Caduceus
     Julie Rowe, author
 

"You don't concentrate on risks. You concentrate on results. No risk is too great to prevent the necessary job from getting done." - Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager

 


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Editing/Revision Tips

By Julie Rowe

  • Make notes on your hard copy (I like to use a red pen and highlighter).

  • Read your work out loud.

  • Use contractions wherever possible.

  • Vary sentence structure and length.  Stress important points with short or fragmented sentences.

  • Vary paragraph length.  Create/leave white space every so often to increase the pace and give the reader a visual break.

  • Begin and end scenes and chapters with a hook.
  • Repetition –
  • Identify and rewrite crutch words or phrases.

  • Do not repeat information.
  • Avoid qualifiers where possible, use them sparingly if you must - Actually, finally, really, in fact, almost, very. 
    • Example #1. Change very important to critical, crucial or central.
    • Example #2. Change really angry to outraged or furious.

  • Avoid lazy suffixes – ness, ize, ly.

  • To be verbs are often over used – am, is, are, was, were, be, being.  Use descriptive, powerful, active verbs instead.
    • Example: The purpose of the report is to provide a means of comparing production values from different times of the year.

      Change To: The report compares production values from different times of the year.

  • Remove the word ‘that’ wherever possible.

  • Write clearly, don’t sound like a politician.
    • Example: The income derived from oil and gas revenue will be allocated to revitalizing the province’s infrastructure.

      Change to: The gas tax will pay for highway repair.

  • Make sure you’re using it’s correctly.  This word is commonly misused.  It’s = it is or it has.  Its = ownership.

  • Watch for overused words, phrases and clichés.

Examples:

    • Drastic action
    • Back burner
    • In no uncertain terms
    • Reliable source
    • Viable alternative
    • Check out the Plain English Campaign website for free lists of clichés, overused words and phrases and examples of plain English writing: http://www.plainenglish.co.uk

  • Numbers – figures or words?

In fiction all numbers are expressed in words.

  • Correct usage of abbreviations for titles:
    • Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth of England
      Abbreviation: HRH., Queen Elizabeth.

 



All text and photos copyright 2006 by Julie Rowe
Graphics and site design copyright 2006 by Karen McCullough

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