grammar

When you ask me to edit or proofread, what exactly do you mean?

14th January 2019 | Posted in Blogging, book, Editing, Marketing communications

  You know what you want. But do I? “Editing” and its sibling “proofreading” are words that mean everything and nothing. So it pays to make sure we agree. Let’s take the examples of Jack and Susu (who are not really called Jack and Susu but they are real customers). Jack is way out of […]

Clients, copywriters and correct writing

29th November 2012 | Posted in Editing

Now here’s something I never thought I would write. It’s certainly something that my children would be disturbed to see me say, given their strict use of English upbringing. The truth is I now believe it is possible to be too correct about grammar. This is a bit of a revelation, as I also believe […]

What you need to check on your web copy

28th August 2012 | Posted in Web content

There are still plenty of people in the world who will think less of you and your business if your web site doesn’t read well. So here are a few things to check before you press publish – and again after you have. Are you a “we” or an “I”? Tricky one for anyone who’s […]

Celebrated literature and copywriting

5th July 2012 | Posted in Content creation

If you’re an avid – or even an occasional – listener to BBC Radio 4, the UK national speech channel, you’ll have noticed that it recently celebrated a James Joyce anniversary. (Other anniversaries are available – especially on the BBC.) It was the 90th anniversary of Joyce’s famous Ulysses novel, and Radio 4 spent the day broadcasting […]

Is grammar a matter of class?

18th July 2009 | Posted in Editing

A contributor to the letters page of a UK national paper at the weekend wrote that he had offered his services as a proofreader to his local Member of Parliament after browsing the MP’s web site. The MP replied by suggesting that concern about grammar over content smacked of a continuation of class war. Now […]