Found online: An decisive victory over North Carolina ensures Maryland a first-round bye in next week’s ACC tournament.
I'm sure they meant "A decisive victory..."
More later.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
A dumb move
This isn't about writing or editing, per se, but I feel the need to write about it.
I was driving up the road yesterday with a convoy of cars behind me (I drive the speed limite). A woman was trying to cross the divided street with her children, including one in a carrier. I stopped to let her cross, and the white car behind me passed me to the left in a turn lane, cut in front of me and hurried past the family.
I was indignant then, and I'm still angry. What he (I assume it was a man) did was stupid, dangerous and illegal. You don't use a turn lane to pass people, and you sure don't do it with pedestrians not far off.
Grrrr!
I have to assume he had been looking for a place to pass me and didn't see the family. Or maybe he didn't care.
I guess it's time to write an article about stupid drivers. This will make a nice start.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
An editor's (and writer's) pet peeves
Every editor has his pet peeves. I really hate it when a writer says that so-and-so is a
legend in college-basketball coaching or stock-car racing. If he's John
Wooden or Richard Petty (or Dale Earnhardt Sr.), I'd agree. Anyone else,
not likely. There just aren't that many legends out there.
I don't like it when they say that "over" 10 billion burgers have been served. It should be "more than."
I don't like it when they say that "over" 10 billion burgers have been served. It should be "more than."
I
hate it when a novelist constantly says that his protagonist "made his
way." Why can't he walk, strut or stumble? Or just fall down and die?
I really, truly hate it when they say that the First Annual Joe Schmoe Memorial Fun Run will be held Saturday. We don't know if it's an annual event. Maybe they'll run out of money, or maybe the fun run chairman will run off with somebody's wife.
I don't look at an event as annual until the third year. They've proven something to me by then; they're not going to give up. They have people and a plan. They're going to find another chairman if he runs off to Acapulco.
To me, the first event is inaugural, not first annual. The next year, it's the second running of Joe's fun run. The third year? It's third annual.
And I really hate it when writers use whom all of the time. If this keeps up, Pete Townshend's band will be The Whom.
I worked with a guy years ago who hated the use of "over" when "more than" would have worked. Over, he said, worked with the cow jumped over the moon; over doesn't work when more than 10 billion burgers have been eaten.
Another editor didn't like to use names in headlines, especially if the person wasn't famous. He also didn't like to start a story with a name.
Yet another editor hated it when newspapers use the word hike as a verb, as in, "The New York Yankees hiked ticket prices yesterday." They also raised prices, and that'll do nicely.
I hate it when a writer uses less when fewer works better. "GM is building less cars this year" makes me throw up. GM is building fewer cars than last year.
I have problems with attribution in a novel. I can stand exclaimed as a verb to replace said, and whispered is perfect. He whispered, and she exclaimed. Great.
But then a novelist will write, "I haven't felt right in years," Julia sniffed. Julia may have sniffed before or after she said it, but she didn't sniff it. She said it. A better way: "I haven't felt right in years," Julia said. She looked away and sniffed into a handkerchief.
I hate it when a novelist uses no attribution at all -- it's tough to tell who's saying what. And I really hate it when the novelist expects me to remember Sally, Joan, Martha and Lula Belle without a scorecard. I probably can remember Lula Belle for obvious reasons. It might help to occasionally remind us that Sally and Joan are cousins, and Martha is Sally's next-door neighbor.
My greatest pet peeve is a lazy writer who won't re-read his stories a few times to find typos or other mistakes. He misses repetition and changes in tense. And he misses repetition (yes, I'm pulling your leg). This guy thinks he's perfect the first time, and he's always wrong.
I really, truly hate it when they say that the First Annual Joe Schmoe Memorial Fun Run will be held Saturday. We don't know if it's an annual event. Maybe they'll run out of money, or maybe the fun run chairman will run off with somebody's wife.
I don't look at an event as annual until the third year. They've proven something to me by then; they're not going to give up. They have people and a plan. They're going to find another chairman if he runs off to Acapulco.
To me, the first event is inaugural, not first annual. The next year, it's the second running of Joe's fun run. The third year? It's third annual.
And I really hate it when writers use whom all of the time. If this keeps up, Pete Townshend's band will be The Whom.
I worked with a guy years ago who hated the use of "over" when "more than" would have worked. Over, he said, worked with the cow jumped over the moon; over doesn't work when more than 10 billion burgers have been eaten.
Another editor didn't like to use names in headlines, especially if the person wasn't famous. He also didn't like to start a story with a name.
