For this post, I want you to think about editing and what you are reading for homework tonight as well as what you know about it from previous experience. Use the following questions as a springboard to discuss, reflect and theorize about editing. Your post should be about 500 words, connect back to the readings, and you need to comment back to others who post before you.
Questions to think with:
*What does it mean to "edit" and where do you edit/what do you edit?
*What are some principles of editing that you believe in and use yourself?
*Does genre and/or audience affect how you edit?
*How do you approach editing peers' compositions?
*How is editing different/similar to revising?
*Where does editing fit into your major? Why would it be included?
*Benefits of editing? Negatives of editing?
*How does editing enhance your theory of composing?
DUE: Monday, July 18, 2011 by class time.
What it means to edit is to correct grammar or make stylistic changes in a composition without changing the basic content of the work. There are many ranges of editing from standard proofreading, which is just making sure there are no mechanical errors to substantive editing, in which the editor can do more to re-write and re-organize the composition. I believe the editor should work somewhere along the "editing continuum" that fulfills the needs of what is being asked of them as an editor. This will depend on the writing needs, what the budget will allow, and how the composition is being used. The audience and genre will definitely have an effect on how you edit because you will need to know what language, style, and depth to use that will appeal to the audience.
ReplyDeleteWhen I edit a composition, I look for the overall theme or style of the piece, and go through and look at what could be eliminated or rearranged to make the message more effective. I try to comment on what I think works in a piece also, so it's not all criticism, and theres some positive reenforcement. I think editing is very similar to revising, but with editing someone else is looking over your piece, rather than yourself, so sometimes you may feel they have a new, helpful perspective or in other cases feel they just don't get it and their editing wasn't helpful at all. Having different perspectives in editing composition can be a benefit as well as negative aspect of editing.
Editing is a major aspect of my major, literature, because just about every piece of composition has been edited before it has ever even been considered "literature". Editing is a vital step in composition because it is the last time to make changes to the style or content of composition, which can have a major affect on how it is received. Editing has enhanced my theory on composition because it has made me realize a composition is never "finished", even once you have revised it, and it has been edited by others, there is aways something that can be tweaked or changed a little. This aspect of composition is what has kept literature an art throughout centuries.
Before reading about editing, I had my ideas of what editing was all about. However, I had no clue to what it all entailed. I assumed it was like how we used to peer edit in high school English class, make a few marks on the paper and that was that. Well, I was wrong. There it a lot of detail and time put into the editing process. When you edit, you are making changes (large and small) to a piece of writing. These changes can be as small as spelling or grammar mistakes, or a large as changing phrasing and organization. Now although editing and revising both deal with improvements of writing, don’t get the two confused. Revision is the process of re-writing over and over, where as editing is making changes on things like grammar, spelling and order. Always remember to be precise, concise, and polite when editing your peer’s work. If you ask questions (quarries), make sure they aren’t lengthy and make the author feel stupid. A few rules that ********** gives when choosing words are to, use as few words as possible to express exact meaning, ask for exactly the information you need, and to keep the tone respectful. By doing this you gain the writers respect in a polite way.
ReplyDeleteWhen editing, one huge detail to keep in mind is who the audience is. It is important to find out who will be reading this because it determines what should be written. If you are writing about a shoe sale, you aren’t going to talk about the history of shoes. But, if your writing for example, about your life story, chances are you will need to give some background information. It is pretty obvious to me why editing perfectly ties into our major. I believe it helps us become better writers by understanding what we should and should not put in our compositions. In the past when I have written, I tend to just gaze over my paper, maybe use spell check and that was the extent of it. Now by learning a little bit more about editing and what to look for, I have a better understanding of what I should put in to my writings. I believe that goes for all other writers as well. In composition, it is important to keep in mind as you are writing, what is needed to be said. Ask yourself, “Who is my audience?” “What point am I trying to get across?” “Is it direct and to the point?” “Should I include a brief summery of background information?”. To me there aren’t any negatives about editing, only positives. It not only improves writing, but also helps the writer become stronger.
OOPS!! The ***** on my post were meant to be the author's name but I wasn't sure what it was!!
ReplyDeleteWhitney has a great point about how editing is a vital step in composition because it is the last time we can make changes. One thing we can do as writers is to learn to sort of "pre-edit" our own writing so that fewer mistakes can be made.
