, line, and copy editing – and read our expert advice on editing all different types of documents (including business, creative, and academic).

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    Understanding the Proofing Options in Microsoft Word

    Understanding the Proofing Options in Microsoft Word

    Jun 25, 2020

    • Editing Tips
    • Formatting
    • Proofreading Software and Tools
    • Proofreading Tips

    The spellchecker in Microsoft Word cannot replace expert proofreading, but it can be a useful tool for proofreaders. We look at this in our Becoming A Proofreader course. However, to make the most of this tool, you need to understand the proofing options in Microsoft Word. How to Access the Proofing Options in Microsoft Word […]

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    Proofreading and Diacritics in English

    Proofreading and Diacritics in English

    Apr 19, 2020

    • Editing Tips
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Vocabulary Tips

    Diacritics – sometimes known as accents – are used in writing to tell us how to pronounce a word. But do we really use diacritics in English? Do you need to worry about diacritic marks when proofreading? And, if so, how do you add them in Microsoft Word? Let us explain! How Do Diacritics Work […]

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An Editing and Proofreading Glossary

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    5 Brilliant Quotes About Editing

    Mar 12, 2020

    • Editing Tips
    • Freelance Resources

    Compared to authors, proofreaders and editors rarely make any headlines. But proofreading and editing is essential to great writing! And we’ve found a few quotes we think capture this. 1. Russell Lynes – Editing Is Necessary The editor and publisher Russell Lynes is quoted as saying: No author dislikes to be edited as much as […]

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    Substantive vs. Mechanical Editing: What You Need to Know

    Feb 24, 2020

    • Editing Tips

    What does editing involve? Well, that all depends on the type of editing and who you ask. But to keep things simple, we’ll focus on two main categories: Substantive Editing – Focuses on the document as a whole, not the small details. It may involve making major changes to a text, including to its structure […]

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    Copy Editing vs. Proofreading: What You Need to Know

    Feb 06, 2020

    • Editing Tips
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Style

    In the publishing world, copy editing and proofreading both take place toward the end of the editing process. However, these terms are tricky to pin down. And to confuse matters further, many freelance editors offer a mix of both. But there is a distinction between the two, so let’s look at what makes copy editing […]

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    Should You Edit Citations and References?

    Jan 27, 2020

    • Academic Writing
    • Editing Tips
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Referencing and Citations

    You need to know your referencing systems if you’re proofreading academic documents. Knowadays covers several major referencing styles to this end, but we’re often asked how far an editor should go with citations. The answer is But that isn’t a very helpful answer, so we’ll look more at how to edit references and citations below. […]

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    What to Do with Tentative Language

    Jan 13, 2020

    • Common Errors
    • Editing Tips
    • Other Errors
    • Proofreading Tips

    Tentative language – also known as – is a common feature of many types of writing. But what exactly do we mean by tentative language? And what should you do if you encounter hedging when editing or proofreading a document? In this post, we explain all. What Do We Mean by Hedging? If a document […]

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  • Proofreading-and-Editing-Tips_-Understanding-the-Proofing-Options-in-Microsoft-Word_21F_.jpg

    Understanding the Proofing Options in Microsoft Word

    Understanding the Proofing Options in Microsoft Word

    Jun 25, 2020

    • Editing Tips
    • Formatting
    • Proofreading Software and Tools
    • Proofreading Tips

    The spellchecker in Microsoft Word cannot replace expert proofreading, but it can be a useful tool for proofreaders. We look at this in our Becoming A Proofreader course. However, to make the most of this tool, you need to understand the proofing options in Microsoft Word. How to Access the Proofing Options in Microsoft Word […]

    Read more
  • Proofreading-and-Editing-Tips_-Proofreading-and-Diacritics-in-English_21F_.jpg

    Proofreading and Diacritics in English

    Proofreading and Diacritics in English

    Apr 19, 2020

    • Editing Tips
    • Proofreading Tips
    • Vocabulary Tips

    Diacritics – sometimes known as accents – are used in writing to tell us how to pronounce a word. But do we really use diacritics in English? Do you need to worry about diacritic marks when proofreading? And, if so, how do you add them in Microsoft Word? Let us explain! How Do Diacritics Work […]

    Read more