Shared Experience

Northwest Independent Editors Guild Meets Seattle Writergrrls

Guild members Brie Gyncild and Diane Sepanski rapped with the Writergrrls in July. We shared stories about how we got started, chatted about tools of the trade, such as The Chicago Manual of Style, debated prescriptive vs. descriptive language, and agreed that editing is not to be confused with rewriting, ghostwriting, or co-authoring. We also described how we get clients; to be successful freelancing, you've got to network—let people know what you do and keep in touch with co-workers from previous places of employment.

We also talked about the importance of editing to writers—if a text is obscured by poor grammar, inappropriate tone, repetition, and the like, the writer risks having her meaning altered during the editing process. The clearer and cleaner the writer is to begin with, the more control she retains over her text. Of course, every one of us is capable of amusing and not-so-amusing slips of the pen. Therefore, we offered these tips for self-editing.

1. Put your work away for a few hours.
A truism for a reason. Fresh eyes yield fresh insights. You knew what you meant to say when you wrote, "You'll spend a lot of time outside on your new cedar deck, and you may start sniffing it too," but chances are after a nap and a spot of tea, you'll rewrite the sentence.

2. Activate your verbs! Personify your subjects!
While it is permitted to use the passive voice, it has been said that the senses are a bit dulled by it.

3. Fish for danglers (misplaced modifiers).
Here's an example from a science fiction novel: "After six years at the university, his intimate touch jolted her." We can only hope the touch graduated with honors.

4. Make sure your subject/verb/pronouns agree.
This is an easy one to miss, especially when subject and verb are separated by a long clause, e.g., "Every part of Ollie—his legs, his neck, his shoulders, his feet—needs a massage."

5. Don't compare apples to oranges.
"The insect zapper features a protective outer enclosure to prevent children, pets, birds, or other wildlife from contacting the charged grid."

6. Invest in a good dictionary.
a) Don't rely on your computer's spellcheck feature.
"An angle in overalls, Matthew was the sweetest boy in class."
—and—
b) Choose the right word for the right task.
"Designed for use over the long haul, this lawnmower reeks of the qualities professional landscapers demand."

7. Try to avoid repetition.
"This is the one of the largest pots the company makes; with it, you can cook a holiday meal for even the largest and most extended of families."
(However, when using a thesaurus, keep 6b in mind or you may end up with "This is the one of the most elephantine pots the company makes; with it, you can cook a holiday meal for even the bulkiest and most extended of families.")

8. Avoid convoluted sentences.
"Almost as a scripted-wish the deafening roar of the calving hanging glacier behind the bay streaked the cliff face with cascading ice and greeted the sun." Say what?

9. Missing words can your reader stumble.

10. Audience/tone/voice/task, audience/tone/voice/task...
Chant it like a mantra.
"This stunning play launches the thespians into the stratosphere of grandeur and magnificence."

The Northwest Independent Editors Guild is a regional alliance of professional freelance editors, founded in 1997. Our members are developmental and substantive editors, copy editors, and proofreaders. We work in all areas of publishing, from online content and technical writing to law, medicine, and business to art and literature. Members meet bimonthly in the Seattle area to share experiences and skills, build contacts, and socialize. Professional freelance editors who live in the Northwest are welcome to join the Guild. For more information on upcoming meetings and how to join, see our Web site at www.edsguild.org.

Brie Gyncild cut herself loose from the golden handcuffs at a large corporation two and a half years ago to become a freelance editor and writer. Because her contacts are primarily in the software industry, the bulk of her work is technical. You can reach her at brie@wordyfolks.com.

Diane Sepanski has been a freelance editor and writer in the Seattle area for about six years. She has worked on everything from encyclopedias to marketing copy to journalism to novels and particularly enjoys writing and editing creative nonfiction. With other members of the Editors Guild, she team-teaches a class called "Careers in Editing & Proofreading" at Discover U. You can reach her at wilana@earthlink.net.