Until I read the homework, I always thought that editing was very simple, and that it was basically the same as what we did in high school like @Carolineee said. Obviously it is much more complex. It doesn’t just involve proofreading anymore. It can also involve complete changes in wording and sentence structure. Editing is necessary and can be used anywhere for any type of writing. I always proofread and make changes to all of the work I do for school, especially many things for this class, like the blog posts. I always use the spell check and grammar tools on Microsoft Word, or Pages, but I have recently figured out that those tools aren’t always sufficient. Whenever I get a paper back, it seems that my teacher/professor has found a spelling or grammatical error. From the reading, I have also learned about the spacing tool. This could be very helpful for my next paper or assignment because I am definitely guilty of adding extra spaces. Although editing can be used for everything, I agree that genre and audience can affect how you edit. For example, with our newsletter project, we had to edit to not only make our newsletter flow, but also to make it audience appropriate. If we had been writing for a different medium, or a different audience we probably would have had to edit differently. When editing peers compositions, I am usually very nervous. I do not want to offend them or make myself seem superior. Now that I have learned about queries and their etiquette however, I will probably approach peer editing with a better mindset and be more open to make suggestions or changes. I think that learning about editing is important for our major, because I ultimately want to work on a magazine staff. No matter what position I have, editor or some other department, I will have to work with editing in some way. I will either be the editor, or potentially work with one. I could also be the writer, and have to edit my own work, or give it to an editor to do so. Because editing is so important, it is good to grasp the concept because it will be included on our future jobs in some way. From the reading, I have come to realize how important editing is to the composing process. Without it, the process simply isn’t complete. I would not even think of turning something in, or even posting a blog without rereading it, and proofreading a little bit. Editing can definitely help your work, but is important to realize that too much editing can also change the content of your work. It could keep you from getting your point across effectively if you make too few or two many changes.
ReplyDeleteEditing is the process of revising someone else’s work. I edit all of the time. Before I send an email, post a comment on someone’s Facebook, tweet, compose something for homework or even send a text message I always go back and proofread my work. Editing is critical when you are creating a composition of any sort. In the reading, a tip they gave us was not to edit for more than six hours a day. This definitely makes sense that your editing skills can become less effective. I have noticed in my work sometimes whenever I am editing for hours at a time, I sometimes read what it is supposed to sound like rather than what is actually there. My idea of editing before reading this article was similar to Caroline’s. I thought of the peer editing groups we would get in during high school and fix a few punctuation errors and write comments like “good point” and “interesting” on the paper. I had no idea that you needed a primary source to edit. Genre and audience definitely does affect how you edit. There were different levels of editing. If you are writing up a proposal for the CEO of your company presenting an idea that you have, your editing will be more professional. It is also crucial to know who your audience is. “When you know who the reader will be, you can gauge whether the vocabulary, style, and depth of the material are appropriate or if different words, explanations or presentations are needed.” Whenever I am editing my peers compositions I always ask them to tell me what they are writing about that way I can get a feel of what message they are trying to get across and who the writing is for. By finding this information out beforehand, the tips that I give and changes that I make will be more effective. My ideal job is to become a sports announcer but I also enjoy writing so it is imperative that I learn how to properly edit. Editing is a main aspect of my major because it is one of the final steps that you must do before you can submit you work. If you are reading an article and you notice run on sentences, misspelled words or lack of proper punctuation, the article will immediately become less appealing and lose credibility. When Whitney said, “it (the article) has made me realize a composition is never "finished", even once you have revised it, and it has been edited by others, there is always something that can be tweaked or changed a little,” I completely agreed because everyone can put their own spin on it or even with a fresh set of eyes they can help find an error that someone else may have overlooked. The benefit of editing is that your work is improving. Whether the style is changing a bit or you need to elaborate more in your thesis, your composition will become more advanced.
ReplyDeleteTo “edit” means to take a written work and help it into proper grammar, diction, spelling, and syntax. In my every day life I edit my Facebook statuses, tweets, and posts on Google+. I normally will type out a comment on someone’s post three different times before I can decide on the best response. My editing on these social networking sites just involves taking the audience into consideration and proper grammar so it makes sense. Whilst in summer classes, I edit my blog posts, papers, and other WEPO projects. These activities involve a different audience, so I edit my work to remove the “lol”s and “<3”s. One principle of editing that I believe is one of the most important is proper spelling, so I worship at the temple of Spell Check. If I am reading anything, from something online to a novel or a magazine article, I have a hard time getting through it if I happen upon a typo. It stumps me that a typo could sneak through all the technology tools that writers are given today. This frustration has helped fuel my desire to go into some field of editing as a profession.
ReplyDeleteThe genre and audience of my work definitely affect how I edit. Any work I turn in for school shares the same informative, advanced diction and syntax. However, in this blog I am able to be more relaxed and show my personal style of writing, not being restrained to answering a question in five paragraphs. The editing differs between these assignments in how I construct thoughts and share ideas.
Certain benefits of editing would include shaping your text into the easiest to read for your audience, and learning from your mistakes to become a better writer. However, Sommers’ study shows that editing can have its negative attributes. For example, Sommers found that “teachers’ comments can take students’ attention away from their own purposes in writing a particular text and focus that attention on the teachers’ purpose in commenting”. This reaction is influenced by an overwhelming desire for a good grade, rather than a desire to express what they actually want to write about. Sommers mentions another complication that arises in the editing process that on students’ papers “most teachers’ comments are not specific and could be interchanged, rubber-stamped, from text to text”. If the editor does not take the time and effort to provide useful tips to improve the paper, then the writer should not be expected to improve anything at all.
I agree with Amy, the benefits of editing really are that your work is improving. Whether it is correcting a few misspellings, or helping work your paper into a new view completely, the editor should be there to help and make better.
Editing aims to correct mistakes within a text. It is a process to fix any grammatical errors, miss phrased sentences, and typos. Editing also involves addressing organizational issues within a document or story. Important factors editors should keep in mind that were mentioned in the reading were knowing who the audience is, how much time allotted to edit, how it is formatted and how much editing needs to be done based on what the writer thinks. When I write I usually type up my documents on Microsoft Word, which includes editing features that correct mistakes as I write. When finished, I read it through a few times and make corrections on the computer. Then I print it out and do the final editing by hand. It is easier for me to see little mistakes on a hard copy verses looking at a computer screen.
ReplyDeleteKnowing the subject matter and audience of a text is important to an editor because clarification of concepts might be needed from the author. It is mentioned in the reading that an editor needs know the material in which he/she is editing in order to check data and help with “vocabulary, style, and depth.”
When editing peer’s compositions I usually ask what it is about and what they would like me to fix, if there is anything specific that they want me to help with. If it is for an assignment I like to know the instructions of the assignment. While reading it, I look for any mistakes mentioned in “the first pass” section of the reading such as misspellings and grammatical errors. If the writer asked me to help them with something specific I look through it a second time, focusing on a possible solution for their problem.
In my opinion, revising a text involves changing ideas to improve the document whereas editing entails correcting minor details with spelling, organization, and fact checking. When I revise a paper, I reference the outline of the paper to see if anything could be added or altered. I save my editing process till the very end, when the document is complete.
As an English major, I am required to do blogs, papers, in-class written assignments and essay-formatted tests. After completing an assignment or test, I look over my work to make sure I correct any simple mistakes I may have missed while writing. Going back and editing what I write saves me from losing points on simple mistakes. I find it beneficial to edit whenever I write.
Editing is just another component of writing. As Amy said, it is the final process before considering a text complete in its entirety. I agree with Amy’s point about an article becoming “less appealing” when it has mistakes. These mistakes could be easily fixed through editing.
I’d like to begin with stating the true goal of editorial accuracy, which is the accuracy and improvement. Editing as described in Before you Begin, focuses on the genre and audience the piece has been created for. How much time you spend on an editing is determined by which level of editing you’ve been assigned. The levels begin with the task of standard proofreading, which involves rudimentary editing skills and catching grammatical mistakes. As the level of editing increases, the person assigned to the task takes on larger responsibility. Editorial proofreading branches off from the level of standard proofreading, which requires a deeper look into the fluidity of text. Editing at this level includes the observation of clarity, as well as, effective word selection. Copy editors are responsible for all previous editing tasks, in addition to phrase organization and effective word choice. This step delves further into the editing tasks necessary for presentation. Genre and audience have a very high impact on editing. Depending on the genre you are writing for, the use of certain style guides help to effectively deliver a message. In the text, understanding the audience gauges the use of vocabulary, style and depth of the material appropriate. Audience helps to determine whether different words, explanations, or presentations are needed. Like the text described, you would never present an elite financier with a run of the mill financial brochure. By evaluating the genre and audience, you can determine how to effectively describe your “big idea”, while making sure not to insult or offend the viewer. When asked to edit my peers, I like to be as honest and critical as possible. Whether I am friends with this peer or not, my honesty and deliberate comments will only help them to improve their composition. A second opinion is always a necessary tool an editor should request. Editing requires much more knowledge than revision. When editing compositions one must consider; the medium, the genre of that medium, the audience, references, and style guides. When I think of revision I think of the writing process, which to me acts as the pre-editing stage to the actual proofreading. The text describes, when editing you also have to be mindful of three things. In reference to word choice, the three keywords are concise, precise, and polite. I’ve highlighted many benefits of editing, but I’d like to mention that editing helps to clearly, concisely, precisely, and politely deliver a message. I find the editing process to have very few negative facets. Editing is a very time sensitive matter, editing can create a monster or help to quell a composition nightmare. Editorial knowledge can make or break a composer. In the text, never assume was mentioned, this is the golden rule of editing. One must never assume information to be true, no matter how credible a source may appear, queries are very effective and help to collect correct information. An editor should also note the style guides and search lists created while reviewing a composition. Style guides help an editor to remember directions, details, and goals of the composition. I know editing is crucial to my major…it’s including in the name itself. Editing has been important to my college career thus far and will only continue to increase in importance. I aim to work within the entertainment field, where everything is about image. Writers create an image for their readers, and if you’ve depicted a topic or person incorrectly, you will be punished for doing so. That is why I believe all facets of editing to be crucial to my college career and future endeavors. Before you Begin, has helped me to further mold and edit my theory of composition. I have rearranged my priorities of time and attention to detail. I now realize how much time and effort is necessary to a well-read piece.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Julia, that without editing the writing process is not complete. I also agree with Michelle and her opinion on editing as an improvement to our compositions.
ReplyDeleteThe reading of “Before you Begin,” explains what exactly is “editing.” In the article, the author explains why editing is so important and not an easy job. Editing is a job that requires standard proofreading, editorial proofreading, copyediting, and substantive editing. However, those main editorial tasks are not all what an editor looks for when editing, it gets into deeper and more direct tasks as well. An editor has multiple jobs when it comes to what type of editing they are confronted with. One aspect that I believe is crucial when in the process of editing is to read out loud. For some odd reason, my mind is too quick for my hand and I always miss words. It is something I have always wanted to work on. Now, whenever I proofread I constantly make sure I read aloud slowly. Another important thing to know about editing is to make sure you are addressing your compositions to the correct audience. The author stated that, “In most cases, practical factors will determine the level of editorial review.” Being that every editing job is different, that indicates that there are different needs and constraints for every job. The author then goes into how audience has a lot to do with editing. As an editor, it is very important to know who the audience is. As audience is a necessity when it comes to editing, genre plays the same role. Genre allows the author to connect even more with his or her audience on an emotional level. When wanting to incorporate your audience in what you are addressing them, the first thing that should come to mind is, how will I compose this? Genre allows you to not only write a composition but, paint a picture, create a poster, compose a song or dance; genre gives you the ability as an author to get a hold of your audience, much more. When dealing with editing, there will be times when it isn’t your paper you are editing but someone else’s as well. When editing your friends or your peer’s paper, one must take into consideration that everyone composes differently. A good editing job would to try and put you in the author’s shoes and see where he or she is coming from. For example, what are they trying to address to the audience? I agree with Chelsea when she said, “Editing is a very time sensitive matter, editing can create a monster or help to quell a composition nightmare.” Editing can be a rigorous process and something that can most definitely cannot be done over night. Editing is not something that is just for English majors. Editing is a necessity in any major; being a lawyer, businessman, or even a doctor. I believe the job of editing has been embedded into every type of major. Once becoming an editor, your compositions will only improve. As a composer you will be much more aware of what you write and will have less and less editing to do.
ReplyDeleteTo edit is to make corrections and we do it all the time. When talking people choose their words to fit the situation, one would not say certain words to a potential employer as they would a friend. The editing referenced in the article we read for class deals with proofreading and correcting writing and like Caroline I did not know how particular it can get. First off I was unaware of how many different editing positions there are. I had always thought there was one chief editor and then a creative editor to make sure the pictures went along with the text and advertisements were appropriate. When I read and found out the hierarchy of editing it made more sense because to have one person edit an entire magazine would be extremely time consuming and stressful.
ReplyDeleteWhen I edit a paper I am very conscientious of my grammar and sentence structure. A misplaced comma can completely change a sentence’s meaning and cause confusion, same with syntax. The way you form a sentence is influential on the perception a reader will take. Just switching a few words around can also alter the meaning of the sentence. The audience and genre definitely affect the way a person will write and how the document is edited. The audience of a teen magazine requires different words usage than one would find in a wine enthusiast magazine. The article advises using a style sheet to help in the editing process and I found this to be extremely helpful. Style sheets allow multiple people to follow the same thought process in editing as well as provide a quick reference to diction choices etc. I learned the editing symbols way back in elementary school but have never really used them in editing peers papers, or my own. Usually I will just write what I think needs to be changed or use my own symbols to show what needs to be added or removed. When writing a paper on the computer there is no need for me to continually print out a page and mark it up. Microsoft word automatically checks for errors and even then I catch mistakes that the program does not see. While writing papers I am very concerned about grammar, but it is always beneficial to print out a hard copy at the end to proofread. Just as Michelle said, it is easier to see mistakes on a hard copy than a computer. I am curious however, to see how one can leave editing blurbs on a persons document. I have never done this personally thought I have received papers edited through this format (it was very cluttered looking). Revising to me is going back and changing a sentence or two. Editing is a more in depth look at a paper; it’s when you have to think critically about word choice and syntax. Besides the obvious inclusion of “Editing” included in my majors title, it also applies to reading. When I read a book that has a grammatical error I do not scoff at an editors clear-as-day mistake, but am proud that I can identify an error so easily. This major is geared toward the technical side of writing and publishing, the second being what I would like to get into some day and it is entirely what my dream job would entail. The main negative’s I find in editing would be all the time consumed correcting documents and also the possibility of misinterpreting a writer’s work and offending them by the job I do. .
