Tag Archives: editing

editing your writing – lessons from chefs?

Posted on March 8, 2021 by pat thomson

You can pick up helpful ideas from the most unlikely places. Like cooking shows. Yes I watch cooking shows, it’s one of my guilty pleasures. I’m sure I’m not the only one, given their popularity. Sometimes they offer more than … Continue reading →

Posted in citations, editing, revision, revision strategy | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

2019 was…

Posted on December 30, 2019 by pat thomson

… the year of the book series. So I thought a little end of year discussion about book series might be in order. Book series require a very particular kind of editorial work. Editors have to have a good analysis … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, book series, co-editing, editing, Helen Kara | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

tightening up your sentences – cut the bloat

Posted on January 15, 2018 by pat thomson

We all know what bloat is. If something is bloated it is swollen, puffed up, flabby, distended, enlarged. Right now, we probably associate bloat with eating too much over the festive season. But bloat also happens in academic writing. A … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, bloat, editing, tightening up | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

finishing off is hard to do ( for me anyway)

Posted on November 7, 2016 by pat thomson

I’m a knitter. I really like the knitting part of knitting. But I’m much less enamoured of the finishing off stage. I currently have two cardigans needing their buttons sewn on. Mmmmm …I’ll do them, I really will, just not … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

book blog – our endgame revision and proofing

Posted on June 11, 2015 by pat thomson

Barbara and I are now on final descent with our new writing book, Detox your writing. We’ll have it to the publisher sometime next week. Yippee. Our process of final revision and proof-reading has been in several stages. About three … Continue reading →

Posted in Barbara Kamler, book writing, editing, proof-reading, revision | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

revision – it’s not just about cutting words

Posted on April 16, 2015 by pat thomson

We’re all told that the essence of revision is rewriting. Write and then write again. Rewrite. And rewriting means cutting, getting rid of the excess verbage we poured onto the page as a ‘brain dump’. We’re also told that the … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, editing, revision, rewriting, William Zinsser | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

good academic writing – it’s about revision not editing

Posted on February 24, 2014 by pat thomson

Creative writers are accustomed to the idea that their writing must go through several drafts. However, much of the advice on offer to academic writers proceeds as if all they have to do is produce a draft which is then … Continue reading →

Posted in Ann Lamott, early onset satisfaction, editing, revision | Tagged , , , , | 36 Comments

finished your first draft? now it’s cut and come again

Posted on October 12, 2012 by pat thomson

One of the crunch points for writers comes right after the first draft. It’s commonly understood that once the first draft is done what is needed is some editing. This is most usually thought of as minor rewriting and fiddling … Continue reading →

Posted in academic writing, editing, revision, rewriting, words, writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments