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
6 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