To edit is to revise something for the sake of making it better. Whether it be an essay, a text or even a conversation we are always editing. In writing, when we edit we are searching for errors whether it be with grammar usage, diction or syntax. In editing, we’re searching for things to switch around -replace this word with one that seems more relevant, delete a sentence. Like I said before, editing is all in the name of improvement. When I’m editing a work of some sort, I like to read it to myself out loud to hear the way it may sound to a reader so typically I’m alone in my room (avoiding judgment from peers at strozier). I believe a critic should always be fair and honest above all else. Crucifying a persons work will make them feel as if they are inept in the ways of writing. I was in article and essay technique and each paper we wrote we had peer editing before the final draft was due. I traded writings with a peer that made my eyes bleed. The diction was flat and it made no sense. Was I going to share that his paper was that of a fifth graders? No, but I kindly suggested words and ideas that would enhance his writing. I feel that when editing peers’ compositions one must be even more kind and humble than they may even feel like. No one wants to have a peer talk down to them or put on a pretentious heir. “Our comments need to be suited to the draft we are reading,” states Sommers. We must take into consideration, as Sommers also said, which draft we’re reading and whether it be the first, second, third, etc. Genre and audience affect entirely how I edit. For instance, with the main assignment number 1, if I didn’t know our target audience I would find the writing unintelligent and plain. I take into consideration to whom the author is addressing and moreover if they are addressing them properly. Editing is similar to revising in that they both serve the commonality of improving a work. Editing fits into my major because I plan on writing thousands more words that will need it. Furthermore, editing will potentially be a huge part of my career because my dream is to write for a magazine. I won’t be escaping it anytime soon. Editing is crucial because no work is perfect. An author may feel as though their work is invincible but each person can give and gain a new perspective through the process of editing. The only negative in editing is that it may be so extensive that the work is ultimately altered for the worse, which I believe happens more often than even recognized. Editing enhances my theory of composing because I feel in knowing how to edit before you compose, you can compose more efficiently. I agree with Caroline in saying editing improves the writing as well as the author – gathering opinions from others helps us to expand our thoughts and become open to new suggestions.
ReplyDeleteTo me editing can mean to correct the errors of a work in front of you. This does not mean to change the work entirely, but to take what you have and make changes such as grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Some places that I have found myself editing are when dealing with my papers that I write for class. Before I turn in a paper I read through and make sure everything is spelled correctly, the sentences flow, and nothing looks out of place or out of the ordinary. The question of where do I edit can be answered by on my computer, at home, on my work, on peers work. During high school we did a lot of peer editing on papers and first and second drafts before turning in a paper for a grade. This was a great way for us to get help and have people that we trusted giving us constructive criticism. This also helped the teacher out by giving her a bit less work to do. Principles of editing would be to go at it with an open mind. You should try to remain unbiased well as keep the work the way it is. Once again editing is not changing the work completely but fixing what is in front of you to make it its best. Another principle I try to keep in mind when editing someone else’s work is to read it as if I have no clue what they are talking about. sometimes when editing work on a topic you are familiar with, it is easy to read over things and auto correct it in your heard without properly editing the work in front of you. I feel that audience and genre affect the editing process to a minimal extent. Though the audience can change how proper you make write, editing the work is about the structure of the piece in front of you. If the structure is not correct the piece will not be able to hold up. “A house with a rocky foundation is sure to come crumbling down”. The audience can change the editing process because if you are dealing with a more laid back audience, using abbreviations and some spelling errors can be over looked and the message can still get across. Revising and editing are different in my mind. Editing again is taking the work in front of you and weeding through it to make changes without necessarily changing the work. Revising on the other hand is more of a in depth taking one paragraph, cutting parts out, rewording sentences and maybe even starting the paper all over. Revising is changing the work in front of you. This can sometimes end in a completely different piece of work. Caroline and I seem to have the same idea about what editing and revising are and how different the two can be from each other. Editing is clearly going to be useful in both of my majors because they deal with words and an audience. if there are words and people those words have to reach, you will need to edit them make sure your message is getting across.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading “Before You Begin” I have a better understanding of editing. Editing is much more than correcting spelling and grammatical errors. To begin with, there is more than one kind of editing. The reading talked about standard proofreading, editorial proofreading, copyediting and substantive editing. There are different levels of responsibilities for each of the kinds of editing discussed in the reading. The reading also discusses the process of editing: considering the audience, how much time you have to edit, what the writer’s vision of the writing is to be and how well you can execute that for them. Considering the audience is important because you don’t want to talk down to someone and waste space explaining something the reader already knows or using literature that the reader is unfamiliar with that may ultimately distract or lose the reader’s interest. Being aware of time plays an important part of editing because you need to be able to adjust how you work with the given amount of time. Another topic that was discussed in the reading that I thought was useful was the advice to use references while editing. References such as the dictionary or the internet to help with editing can reassure that you’re doing the right thing and to make the writing as effective as you can. Some principles of editing that I think are useful are the “marks” that the reading discusses. The reason why I think this is useful is because there needs to be some mutual understanding of editing so that the writer understands the editor’s review. Also, the marks make it easier especially if you’re constricted on time. Another part of “good” editing is that the work is reviewed by more than one person. The reading discusses an important tool for editing: style sheet. The style sheet will not only be useful for yourself to have something to refer back to while editing but also if you’re editing something and it has already been proofread and has a style sheet it will help you review the work. Editing is a big part of my major because being able to compose good writing is essential as a English major. Not only being able to write well but to be able to be helpful to peers because there are a lot of times when papers have to be peer-reviewed. After reading “Before You Begin” I think that overall, editing plays a crucial role in composing. I think how well you compose a piece of writing depends on how well you keep certain rules in mind while composing as you do when you edit. I think the more experience you gain from editing will overall help with composing.
