Editing Guides

["Jill Mohan" <jillemo -at- gmail -dot- com>]

Hello -

One of the things I enjoy doing the least is editing, but I am frequently
asked to "proof" people's documents before they go out to the customer -
everything from a white paper to a 2-page explanation of test results.  I
find editing to be the toughest part of the job - how to just review the
mechanics and not the style.  It's like one of your less fashionable friends
asking you "how do i look?" and you can't tell them "i wouldn't be caught
dead wearing that!"

And another annoying facet is that I have forgotten the reasons behind some
of the grammatical rules, and i don't have instant recall on the reasoning
when challenged... in fact some are hard to prove that you're right and you
start thinking that you might be wrong.

A client told me:   "that" and "the" should never follow each other.    Ex:
"verify that the service has started."

It may be that "that" is one of my subconscious writing ticks.  Without the
"that," i feel that the sentence doesn't flow smoothly and that "that" sets
up the clause "the service has started."

Any pointers-- on either my current battle or the larger war I am waging -
to keep my fingers off people's style.

Most google results point to thousands of editors that have nothing to do
with the English language, unless I want to shell out some cash to amazon.

Thanks much!
Jill Mohan
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.