Eye for Editing: Taking It Personally

by Paula Robertson

Editor’s Note: A version of this article was originally published in the STC Notebook in November 2013 as the third in a series. Over the course of 2022, we hope to publish more of these articles. To make it easier for you to find these articles again in the future, they will be tagged with the Eye for Editing tag, and the titles prefaced with the same phrase.

Skipping to what is one of the most important skills to have in editing, this month I want to talk about how we relate to the other person in the form of a review of their work. It may be a writer colleague, an engineer or software developer, your manager, the CEO, or a client. You might not have met the person or even know who they are. But you’re not just editing content. Reviewing someone else’s work can be a rather intimate way of relating to another human being.

Continue reading “Eye for Editing: Taking It Personally”

Of Interest: Editing Blind

Can you edit a document that you can’t even see?

Most technical editing practitioners might be surprised to hear that there are visually-impaired people who work as editors. But how is this possible?

On Thursday 10 February 2022 at 10 AM MT (click here for
your local time zone), join Erin Nightingale, a blind editor (her preferred terminology) who will talk about the obstacles she’s overcome and the tools she uses. Erin recently published an article called “An Editing Process for Blind or Visually Impaired Editors” in IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication.

This is a joint STC Technical Editing SIG, STC Accessibility COI,  STC Santa Barbara, and STC Los Angeles event, and is open to members and non-members.

To register for this event, click here.

Eye for Editing: Learned or Innate?

by Paula Robertson

Editor’s Note: A version of this article was originally published in the STC Notebook in September 2013 as the first in a series. Over the course of 2022, we hope to publish more of these articles. To make it easier for you to find these articles again in the future, they will be tagged with the Eye for Editing tag, and the titles prefaced with the same phrase.

The Eye for Editing column explores the topic of editing—technical editing, editing as a skill, practical tips, personal stories, and whatever tangents that might lead us to. I hope to engage you in reflection to answer the question, “Do you have an Eye for Editing?”

Continue reading “Eye for Editing: Learned or Innate?”

Of Interest: Editing Essentials for Writers and Editors

Comtech and CIDM are pleased to announce the Editing Essentials for Writers and Editors online course presented by Dawn Stevens, Wednesdays, 3 November to 15 December 2021, from 12pm to 2pm ET  (click here for your local time zone).

The goal of technical writers and editors alike is to produce consistent, accurate, and complete information products. Reaching this standard requires a systematic approach to condensation, organization, and correction of the copy. During this 2-hour, 6-session class, participants will work through the different levels of editing and gain strategies and tips for creating cleaner content.

For more information and to register, go to https://comtech-serv.com/training/editing/.