Yet another editor hated it when newspapers use the word hike as a verb, as in, "The New York Yankees hiked ticket prices yesterday." They also raised prices, and that'll do nicely.
I hate it when a writer uses less when fewer works better. "GM is building less cars this year" makes me throw up. GM is building fewer cars than last year.
I have problems with attribution in a novel. I can stand exclaimed as a verb to replace said, and whispered is perfect. He whispered, and she exclaimed. Great.
But then a novelist will write, "I haven't felt right in years," Julia sniffed. Julia may have sniffed before or after she said it, but she didn't sniff it. She said it. A better way: "I haven't felt right in years," Julia said. She looked away and sniffed into a handkerchief.
I hate it when a novelist uses no attribution at all -- it's tough to tell who's saying what. And I really hate it when the novelist expects me to remember Sally, Joan, Martha and Lula Belle without a scorecard. I probably can remember Lula Belle for obvious reasons. It might help to occasionally remind us that Sally and Joan are cousins, and Martha is Sally's next-door neighbor.
My greatest pet peeve is a lazy writer who won't re-read his stories a few times to find typos or other mistakes. He misses repetition and changes in tense. And he misses repetition (yes, I'm pulling your leg). This guy thinks he's perfect the first time, and he's always wrong.
Editorial groups and more
Editorial groups: If you're a writer, editor or general freelancer, you might check out my Freelance Writers and Editors group on Yahoo.
Columns for novelists: If you're a novelist, you might check out my columns for Savvy Authors. The links are on my web site.
Links: On my web site, I have links to some of my stories online.
Top posts: Here's a page that features links to some of my top posts on this blog.
Blogs: If you have an editing or writing blog (or if you have a particular entry you're proud of), let me hear about it. It doesn't even have to be a writing or editing blog. I just like good writing. Thanks.
More later.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
About writing and editing...
Contact me: If you're reading either of my blogs — this one, my blog/web site or my
auto-racing blog — please let me know what you think. What would you
like me to write about? How could I make it better?
The
blog/web site, which I update about once a week, is found at http://tom-gillispie.blogspot.com/. The Auto Racing Journal,
updated once or twice a week, is found at http://the-auto-racing-journal.blogspot.com/. And very rarely, I update The Dog Blog.
If you need an editor or writer, let me know. I can be reached at tgilli@copydesk.org (my professional email) or tgilli52@gmail.com.
Freelance network: If you're a freelancer, check out the Freelance Writers and Editors network on Yahoo. I think you'll be glad you did.
Followers: I see that this blog has attracted 57 followers. Greetings and welcome to you all. I'm thrilled, and a bit humbled, that you're here. If you have any comments or suggestions for blog entries, I'd like to hear them.
Blogs: If you have an editing or writing blog (or if you have a particular entry you're proud of), let me hear about it. It doesn't even have to be a writing or editing blog. I just like good writing. Thanks.
Check it out: You might look at Funds for Writers, which specializes in grants for writers.
More later.
Followers: I see that this blog has attracted 57 followers. Greetings and welcome to you all. I'm thrilled, and a bit humbled, that you're here. If you have any comments or suggestions for blog entries, I'd like to hear them.
Blogs: If you have an editing or writing blog (or if you have a particular entry you're proud of), let me hear about it. It doesn't even have to be a writing or editing blog. I just like good writing. Thanks.
Check it out: You might look at Funds for Writers, which specializes in grants for writers.
More later.
Monday, February 13, 2012
J-school: Your writing style
How do you write? Do you have to write the lead first? Do you start in the middle?
My wife, a career copy editor, had to cover events early in her career, and she had to find that elusive lead before she could proceed. Sometimes she'd find her lead while driving back to the newspaper; other times, she'd sit and stare at the computer screen, looking for Divine intervention. She's joked that it might take 45 minutes of staring at the screen to get started; I hope she was kidding.
Many years ago, I worked with a guy who had a system I'd never seen. He'd type in information in separate paragraphs. He'd put a quote here, a fact there. He'd basically dump his notes into the system in a scattershot manner, then try to make sense of them. Strangely, I recently found another colleague doing the same thing. It seemed odd to me, but it apparently worked for them.
Me? I work somewhere in the middle. I'm a fairly slow writer normally, and I like to give myself time for editing; so I need ways to speed up and make deadline.
If that lead hits me early, I write it and go on from there. Most times, though, I just start writing with no regard to lead. I might put an Associated Press lead — Joe Schmoe scored 24 points last night as Harvard beat ... — to get me started. At times, I've "found" my lead in the fifth, 15th or 19th paragraph. Other times, I'll be writing, and that lead will come to me. I'll go to the top, write in the lead, then go back and finish the story.