ReplyDeleteEditing is the process of making corrections to improve a piece of writing, whether it is a term paper, a blog post, or a letter to a friend. As I’m writing this, I have already self-edited the first sentence twice. This shows me how prevalent the use of editing really is. One of the editing principles that I find most important is keeping the editing respectful. I try not to leave any room for misinterpretation by the author so that they never feel inferior or criticized. As Caroline Hughes said, you don’t want to completely crucify someone’s paper- there is always a nice way to give suggestions and insert queries. I really liked Whitney’s idea to comment on what you think works in a piece also, so it’s not all criticism. Another one of the principles that I find important is what the reading called “the golden rule of editing and proofreading.” Never assume. If you are unsure of a correction or have the slightest doubt, always check and verify it. I also liked what Michelle said about printing out the paper because it is easier to see mistakes on a hard copy rather than on a computer. Along with that, I like having other people proofread my papers because many times I will read my own paper how I want it to sound and am blind to many of my own mistakes. Genre and audience are huge components in the writing and editing process. Without considering the audience or genre of the piece, there is a high chance that the audience could be offended or misinterpret the writing. I view editing as a more mechanical process: looking for grammatical and mechanical errors as well as a small amount of rearrangement. I view revising as a process of expansion and development in which new ideas and parallels are created and expressed in the author’s writing. Editing fits into my major because I will be writing many more papers throughout my college career. Not only that, but ultimately, I would like to become a writer or editor for a magazine and it’s no secret- I will never escape the world of writing and editing. I agree with Caroline Hughes when she said that the only negative in editing is that it may be so extensive that the work is ultimately altered for the worse, which happens more often than even recognized. Besides that statement, I see only benefits to the editing and revising process: it allows for a paper to come to life and be error-free while sending some sort of message to the readers. Reading this article about editing enhanced my theory of composing by forcing me to look at my own writing and assess particular questions: Am I reaching the audience? Is my discussion pertinent to the genre? Are all of my mechanics correct? Is there any ambiguity that I could correct? Did I give enough detail? Now, I must force myself to skim, correct, and expand on all of my writing, regardless of its importance.
ReplyDeleteEditing means to rewrite works to make them flow better and keep writing from becoming too convoluted with excess details or words. It is important to edit all writing, since it effects the overall message of the work it is essential to have editing become part of the writing process. This means that writers should always take their time to look over their work, and make sure that everything, especially spell/grammatical errors are corrected. Also, editing has an important effect to the overall piece of work and how well it flows from one end to the other. Editing is necessary in making a piece of work become finalized and published. Some of the guidelines of editing is, as walters says, to keep the edits respectful. Also, it is important to condense what you’ve written; editing is a process of eliminating the unnecessary words that were written. Also, the most important principals of editing is to organize a paper. It is important that through editing you realize how an argument was stated and supported. All writing includes support and details, and editing makes sure that all of these ideas are organized in a effective manner.
ReplyDeleteEditing is important in the process of finalizing all works, not just written word. Editing is used in television and music as well. It is obviously a pretty important aspect of literature to edit since it is included in so many different genres of writing. However, the process is essentially the same, and the end result is benefited through it. Personally, I make sure that when I edit my work or my peers, that’s I use every resource I have at my disposal. Spell check becomes my best friend during the editing process, since it is the easiest and most important tool to writing a good paper. Also, when editing my own writing, I make sure that my entire work has active and impressive points that flow smoothly from one to the other. This is much easier to do after the paper has already been written. Through editing, a piece of work becomes much more impressive than it may have originally been. I make sure to have at least one of my friends read over my writings before I ever submit it, therefore editing has become an integral in writing. However, when editing or having a paper edited, it is common that the reader does not understand what you are trying to say. This is one of the faults of editing, when the writer and editor have different ideas of what should be said. This creates conflict, and through editing, some very important and attractive words may be lost to the process. It is important to notice what makes your paper better and what doesn’t, and because of editing, you have an excuse to discuss the words contained in your paper with the person who is editing, or even to consider these questions yourself. Either way, editing is the final cut before the big game, and you should have the best players out that you can, coaching your work to victory.
