Editing Is Not Writing
Great
editing transforms a work; terrible editing destroys even the best.
Writing a manuscript is only the start of a long, and sometimes difficult, process. Many writers prefer to deny the need for editing and rewriting, but no work is ever what it can be when the first draft is completed. Editing is part of the writing process, not a separate task. Seemingly minor changes made during editing might improve a work substantially.
Editing? Yuck!
Editing is not boring, if you consider it a chance to learn. Checking facts brings out the detective in a writer or editor. Writers and editors should love learning, since the idea of writing is to educate — even while entertaining.
Editing Topics
Reference guides on the Tameri site address the following topics:
Grammar
- Basic Grammar
In Detail: - Common Grammar Errors
- Grammarians’ Lexicon
Spelling and Usage
- Commonly Misspelled Words
- Latin and Greek Roots
- Words and Phrases to Kill
- Word Usage (and Abusage)
- Stylebook Basics
Sentences and Punctuation
Composition and Other Topics
Who Should Edit?
It seems like a simple question: who should edit a work? The obvious answer is the author or authors, which is correct — for the first or second draft of a work. However, we strongly encourage any writer to handoff editing duties to another individual after the writer is comfortable with the manuscript.
There are several reasons to have another person edit your works:
- Writers tend to miss “obvious” spelling and grammar errors.
- Another person might detect confusing passages that are clear to the writer.
- Editors are often experts in certain areas, catching technical and historical errors.
Citations
Any citation referring to the Tameri Guide for Writers site must name both editors.
- APA:
- Schnelbach, S. and Wyatt, C. ( 19 July, 2008 ). Tameri Guide for Writers. [Online]. Available WWW: http://www.tameri.com
- MLA:
- Schnelbach, S. and Wyatt, C. “Tameri Guide for Writers.” 19 July, 2008 . Online. Internet. [Date Printed]. Available WWW: http://www.tameri.com

