SmithWriting Blog

For the past few weeks, I’ve been working diligently as an editor on an 80-page, full-color magazine with a circulation of more than 40,000.

In this capacity, I’ve interfaced with freelance writers and photographers, designers and printers, copyeditors and consultants—and worked hard to keep everyone on track and on deadline. And I’ve loved every minute of it.

A few things I’d like to share about the editing process:

The editor’s job is not simply to decide what goes into the magazine. There’s a lot of project management involved, from coordinating meetings and interviews to tracking down photo credits, from editing copy for content, style, and length to writing titles, call-outs, and captions. And much, much more.

Copyediting is correcting errors in grammar, spelling, usage, consistency, and style as well as basic fact checking and minimal rewriting for clarification. Copyediting is crucial. Both the assistant editor and I reviewed every draft before it made it into design—and then a few more times after that!

Designers do a lot more than just copy and paste text into templates. They artfully work with fonts and colors to create a visual display that enhances the copy and its message. They never fail to impress me with their ability to turn a simple Word document into a stunning spread.

The final, vital stage of the editing process is proofreading. With skilled eyes and red pens, proofreaders look for typographical and mechanical errors on copy that has already been typeset. Their hieroglyphic marks can make all the difference between an embarrassing printed piece and a beautiful showpiece.

Filed by rebecca at 9:05 pm under Copywriting
5 Comments

Confusing it’s and its is a very common mistake in written English—but it’s also one of my biggest grammar pet peeves.

I understand people’s confusion. Usually, an apostrophe is used to indicate possession. But in this case, the version without an apostrophe is used to indicate possession. Very misleading indeed.

Here’s an explanation to help cut through the confusion:

It’s is a contraction for it is or it has.

(The apostrophe serves as a substitute for the missing letters.)

examples:

It’s a lovely day. (It is a lovely day.)

It’s been a fun weekend. (It has been a fun weekend.)

Its is a possessive pronoun.

examples:

New England is known for its picturesque seasons.

The dog wagged its tail.

Helpful hint:

When writing, ask yourself if the it’s/its you’re about to use can be replaced by it is or it has. If so, use it’s. If not, use its.

example:

The giraffe stretched it’s/its long neck.

Does it make sense to say, “The giraffe stretched it is long neck”? Of course not. So we go with its:

The giraffe stretched its long neck.

See, it’s not so bad after all!

Filed by rebecca at 7:07 pm under Grammar guide
13 Comments

how do I use it?

So glad you asked.

Comprised of three dots called ellipsis points, an ellipsis is a punctuation mark used to indicate an omission. It’s also used to express a pause or trailing off of thought.

Some examples:

“When I’m elected mayor of this town, I’ll clean up the streets like I promised and lower taxes for every hardworking family.”

If that’s too many words for you, you might change the quote to read as follows:

“When I’m elected … I’ll clean up the streets … and lower taxes.”

He’s pretty sure he knows what he’s going to be for Halloween … but he still won’t commit.

I really thought that the Red Sox would win the World Series, but …

Formatting notes:

• There should be a space on each side of the ellipsis.
• If an ellipsis follows a period, put the period at the end of the sentence, then add a space, then add the ellipsis. (example: She replied, “I know that there are a lot of fish in the sea. …”)

No wonder the ellipsis is freelance copywriter Beth Z.’s favorite punctuation mark!

For more grammar lessons, please read the following posts:

• Where’s the semicolon love?
• Put it in parentheses (please)
• The colon: an unappreciated mark with an unfortunate name
• Read this post about exclamation points!
• Save the apostrophes!
• Delete the caps lock key
• Quoth the writer, “Nevermore”

Filed by rebecca at 2:38 pm under Grammar guide
12 Comments

Like many word lovers, I’m a big fan of neologisms—new words or new meanings for established words.

Although some of you may already be familiar with these, I think they’re worth repeating (because they’re just so good!):

Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.

Gargoyle (n.), olive-flavored mouthwash.

Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightgown.

Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

And a few of my own:

Blockhead (n.), in football, an illegal defensive move.

Exterminator (n.), Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Superficial (adj.), containing a large volume of coldblooded vertibrates.

Syllogize (v.), to tell foolish stories about the deceased.

What neologisms do you have to offer?

Filed by rebecca at 5:06 pm under For the love of words
12 Comments

Last month, my associate Kim and I had the pleasure of donating our time and copywriting services to CreateAthon, a 24-hour creative blitz during which advertising agencies and design firms around the country work on a pro bono basis for local nonprofit organizations.

We worked with smith&jones, a full-service marketing and advertising agency in Sturbridge, Massachusetts—the only New England agency that participates in this annual event.

Although we admit that we did not work all 24 hours, Kim and I are very proud of the advertisement, poster, and brochure we wrote for a local senior center. It was very rewarding—and invigorating—to be part of a creative team of people volunteering our talents to help our local community.

We can’t wait to participate again next year!

Learn more about CreateAthon.
Check out smith&jones’ CreateAthon blog.

Filed by rebecca at 6:04 pm under Copywriting
8 Comments

That’s right, readers. Nevermore shall you struggle with the proper use of quotation marks. Thanks to these easy tips, you’ll get them right every time.

 Use quotation marks around any form of direct speech.
“Another thing I’d like to see explained is how you punctuate quotations,” wrote Friar.
“We, too, could use a lesson in quotation marks,” added Tess and Decker.

