The Nitpicker’s Nook is a monthly collection of language-related articles, interviews, and blog posts from around the Web. If you read something that would make a good addition, email your suggestion to [email protected].
By Robin Marwick
- There’s a widespread misconception among writers that editors don’t really add much to their work and, indeed, often change it for the worse. John Adamus sets them straight. (Terrible Minds)
- On a related note, Katharine O’Moore-Klopf explains to her clients why editing takes longer than reading for pleasure. (EditorMom)
- Should you take an editorial test for a new client? Liz Jones says editing tests don’t have to be a burden. (Society for Editors and Proofreaders)
- Productivity through procrastination is possible (promise!). The Chicago Manual of Style interviews John Perry, author of The Art of Procrastination: A Guide to Effective Dawdling, Lollygagging and Postponing, for some tips. (CMOS Shop Talk)
- Building custom style sheets for PerfectIt is easy, says Daniel Heuman, and gives you a useful tool to ensure your capitals, hyphens, commas, and spelling are just the way your client wants them. (Society for Editors and Proofreaders)
- Whether it’s losing a good client or having to deal with an impossible one, setbacks happen to every freelancer. Ruth E. Thaler-Carter has some tips for turning freelancing lemons into lemonade. (An American Editor)
- Lexicographer Erin McKean searches for weird and wonderful words in the wild and corrals them at Wordnik, a not-for-profit online dictionary. Sounds cromulent. (American Copy Editors Society)
Robin Marwick is a Toronto-based freelance editor, medical writer, content strategist, and dog lover.
This article was copy edited by Jeny Nussey.