A: Simply answered, “No.” 

       You are the writer, even if you have given the raw material to the editor to put into a properly formatted version of your document…you retain ownership of the thoughts. The original ideas, that prove the expertise behind the document, are your inspiration.

When all text (a.k.a. “copy”) that you have written is edited, but before the copy is submitted for release…you, the writer, have the final choice of what to and what not to include of the suggested changes.

For copyediting changes what was originally written is either correct according to grammar, spelling, and punctuation conventions, or it is not. This is not subjective – it must follow current rules of grammar, et al.

Conversely, substantive editing, which includes the changing of words, phrases, sentences, and/or paragraphs, tends to be subjective in nature. As such, these changes may alter the original text enough that the intended meaning is lost. This is where Word’s Track Changes function ideally shows where the changes have been suggested, allowing the writer to review the sentence with and without the changes, to see if the intent remains with the improved flow. The writer must then physically click “accept/reject change.”

However, by offering suggested changes, the editor is recognizing that the original text, as it was written, caused him/her to believe the end reader will either be confused or otherwise disinterested in the text. The changes are offered to clarify the writing, in essence to help the reader (a) understand the concepts presented, and (b) want to read the entire article/brochure/website. Yet, the writing must still have the underlying intent that the writer wanted to convey.

Another fabulous tool in Word is the Insert Comment function. This allows the editor to let the writer know why a particular change was suggested. The writer is given the chance to step out of the work to see it with new eyes – eyes that are not emotionally tied to the original writing. These new eyes might now see the work as the end reader might read the work, and understand where the confusion may occur or how changing the order of a sentence allows the ideas to flow; thus, creating a work the reader will take pleasure in reading from start to finish.

When editors make their marks (manually or electronically), while proofreading a piece of writing, they are offering suggestions only. You, the writer, penned the ideas and thoughts - editors merely suggest improvements to the word/punctuation usage - you retain full ownership of the ideas presented in written format.

Your baby is your baby, after all!

Linda Fletcher

Freelance Editor

LAFletcher@wingedhorseenterprises.com

A: Contractions like “you’re” and “they’re” are difficult when writing/typing your thoughts quickly usually because these are homonyms to other words, like “your” and “their” or “there,” and because you can type faster without having to put in the apostrophe. Usually, Spell Check functions will catch these faux-pas, but if you are writing the old fashioned way with a manual typewriter, or more draconian-like with pen and paper, the following are some suggestions.

The easiest way to eliminate the problem is not to use contractions at all. When you are composing write the full version of “you’re” as “you are,” or “they’re” as “they are.” Then you will not have the problem of contraction misuse.

However, using the full version of these phrases can make the writing sound stilted when you want the “voice” of the work to be more casual – like everyday speech.

In this case, you can do one of two things:

A)     While you are writing/typing mentally say the long version before continuing – if you would fill in the next word(s) with “you are …..” then be sure to change the space between to an apostrophe and eliminate the “a.” If the next word is the possessive pronoun, such as “your book,” then continue writing/typing. See the Tip below.

B)     If you know all of the contractions that you tend to misuse, then make a list. Whenever you are finished a piece of writing, be sure to go back over the text to find each version and again say the sentence out loud using the non-contracted version to see which makes sense. Use the Tip below.

Tip: You wouldn’t say “here is you are book;” thus the correct version is “your” showing that someone owns the book. Similarly, you wouldn’t say “your going home,” although because it is a homonym it sounds like you would say that, instead in long version you would say “you are going home” – in this case then you could use the contracted version “you’re.”

You would use the similar exercise for “they’re,” however there are two other homonyms that might end up being used in error. The long version of “they’re” is “they are;” mentally use this in the sentence to see if it is the correct version. “Their” is a possessive pronoun – “it is their book” – again you would not say “it is they are book.” While “there” can be an adverb “Sit over there,” a pronoun “Hello there,” an adjective “John there will help you,” a noun “From here to there,” or an interjection…

Linda Fletcher

Freelance Editor

LAFletcher@wingedhorseenterprises.com