Write It Right: The Ground Rules for Self-Editing Like the Pros (Paperback)

~ Dawn Josephson (Author), Lauren Hidden (Author) "Writing well isn't easy..." (more)
Key Phrases: info kit, editing checklist, Ground Rule, Write It Right, Step One (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

In a succinct five-step process, this reference shows how to save time and frustration when editing one's own work, creating stronger, more precise text that holds the reader's attention. Through its practical, field-tested approach featuring frequently asked questions and key points for reflection at each step, writers learn how to avoid embarrassing themselves on paper, remain objective throughout the process, pinpoint their own unique writing challenges, and recognize when it is time to call for outside help. Tips and examples in the grammar and usage section further illustrate how to overcome the most common writing challenges that plague writers.

About the Author

Dawn Josephson is the author of Putting It on Paper. She is an editor, ghostwriter, idea development consultant, and public speaker, and a former editor-in-chief for Cutting Edge Media; a frequent contributor to The Entertainer, a Central Florida arts and entertainment magazine; and an advertising copywriter. She lives in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Lauren Hidden is the founder of The Hidden Helper, LLC which provides virtual assistance services including research, data management, administrative, editorial, and transcription assistance to authors, speakers, and real estate professionals. She has worked in the public relations department at a Fortune 500 company and as a caseworker for the elderly. She lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Cameo Publications (September 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974496626
• ISBN-13: 978-0974496627
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,032,166 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great procedures for editing your work, August 28, 2005

By	Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Whether just an article or an entire novel most of us need to edit our work to give it that professional finish. This book is not a grammar book with all those rules on how to make your work syntactically correct. Instead it takes a larger view and supplies the basics of writing well. For example the "ground rules" include checking to make sure the story is organized well and and checking that paragraphs have a topic sentence that the rest of the paragraph relates to. For each of the ground rules the authors discuss how to check your work to see that it conforms to the rules and how to change it so it does.

The section starting on page 33 is a welcome change from most writing books. The authors suggest that you should identify areas where you have problems and include them on a check list of editing problems to watch for. But, how do you know your problem areas if you don't see the problem? This section gives several examples of sentences with various problems. Find the ones where you don't see a problem, go to the answers section that explains the problem and you have your short list of items to learn about and watch for in your work.

For the person looking to raise their writing quality to a higher level of professionalism Write It Right is a recommended read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ground Rules Produce Definite Results, May 15, 2006

By	Reader Views "www.readerviews.com" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

Numerous jobs require strong writing skills, yet studies reveal that many members of the American workforce lack the writing essentials. Basics like proper spelling, grammar and punctuation come to mind when people discuss writing. However, well-chosen words, clear-cut thinking and strong structure also compose important aspects of written communication.

Often, those who write fail to develop the important self-editing skills needed to perfect their work. Whether writing comprises one aspect of a person's job or is the main component, taking time to polish the writing is essential.

"Write It Right" serves as a handy self-improvement tool for writers. The authors begin by helping self-editors identify their weak spots by evaluating problem areas. The next phase of the book assists writers with switching gears from writing to editing. Writers need to relinquish ownership of their work and don the editor's hat, refining the material. Like other books on self-editing, this handy guide reminds self-editors to compile an editing checklist, build in time for the editing phase, and edit on paper, not the screen-essential steps to prepare the editor.

Section three walks self-editors through the editing process and dispels any illusions that one time through the document will catch everything. The fourth portion teaches how to use teamwork for better success at editing. The fifth section encourages continued refinement of, and building confidence in, the newly-acquired editing skills.

The book's real-life samples identify organization and transition problems, passive sentences, spelling errors and more. The Frequently Asked Questions segments anticipate readers' questions and provide valuable answers. The appendices also supply important information on editing under pressure, avoiding self-sabotage, knowing grammar rules and usage, and using handy forms and checklists to simplify the process.

As a professor of writing, I found this handy guide to be thorough in covering the basics. I believe it would assist workers whose job description includes writing, college writing majors early in their training, other college students who want an edge when joining the workforce, and high school students who desire stronger writing and editing skills when they leave for college. For those who don't want to immerse themselves in the Chicago Manual of Style or other tools used by professional editors, applying the "Write It Right" ground rules will produce definite benefits.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Jam-packed little book of writing advice, May 17, 2007

By	Betty Dobson "InkSpotter" (Halifax NS Canada) - See all my reviews

As the second book in the Ground Rules series, Write It Right continues the solid, succinct advice presented in its predecessor, Putting It On Paper. Dawn Josephson is joined this time around by Lauren Hidden, and, together, they walk you through all the whys and hows of self-editing your writing to make it as good as it can be.

Josephson and Hidden understand that there's more to self editing than the mechanics. Many writers will have a hard time accepting the idea that self-editing is something they should even be doing. We all make mistakes in our writing. Even editors make mistakes.

If you're still not convinced once you've read the Introduction--which includes "The Case for Self-Editing"--I urge you to keep reading anyway. You won't be sorry.

For such a slim volume--as the Ground Rules series tends to be--this book is jam-packed with useful exercises to help you identify and correct your writing weaknesses.

And don't overlook the many appendices at the back. These pages constitute a big chunk of pages overall and could be the most valuable part of the whole book. "How To Sabotage Your Self-Editing Efforts" and "The Ground Rules of [Grammar] and Usage" are especially useful.

My one real quibble with the process promoted and taught in Write It Right is that it seems more practical when applied to shorter works. I cannot imagine undergoing the same lengthy process for a book-length manuscript. How many times can you reread your manuscript before the words blur and you see what you want or expect to see?

Also, while I don't doubt the lessons could be applied readily to creative writing, the focus here seems to be on non-fiction, specifically business writing. That distinction might deter some writers from giving this book a try.

In general, I think Write It Right deserves a spot on every writer's bookshelf. You don't just read this book. You open yourself up to a learning experience taught as much by you as by the authors.