Use quotation marks around excerpts from text.
According Steph’s new venture, EditQuest.com, “In every great fantasy story, there is a hero. And there is a guide.”

Put quotation marks around titles of books, poems, TV shows, computer games, movies, plays, songs, and works of art.
One of Amy’s favorite books is “Memory and Dream” by Charles de Lint.
Brett, however, prefers to read from the “Hávamál.”

Use quotes to break up a sentence—just make sure the sentence flows well with the attribution in the middle.
“I’ve given up shampoo,” explains Urban Panther. “And I look fabulous.”

For quotes within quotes, use single quotation marks.
According to Lori, “You should read ‘Grammar Snobs are Great Big Meanies.’”

As to placement of punctuation marks in relation to quotation marks, the rule is pretty straightforward: Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks. Question marks and exclamation points usually go outside the marks, but go inside when they are part of the quoted material.
Karen’s personal mantra is “I’m still standing! I’m still strong!”
Did Melissa just say, “I really love quotation marks”?
Beth simply asked, “Who doesn’t?”

Filed by rebecca at 8:30 pm under Grammar guide
21 Comments

Hooray! Today is one of my favorite days of the year: National Punctuation Day®.

Founded in 2004 by former newspaperman Jeff Rubin, this annual event exists to draw attention to the importance of proper punctuation—from the ampersand to the slash.

I’ll be observing this “holiday” by copyediting. With my red pen in hand and my trusty stylebook by my side, I’ll be closing open quotation marks, removing colons after verbs, and adding commas around nonessential phrases with great enthusiasm. What a way to celebrate!

For a refresher on the proper use of punctuation, please check out my previous posts:

• Where’s the semicolon love?
• Put it in parentheses (please)
• The colon: an unappreciated mark with an unfortunate name
• Read this post about exclamation points!
• Save the apostrophes!
• Delete the caps lock key

Filed by rebecca at 6:24 am under Grammar guide
14 Comments

Recently, my father—a self-proclaimed “old dog”—brought to my attention something that was troubling him in the world of words.

An avid learner and Internet surfer, Dad is a big fan of Wikipedia for its simple, direct explanations, definitions, and pronunciations. Well, you can imagine his surprise—and frustration—when he first encountered the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) on Wikipedia.

Anything but simple and direct, the IPA is a series of signs and letters for the representation of human speech sounds. Sponsored by the International Phonetic Association, it provides a “uniform and universally understood system for transcribing the speech sounds of all languages.” The problem is it looks like Greek. That’s because a lot of it IS Greek. Or Latin. Or some crazy combination of the two.

Dad wants to know what’s wrong with the phonetic symbols we learned in elementary school. These figures, used by most American dictionaries, are relatively intuitive and familiar, whereas the IPA symbols—like ð and θ—are anything but.

Here’s an example:

 

versus

in-tər-nash-nəl  [Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary]

Which pronunciation of the word “international” do you understand better?

Proponents of the IPA would say that in today’s global world, interpretation should not depend on the reader’s dialect, and there should be an international phonetic standard in place.

An “old dog” like my dad says that he just wants to know how to pronounce a word in English without having to learn any new tricks—or Greek.

What do you say?

Filed by rebecca at 4:55 pm under For the love of words
12 Comments

As a professional copywriter and copyeditor, I know firsthand the confusion that comes with choosing between the words “lie” and “lay.” It’s not easy. So my dog, Riley, and I decided to help clarify the usage of these two words. (We’re not ones to let sleeping dogs lie.)

lie

definition: to place oneself or be in a horizontal position

• does not take a direct object
• past tense: lay
• past participle: lain
• present participle: lying

examples:

Riley lies in the grass.
Yesterday, Riley also lay in the grass.
She has lain outside for hours.
She is lying by my shade garden.

lay

definition: to put in a low or horizontal position

• takes a direct object
• past tense: laid
• past participle: laid
• present participle: laying

examples:

I lay Riley’s bone on the floor.
I laid Riley on my lap when she was a puppy.
I have laid her toys by her bed.
My husband is laying her water bowl on the lawn.

Any questions? Lay your cards on the table.

Filed by rebecca at 5:10 pm under Grammar guide
15 Comments

For all you pickthanks, thatch-gallows, and slug-a-beds out there, have I got a book for you: the 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue: A Dictionary of Buckish Slang, University Wit, and Pickpocket Eloquence (Digest Books, Inc.).

Originally compiled by Captain Frances Grose in 1785, this lexicon captures the bawdy side of late 18th- and early 19th-century England. Just a quick skim gives you a feel for the thievery, cheating, and debauchery that was prevalent in that society.

Here are some of my favorite entries:

Angling for farthings: Begging out of a prison window with a cap, or box, let down at the end of a long string.

Bufe nabber: A dog stealer.

Cod’s head: A stupid fellow.

Cropsick: Sickness in the stomach, arising from drunkenness.

Dub the jigger: Open the door.

Figging law: The art of picking pockets.

Jolly nob: The head.

To milk the pigeon: To endeavour at impossibilities.

Pickthank: A tale-bearer or mischief maker.

Puff guts: A fat man.

Slug-a-bed: A drone, one that cannot rise in the morning.

Soul case: The body.

Thatch-gallows: A rogue, or man of bad character.

Woolley crown: A soft-headed fellow.

Filed by rebecca at 4:37 pm under For the love of words
21 Comments