Giving Up on Print
Editors weigh in on the idea of eliminating print editions.By Denise Gable The advantages and disadvantages to both print and web publications are vast. While the Web has the advantage of offering...
View ArticleManaging Continuous Editorial Change
The New Media landscape has put the job of editing into continuous flux. Here are 6 tips for coping. By Carol Kinsey Goman, Ph.D. A reporter once asked Dale Berra, son of baseball great Yogi Berra, and...
View ArticleThe Fog Index
Assessing the readability of a book excerpt published on NPR.com. This month, we examine a passage from NPR.com (an excerpt from Tom Bissell's book, Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter): "For a while I...
View ArticleThree Mighty Useful and Interesting Books
Aids for writers that you can put to use in your editorial department.By Peter Jacobi I bring to your attention three books that might prove mighty useful and, lo and behold, they proved mighty...
View ArticleThe Scoop on Mobile Editions
Smartphones may overtake computers in popularity as early as next year. Is it time for a mobile edition of your publication? Find out what other editors are doing.By Meredith L. Dias Should you...
View ArticleSloppy Editing Leads to Global Tiff
Object lesson: what a misplaced paragraph break can do.By William Dunkerley An early October news story identified China and Russia as enemies of the United States. Media outlets quoted a U.S. foreign...
View ArticleType
Using type to engage your readers, and avoiding some common missteps.By Jan V. White In our context of commercial publishing type is not an art form but a lubricant for ideas. It is not "artistic" but...
View ArticleDigital Reading Terminology
A handy glossary of digital reading vocabulary for editors.By Meredith L. DiasThere are a great many devices available for reading digital content. You may already be using some of them at home or in...
View ArticleIf I Were Your Editor, I'd…
My checklist of 13 points for editing your pieces. Try using it yourself!By Peter P. Jacobi If I were your editor -- aside from carefully copyreading your written submission to catch grammar, spelling,...
View ArticleParticipial Phrase Abuse
Don't cheapen your copy with needless or incorrect participial phrases.Participial phrases, defined by About.com as "a word group consisting of a present or past participle and any modifiers, objects,...
View ArticleTablets and E-readers: The Next Wave?
Examining the results of the Harrison Group/Zinio digital reading survey.By Meredith L. DiasEditors everywhere are responding to the explosion of tablet computing and e-reading devices. Tablets and...
View ArticleLead + Title + Subtitle = Complete Package
Writer's leads and editor's editions produce a winning formula.By Peter P. JacobiThe magazine Smithsonian, in its September 2009 issue, featured an inviting and informative section devoted to "Top...
View ArticleThe Fog Index
Assessing the readability of a Time.com excerpt. This month, Editors Only calculates the Fog score of a December 17, 2010, excerpt from Time.com ("Drug Companies Await FDA Guidelines for Online...
View ArticleChronology
A chronological design, based on time or order, can solve approach issues in a wide range of assignments.By Peter Jacobi Dann Denny is an award-winning feature writer for the Herald-Times in...
View ArticleWikiLeaks Hits Home
How would you handle your own WikiLeaks conundrum? Many editors find serious ethical and legal implications in the scandal.By Meredith L. Dias What if you or one of your freelancers stumbled upon...
View ArticleReader Solidarity
Strengthening your publication's bond with readers. Some magazines have readers who think of themselves as part of a group. They relate to one another in some sort of way. Other magazines seem to lack...
View ArticlePositive Anticipation
Tips on how to include the emotion of anticipation in your publication.By Pat Friesen Do you anticipate receiving birthday cards, leaving on vacation, or heading out the door on Friday afternoon? Of...
View ArticleFact-Checking Policy
How does your publication handle fact-checking?By Denise GableThis month’s topic was prompted by the wide-spread media reports that falsely reported Congresswoman Giffords had been killed. As...
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Speed
Practice editing that also exploits the visual dimension. It will accelerate your communication!By Jan V. White"Nobody reads any more" eh? They will, if they realize that the thing is worth bothering...
View ArticleThe Serial Comma: Endangered Species?
Weighing in on the recent Oxford comma controversy.By Meredith L. DiasRecently, the University of Oxford came under fire for doing away with the serial comma. From Twitter to Facebook, users voiced...
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