Editing is the finalization of any writing. It involves making the writing work for you. According to the text, the purpose of editing is to, “reword, reorder, and generally revamp the writing to make it the best it can be”. Editing can take place in all settings and in all different shapes and sizes. For example, you can edit someone’s term paper for them, or edit an article being prepped for a magazine, or even edit a memo, as the text states. In order to edit something properly, you need to be very clear on who will be reading and interpreting the piece of work. The principles of editing are: audience, genre, due date, format, and references. I believe everyone has their own editing style and they make the principles work for them. When editing one of my friend’s essays, I try to be genuine and help them make their paper flow in a better way. They also do the same for me. I think that with friends and people editing your work, it is possible to achieve higher and higher standards as time goes on. Editing is similar to revising because the goal is to end up with the best possible piece. I think it is different because it is a lot more technical than a revision, or as Chelsea said, “editing requires much more knowledge than revision”. The revision comes before the edit and in order to even be able to edit something, you need to revise the rough draft. Also, a revision is something usually done by the original author and the editing process uses someone else’s eyes. Editing is the first word of my major, I am an Editing, Writing, Media major and it is something that we are supposed to master in order to be successful in the real world. I think that it is a valuable skill to master. Whether you are working as a writer, publisher, or even out in the business world, everything that is going to be viewed by outside eyes needs to be edited. Without the editing aspect of writing, things would come across as very unprofessional and not intelligent at all. This is a benefit of editing, a concise final product. The editing process leads to a presentable piece of work ready for the audience. The only negative I can think of when it comes to editing is the loss of voice. Sometimes what could be interpreted as the strongest part of a work to the author can be seen as sloppy and be deleted by the editor. In the process of gearing up for an audience, sometimes the original message of something can be taken away. After reading some of the blog posts, I can see that Julia thinks the same way when she says, It could keep you from getting your point across effectively if you make too few or two many changes”. Editing enhances the composition process because it adds to the steps. Before college, I never would have included editing in my composition process, it would stop at revision. Now I am becoming more and more aware of the ways editing is a necessity.
ReplyDeleteCommunication plays a bigger role in editing than I imagined. In this weekend’s reading, I learned that in my past practice of editing, I’ve done many things incorrectly. However, I also learned how to recognize these mistakes and avoid them in the future. Like I mentioned, the communication between the editor and the writer and the editor and the audience has a big hand in the editing process. The editor and the writer must communicate expectations and time constraints of the work in order to successfully get the job done. The relationship that the editor has with the audience is also important because the editor must know to whom she is speaking in order to accomplish everything that she must as an editor. Many of the students are saying that they thought editing was a simple task. However, I always thought editing to be a time consuming and difficult job. I thought this because I am the Content Editor for a student magazine and because the writers haven’t written to be published… EVER, their writing tends to be elementary. It’s up to me to be able to fix their writing and make sure that its in the voice that the magazine needs in order to reach our desired audience. While reading Before You Begin, I realized that with the right organization and tactics, editing doesn’t need to be as stressful as I make it for myself. I’m used to pulling out my hair with frustration because editing can be so unbearably challenging, but now I know resources to help answer certain questions that I’d google before. Like Julia, I was used to editing in class. This helped me with the editing of the magazine, however, in the reading, I learned that much of editing comes naturally. Skimming the work I am about to edit is something that was suggested in the reading, but it’s something that any editor should do naturally. I would skim the work to see the format and length and find out what I would have to do in order to fix it. I’d also skim to see how much editing the article would need. Although skimming comes naturally, I would have issues with organization because I didn’t have a style sheet. Having a style sheet is something that any editor should know to have. It’s so simple and useful, yet creating one never crossed my mind. There are many masks to editor and many tasks that each mask must perform. Whether the editor is checking grammar or reorganizing ideas, she is the one who holds the key to the writer’s success. The editor must have the skills necessary to make the writer’s work as best as it can possibly be. In order to do this, the editor must be aware of all writing and editing strategies. Before I read this weekend’s reading, I was a terrible editor: always time crunching, editing for days upon days upon days, and being very harsh on the writers’ work. Now that I’ve read Before You Begin, I know how to edit properly and, most importantly, effectively. If an editor is not effective in her editing, she’s doing something wrong. Terribly wrong.
