On their site, authors Patricia T. O’Conner and Stewart Kellerman discuss grammar, etymology, usage, and more in a very clever and entertaining way. Their blog, Q&A, and myths sections are full of useful information for technical editing practitioners, who sometimes need refresher courses (or source material to convince doubters!) about the rules of the English language.
New on the Shelf: Dreyer’s English
A style guide for writing correctly on the New York Times’ bestseller list? An editor interviewed on NPR?
Be still my beating heart!
Benjamin Dreyer, copy chief of Random House, has just published “Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style”, and it is making a huge impression on many people. Who would’ve thought that there was such a thirst for clear and and concise guidelines about how to write better English?
To order this amazing book (and to read glowing reviews of it), click here.
If you order this book and want to write a review of it for Corrigo, please contact me at editor@stc-techedit.org.
Of Interest: What’s the Worst That Could Happen? The Hidden Costs of Typos
Everyone makes typos, right? It’s part of being a technical communicator. We do our best to spot them before our content is released, and award mugs to those who spot them for us after the fact.
No one’s perfect though. Sometimes a mistake will slip through. What’s the worst that can happen? A radioactive bomb? Well, actually…
Continue reading “Of Interest: What’s the Worst That Could Happen? The Hidden Costs of Typos”
Quo Corrigo? Survey Results
At the end of April 2018, we sent out a survey called “Quo Corrigo?” asking Corrigo readers to tell us about what kind of content they wanted to see here.
We felt that Corrigo should only present information that focuses on technical editing, rather than on generic technical communication. But we weren’t sure what that meant exactly, so we turned to you to help us define the future scope and direction of Corrigo.
As of the end of June 2018, we’ve received 35 responses to our survey, and we thank all of you who took the time to tell us your opinions.
My Top 3 Editor Roles
In 2016, the STC Technical Editing SIG held a Watercooler Chat entitled, Technical Editors Wear Many Hats. We discussed the evolving role of an editor and various roles technical editors play. Some common responsibilities:
- proofreader
- trainer
- peer reviewer
- writer
- video creator
Most days, I juggle several editorial roles. Here are my three favorites.
1. Peer Reviewer
Peer reviews–or feedback–isn’t formal editing. I critique stories, blog posts, articles, chapters, or online course material. Sometimes, it’s an early draft and my colleague wants another read to help her organize the piece. Other times a fellow writer emails the story for me for one last review, to make sure the piece flows.
The side benefit? I read material before it’s published!
2. Proofreader
It’s all in the details! A client sends me a draft article or a link to their website. The task? Proofread for grammar, spelling, and punctuation matter.
One client asked me to proof their initial blog posts. I received the link to the newly-launched website and began reading. One post had this bold title: Heart Attach [sic]. I emailed a screenshot to the client before adding this error to my list. “Yikes! I proofread that title many times! It’s supposed to be ‘Heart Attack’.” Every writer needs a proofreader!
We can’t trust the automated spell checkers to pick up all our errors. ‘Attach’ is a good word but not the right word for this context!
3. UX (User Experience) Editor
I hadn’t thought of UX testing as editing. In several cases, I test as a consumer and provide text edits.
Case 1: Missing Login/Logout Buttons
Recently, I checked on one educational institution’s website. Where’s the login button? I wondered. I emailed their tech support. Tech Support responded that there’s no login button and provided the login steps. After I click around, I wanted to logout. No logout button or link, and when I closed the browser and reopened, I was still logged in. Again, I contacted Tech Support; they sent me the logout link.
My feedback to the institution? It was difficult to login and logout; please add buttons!
Case 2: Missing Donate Button and Unsecured Website
A non-profit client requested that I click through their site and try some features. We agreed that I would try and donate, to test the automated responses. On the main page, there was no Donate button. Why make a potential donor hunt through the site to give money? When I did find the donation page, I noticed that the website address wasn’t secure (not https). Consumers don’t want to provide PII (Personally Identifiable Information) on an unsecured website.
My suggested edits? Secure the donation page. Add Donate buttons on all pages.
Sherri Leah Henkin is a Senior Member of STC. Her STC-related articles have appeared in NEO STC’s newsletter and Intercom. In addition to tech writing and editing, Sherri has published creative non-fiction pieces in several international magazines. Sherri offers content creation and editing services through www.contentclarified.com.