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How to edit and proofread like a pro

Charity Writing and Publications Training Day24 October 2013

What well cover1. The difference between editing and proofreading2. A step-by-step guide to editing3. How to do an effective proofread

Editing vs proofreadingProofreading: happens at the end of the publication process, when youre totally happy with all copy and design. Its a final check for basic errors. Happens in PDF/on web page.

Editing: all other tweaking of copy, in Word.

Editing: a step-by-step guideStep 1: What should the final product look like? Who is your audience?What do you want them to do when theyve read the piece youre editing?

Editing: a step-by-step guideGet a brief

Who is the audience for the piece?What do you want the audience to do when theyve read it? What is the call to action?What are your key messages?What tone do you want the piece to strike?How deeply do you think the piece needs to be edited?Do you think the structure of the piece needs to change?

Editing: a step-by-step guideStep 2: Get missing information

Who, what, when, where, why?Build into timetableCheck the facts Editing: a step-by-step guideStep 3: Order and introduction

Your introduction is the most important part: make sure its attention-grabbingWhat is your key message? Start with it! Put the most exciting information first, then the rest in order of importance/logic

Twenty years ago this month, we had our public launch, on 24 October 1993, the first World Child Poverty Day. Next month, we will hold our AGM on 21 October, during the 20th World Child Poverty Day. Our AGM will be held at the King James Building, where our office is based, and will start at 11am.

This year we will be changing the format of our AGM and offering a number of facilitated workshops for attendees. As well as providing an opportunity to meet other members socially, we hope our AGM will inform, empower and inspire our members to get more involved with The Child Poverty Society. For more information or to let us know you are attending, please contact the office or email info@childpoverty.org.

Would you like to find out more about the Child Poverty Societys work and meet other members?

Come along to our annual general meeting (AGM) on 21 October. Its free, and you can go to interesting talks from experts on everything from the future of Somalias orphanages to how to set up your own campaign group.

The AGM, which marks our 20th anniversary, starts at 11am at the King James Building, where our office is. For more information or to let us know youre coming, email info@childpoverty.org

Editing: a step-by-step guideStep 4: Make your sentences, paragraphs and whole text flow well

Sentences

Use sentence length and structureRepeat sentence structureVary sentence lengthUse but, and and dashes for drama

Dementia is devastating.

Right now, its robbing 820,000 people in the UK of their capacity to think, reason and remember. Its leaving families caring for loved ones who dont know who they are. And its costing this country a staggering 23 billion a year, more than heart disease and cancer combined. With a rapidly ageing population, that is only going to increase unless we take action now.

Research is the answer. If we can understand dementias causes, improve diagnosis, find new treatments and learn how to prevent it, we can improve and save lives, and money. We can stop dementia affecting your family in the future.

There is hope. Dementia is treatable. But we must invest now to find solutions to stop dementia becoming an epidemic.

Editing: a step-by-step guideDont repeat the same words in consecutive sentences

Youth clubs make a massive difference to young people. From giving young people skills that are immensely valuable for school and beyond to building their confidence and improving their job prospects, going to a youth club can change young peoples lives.

Youth clubs make a massive difference to teenagers. From giving them skills that are immensely valuable for school and beyond to building their confidence and improving their job prospects, going to a youth club can change young peoples lives.

Editing: a step-by-step guideParagraphs

Use transition words and phrases

Transitions signal relationships between ideas, such as Another example coming upstay alert! or Heres an exception to my previous statement or Although this idea appears to be true, heres the real story. Transitions give your reader directions to piece your ideas into a logically coherent argument.

Editing: a step-by-step guideEffects/results: so, as a result, due toAddition: also, in addition, too, andEmphasis: indeed, obviously, undoubtedly, clearlyElaboration/qualification: frequently, occasionally, in particularConcede a point: of course, no doubt, its true thatBuild towards climax: most importantly, above allComparison: likewise, similarlyContrast: however, nonetheless, although, yet, but

Editing: a step-by-step guideDont start consecutive paragraphs in the same way

Indonesia and Malaysia produce 92% of all palm oil. Their fields as far as the eye can see are covered in oil palm trees.

Indonesia and Malaysia depend heavily on palm oil for jobs

Editing: a step-by-step guideIndonesia and Malaysia produce 92% of all palm oil. Their fields as far as the eye can see are covered in oil palm trees.

These countries depend heavily on palm oil for jobs

Editing: a step-by-step guideWhole text

Good headers, subheads Bullet pointsBox outsPull stats

Read out loudEditing: a step-by-step guideStep 5: Work on the language

8 simple things to eliminate from any piece you edit...

Eliminate...1. Long sentences and paragraphs

Sentences should be no more than 30 wordsKeep paragraphs to 4-5 lines max

Pithy sentences are like sharp nails driving truth into our memory. DiderotEvery 30 seconds, a fire station in the UK gets a call because a fires broken out in a home and children are inside, theres been a pile up on the motorway and seriously injured people are trapped or perhaps hazardous chemicals have spilled, and they need to be cleared before catching fire.

No matter how dangerous the situation, brave fire fighters will spring into action, putting their own lives on the line to save others, every minute of every day. Every 30 seconds, a fire station in the UK gets a call.

A fires broken out in a home, children are inside. Theres a pile up on the motorway, seriously injured people are trapped. Hazardous chemicals have spilled, they need to be cleared before catching fire.

No matter how dangerous the situation, brave fire fighters will spring into action. They put their own lives on the line to save others. Every minute of every day.

Eliminate...