ReplyDeleteHonestly editing is like the stepchild to the writing process. At least for me personally, I hate to edit my papers. But it is an essential step in the writing process. Editing assists with the making sure your composition is comprehensible. To edit means to use correct grammar, punctuation, ort to make style (syntax or diction) changes to the composition. I remember being introduced to editing in 4t grade when we were preparing for the FCAT Writing exam. We use to do peer edits. As a child I hated when others criticized y work and noticed the errors I made. Now as an adult, I am open to criticisms for my writing. Having others review my work, makes it clear for all readers to understand my point. Editing focuses on small changes for the sake of grammar, in comparison to its sister revising. Revising is the step of writing the composition over again to add more content and structure to a paper. Before reading, I will admit I did think the editing was very simple, but the process of editing is quite complex. @Julia I agree, I always rely on the tools of Microsoft to check my document for errors whether it is for spelling or grammar. The reading brought up the point that your audience will affect how much you edit. And that could not be more true. If you are writing an email to your mom, you are less likely to go through and check for misspelling or grammar errors. In complete contrast, if you are writing an email to you boss. You will be sure to check for spelling errors you do not want to seem like an idiot to your boss. I find it uniquely interesting that subjects can be worded a certain way to appeal to an audience. The projects we have done in class like the Glogster and the newsletter are excellent examples of how we edit to fit the genre or audience we are working in. O yeah Editing is apart of the EMW program. (smh) thinking editing is a HUGE part of major. Reflecting back it is needed to have a finished product. Long term I would hope to become an Entertainment Lawyer. I want to draft contracts for athletes, music composers, and protect my clients’ intellectual property. I will definitely need to EDIT! Not editing in a contract can make all the difference in my client making thousands to millions. I love the way Whitney said that “a composition is never finished.” Writing is a PROCESS. Who is to say that it ever has to stop or has an ending point. As work is edited by more and more people, they will add changes to the paper. So inevitably, your finished work does not quite exist in the world of editing.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the homework I understand editing a little better. To me, editing means finding all the grammatical and punctuation errors. By doing this it helps me clear up my work and make it acceptable. I love when I get critical feedback, such as when teachers edit my paper. It helps me become a better writer in many ways. On the other hand if I was editing someone else’s paper I wouldn’t come on as a strong. You never know how people take critical advice. Editing someone else’s work only makes them better but some people don’t like it. So, I would go through their work and find grammar errors and try to comment on what I think will benefit there paper. I will let them do the re-arranging and changing the format of the paper. As EWM majors my ideal job would be to be work for CMT. With this major I will have to be dealing with a lot of editing. Whether it be with CMT Insider or even behind the scenes with shows. I think we all need to consider not only understanding editing by how others edit our work. In the real work criticism and critique is all going to come along with the work that we do. With our major we can do a lot of things, no matter which way you go there will always be someone “editing” you. Whether it’s in a good way or bad way. I agree with what Julia said, “No matter what position I have, editor or some other department, I will have to work with editing in some way.” Even if you are not EWM majors anyone in the real world has to work with editing. Whether it be you are editing a document, a video, artwork, or even food. Editing is all around us and its better to see it and make a change then to ignore it. I also agree with what Amy said, “Before I send an email, post a comment on someone’s Facebook, tweet, compose something for homework or even send a text message I always go back and proofread my work.” Everyone has facebooks or twitter nowadays and whether you know it or not you are editing that too. You want to try and tailor it so people will comment on it or like your posts. The benefit of any type of editing is that your work is being improved, so editing is definitely not a bad thing to deal with.
ReplyDeleteI have always thought of editing in terms of reviewing a body of written work (mine own or someone else’s) for errors in spelling, grammar or usage, and making the changes that have been marked on a written assignment by my instructor or boss; this has especially been the case for me as a paralegal. A few of my charges, or duties, as a paralegal are to draft letters, pleadings, and other legal/business documents on behalf of my attorney and to make the changes that my attorney has made to my drafts or his own drafts. I am also responsible for knowing and understanding many of the proofreader’s symbols because this is how my attorney “marks up”, or “edits” all written drafts. During the back-and-forth process of editing/revising a document, I also take the time to review the content of the document to ensure that its message is clear and if necessary I incorporate my own changes in the text–making sure to advise the attorney of all my personal changes. I also tend to ask questions, or make “queries” as the reading (Gear Up to Edit, “Before You Begin”, 16) defines it, when I am unsure of what message a certain sentence is trying to convey or uncertain about my attorney’s word choices; and there is absolute truth when the reading states that straight-to-the-point questions are much more appreciated by the author or person to sign off on the assignment than round-about queries. In hindsight, I can see how I already use several of the principles in editing: determine the level of work (sometimes I am just a proofreader, at other times I make substantial changes to a draft); understand my audience (knowing when to use legalese or plain speak in a text); establishing deadlines; knowing how and who to make queries with; and understanding standard proofreading symbols.
ReplyDeleteAmy mentions in her post that in reviewing peer compositions she tries to get an understanding of “what they are writing about that way I can get a feel of what message they are trying to get across and who the writing is for. By finding this information out beforehand, the tips that I give and changes that I make will be more effective.” I agree with Amy that understanding the meaning/context and the audience of a written work before editing begins helps the editor to ensure that the final product is effective in its purpose. I also agree with Whitney’s comment that, “The audience and genre will definitely have an [a]ffect on how you edit because you will need to know what language, style, and depth to use that will appeal to the audience In reviewing peer compositions, I usually read the text a few times to make sure I understand what message the author is trying to convey, then make comments about things that are working for paper or ask questions about things that I don’t understand and finally mark-up the document for grammatical, punctuation or usage errors.
Editing and revising are similar yet quite different. Editing is the final step in the writing process; its where you do a final walk-thru to make sure that spelling, grammar, usage, etc. is correct, and you make sure that the content of your composition actually flows. Revising consists of a little bit of these elements but it is more of recursive and creates a bit of dialogue between the reader and writer. Editing creates a dialogue as well but its more concerned with the authors desires. Editing is essential in English literature because literature is based solely on text; editing ensures that a piece of literature, as well as the author, will be taken seriously when reviewed and critiqued by scholars in the field. A few of the benefits of editing would be that you have another opportunity to check your work for minor and major errors and consistency. I think editing enhancing my theory of composing because now I understand that in order to produce a well-written text you must also use references such as the dictionary, and style guides appropriate for the type of writing being presented.