For a newspaper article, I might have a goal of 500 words. I'll write 600 words, then go back and pare it down to 490. Then I'll add 50 or 60 words of good information and then trim that near my 500-word goal.
A few years ago, I was covering a high-school football playoff game in the boondocks, and my deadline of 11:15 p.m. worried me. As I often do, I sat writing the game as it happened. I'd type in touchdown drives and big plays and turning points.
After the game ended, I did my interviews and was placed in the assistant principal's office. I inserted the quotes, added a little color and did my edits. I sent the story, and the assistant sports editor (now the sports editor) was stunned when I called at 10:30, 45 minutes ahead of deadline. Speed had nothing to do with it; it was all preparation.
I've worked with guys who were slower than Christmas, including one who is a great writer and a terrific self-editor. I've worked with others who are just slow. And still others are good writers with great speed. I know a former Associated Press writer who can write copy as fast as most people can copy a story that was already finished.
Advice: Don't worry about writing. Use your own writing style. Get your facts straight and be on time. Read your story a time or two to catch typos and factual errors, then let it rip. Your editor will be pleased.
My wife, a career copy editor, had to cover events early in her career, and she had to find that elusive lead before she could proceed. Sometimes she'd find her lead while driving back to the newspaper; other times, she'd sit and stare at the computer screen, looking for Divine intervention. She's joked that it might take 45 minutes of staring at the screen to get started; I hope she was kidding.
Many years ago, I worked with a guy who had a system I'd never seen. He'd type in information in separate paragraphs. He'd put a quote here, a fact there. He'd basically dump his notes into the system in a scattershot manner, then try to make sense of them. Strangely, I recently found another colleague doing the same thing. It seemed odd to me, but it apparently worked for them.
Me? I work somewhere in the middle. I'm a fairly slow writer normally, and I like to give myself time for editing; so I need ways to speed up and make deadline.
If that lead hits me early, I write it and go on from there. Most times, though, I just start writing with no regard to lead. I might put an Associated Press lead — Joe Schmoe scored 24 points last night as Harvard beat ... — to get me started. At times, I've "found" my lead in the fifth, 15th or 19th paragraph. Other times, I'll be writing, and that lead will come to me. I'll go to the top, write in the lead, then go back and finish the story.
For a newspaper article, I might have a goal of 500 words. I'll write 600 words, then go back and pare it down to 490. Then I'll add 50 or 60 words of good information and then trim that near my 500-word goal.
A few years ago, I was covering a high-school football playoff game in the boondocks, and my deadline of 11:15 p.m. worried me. As I often do, I sat writing the game as it happened. I'd type in touchdown drives and big plays and turning points.
After the game ended, I did my interviews and was placed in the assistant principal's office. I inserted the quotes, added a little color and did my edits. I sent the story, and the assistant sports editor (now the sports editor) was stunned when I called at 10:30, 45 minutes ahead of deadline. Speed had nothing to do with it; it was all preparation.
I've worked with guys who were slower than Christmas, including one who is a great writer and a terrific self-editor. I've worked with others who are just slow. And still others are good writers with great speed. I know a former Associated Press writer who can write copy as fast as most people can copy a story that was already finished.
Advice: Don't worry about writing. Use your own writing style. Get your facts straight and be on time. Read your story a time or two to catch typos and factual errors, then let it rip. Your editor will be pleased.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Whom will he throw to?
Found online: Whom is he going to throw to in Washington?
Sigh.
I'd change that to this: Who will he throw to in Washington?
Whom is really overrated.
Sigh.
I'd change that to this: Who will he throw to in Washington?
Whom is really overrated.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Let's turn it around
Found online: That the Hokies looked so bad at times during their eighth loss in 10 games was mind-boggling to Coach Seth Greenberg.
That's pretty awkward. Let's do it this way:
Coach Seth Greenberg was amazed at how bad the Hokies looked at times during their eighth loss in 10 games.
That's pretty awkward. Let's do it this way:
Coach Seth Greenberg was amazed at how bad the Hokies looked at times during their eighth loss in 10 games.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
A better move
Found online: That is a move that should benefit all parties concerned.
Quick change — That move should benefit all parties concerned.
Quick change — That move should benefit all parties concerned.
I wonder...
Found online: “In hard economic times we’re creating jobs and delivering clean, affordable electricity."
This isn't a complaint. I just wonder if there's such a thing as dirty, unaffordable electricity. Just asking.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)