Sydney Lake

🧰 What's in your #editing toolbox? As a copy editor and proofreader, I do a lot of fact-checking. That (already complex) process can hit a snag since many primary sources are now gated or behind paywalls. One of my favorite tools for navigating this is https://archive.is/, which provides viewable screenshots for many webpages, enabling me to quickly check a stat or quote or date without having to pay for an endless number of subscriptions. While I definitely believe in supporting good journalism and careful research (as a few examples), I also believe tools like this are fair given the specific and limited purpose for which I'm using them. Do you agree? What's one of your favorite tools in your editing toolbox? I’m Kelsey. 👋 Editing is my bread and butter—and it’s also my jam. I copy edit and proofread for publishers and nonfiction writers. 📚✍️ Follow Kelsey Mitchener Editing for thoughts and updates on #editing and #freelancelife.

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Grammatically correct writing isn’t automatically good writing. There are a thousand ways to say anything! A thousand *correct* ways. You can hand me a sentence that is technically error-free, but if it's not the best way to say what you mean, I will still suggest edits. #editing #communications #nonprofits

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A great test to see if your copy is too formal is the "comma Mary” test. The test comes from Bruce DeSilva, a thriller author and former journalist. The test: put ", Mary" at the end of a statement. Then read it aloud. If it doesn't sound right—namely, too formal—turn the word-choice dial toward less specialized, more conversational until it feels right. Example: “Undergoing regular cancer screenings is the expert-recommended approach to discovering cancer early enough to optimize treatment options and improve health outcomes, Mary." or "Regular cancer screenings help find cancer early, which is why experts recommend them. Treatment works best then and can help patients live longer, Mary." Which one are you most likely to say to a person? Now, it's no silver bullet; you'll want to go deeper and look at your writing decisions—sentence length along with word choice and order. But the "comma Mary" test is a great tool to judge your copy's readability. And to make changes toward making it more human—if that's what it needs, Mary. Alexandra Howson and I talked shop about voice last year. #writing #storytelling #medicalwriting

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