2. Long words

MyriadProcureTerminateAssistanceImplementCommenceAssistance

ManyBuyEndHelpCarry outBeginHelp

I never write 'metropolis' for seven cents when I can write 'city' and get paid the same. Mark TwainEliminate...3. The passive voice

The cat sat on the mat The mat was sat on by the cat

We need your support to build the hospiceYour support is needed to build the hospiceThere is such a thing as the poetry of a mistake, and when you say mistakes were made, you deprive an action of its poetry, and you sound like a weasel. Charles BaxterThe event was run by our Manchester officeOur Manchester office ran the event

Sarah was helped hugely by coming to our youth clubComing to our youth club helped Sarah hugely

Eliminate...4. Redundant words and phrases

Every word you use should have meaning look out for those that dont1. The financial crisis seriously affects many different parts of the UK.

2. The shop is located in the north of the city.

3. In order to support these desperate families, we need your help.

4. Our programme is the most unique in the world.

5. It goes without saying that your donation is vital.

6. We help children between the ages of six and seven years old.

7. We think that theres a lack of government funding.

8. The reason why we do this is because there are children suffering.

1. The financial crisis seriously affects many different parts of the UK.

2. The shop is located in the north of the city.

3. In order to support these desperate families, we need your help.

4. Our programme is the most unique in the world.

5. It goes without saying that your donation is vital.

6. We help children between the ages of six and seven years old.We help six- and seven-year olds.

7. We think that theres a lack of government funding.

8. The reason why we do this is because there are children suffering.

Eliminate...5. Nouns

Never use a noun when you could replace it with a verb.

Our aims are engagement of young people and crime reductionWe aim to engage young people and reduce crimeEliminate...6. Adjectives and adverbs

Too many adjectives/adverbs weaken the impact of your writing.

Leading doctors have issued a dire warning that the nations massive obesity crisis will have very serious consequences for essential medical services.

Doctors have warned that obesity will have serious consequences for public services.

The road to hell is paved with adverbs. Stephen KingEliminate...7. Jargon

Jargon: The specialised vocabulary of a particular trade, profession, group or activity.(Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)

Plain English: Writing that the intended audience can read, understand and act upon the first time they read it. (The Plain English Campaign)

Going forward, high quality learning environments are an obligatory precondition for the enhancement of the continuing learning process

Good schools help children to learn

Eliminate...8. Clichs

If you hear it all the time, dont use it.

He was happy as LarryShe felt as sick as a dog

Editing: in summaryIt is with words as with sunbeams. The more they are condensed, the deeper they burn. Robert Southey

Editing your own workEveryones work benefits from an edit from someone else.

Step away and come backPrint outRead aloudExercise 1Flow

Long sentences and wordsPassiveNounsAdjectives and adverbsJargonClichs

What is proofreading?In an ideal world...

The final stage in the process of producing a publication Dotting the is, crossing the tsWhen you are happy with all copy and designChecking for consistency and accuracy in spellings, meaning, layout and style

Why does proofreading matter?Prostitutes appeal to PopeJuvenile court to try shooting defendantRed tape holds up new bridges

Why does proofreading matter?If you don't understand the basic rules of written Englishreaders are entitled to wonder what else you don't understand, and with what authority you purport to write something you think they ought to read.

David Marsh, The GuardianProofreading processDo final, thorough check yourselfSign off for proofreadingSend to first proofreader, with clear instructionsCheck first proofreaders work, send on to designerSend on to second proofreader. Ask second proofreader to check first proofreaders changesCheck second proofreaders work, send on to designerCheck changesDo final, thorough check yourselfHow to proofreadStep 1: Get in the right mindset, find the right environment

Step 2: Print out your document. Its easier to read on paper and you are much more likely to pick up errors. Its also easier to navigate through long documents.How to proofreadStep 3: Decide how youre going to mark up your document

On paper, using proofing marks?Using PDF Sticky Notes?Writing a list of changes?

Step 4: Start your proofread!

How to proofreadWhat to look for in a proofread: the obvious

TyposErrors in spelling, grammar and punctuationHouse style mistakesInconsistencies in copy (abbreviations, titles, spellings, capitalisation)Inconsistencies in design (headings, captions, word spacing)Widows and orphans Factual errorsAwkward sentences or confusing copy

How to proofreadWhat a style guide might advise on

Abbreviations (e.g. when to use, style, punctuation)Ampersands (e.g. if theyre acceptable and when)Banned words (e.g. sufferer or victim)Bullet points (e.g. styles)Capitalisation (e.g. specify when used e.g. titles, ranks, organisations, trade names, political parties, geographical names, seasons)Contractions (e.g. when to use, punctuation)Dates and time (e.g. what format do you use?)

Layout (e.g. widows/orphans, heading sizes)Measurements (e.g. do you use abbreviations?)Money (e.g. what format do you use?)NumbersOther languages (e.g. are any words italicised?)Per cent (e.g. per cent/percent/%)Publications (e.g. italicised?)Punctuation (e.g. when to use en dashes, hyphens, brackets, apostrophes, commas, ellipsis)Quotations (e.g. double or single quote marks?)Spellings (e.g. list any unusual spellings multinational/multi-national, PowerPoint)Default publication(s) to refer to for rules and/or spellings not specified in your style guide.

How to proofreadWhat to look for in a proofread: the not-so-obvious

That page numbers are sequentialThat the page numbers are correct in the contents pageThat cross-references are correctThat all phone numbers, addresses, website links and email addresses work and are correct

How to proofread: top tipsTip 1: Read a paragraph once for sense and flow, then read it again for errors

Tip 2: Read it out loud

Tip 3: Read it backwards

Tip 4: Use a ruler or piece of paper

How to proofread: top tipsTip 5: Use search and replace to check consistency

Tip 6: Do a final check of design and layout