February 2025 Editing Tips
Welcome to the second Editing Tips newsletter of 2025!
January was a relatively busy month as far as editing for my clients went.
My writing, however . . .
That’s a different story.
How about you? How are your writing goals progressing so far this year?
And now for this month’s tips.
Editing Tip
When you include a location such as a city and state or a province and country in your writing, include two commas as follows:
I would like to visit Houston, Texas, to meet up with friends.
I live in Ontario, Canada, not Ontario, California.
Levels of Editing
This is what I include in a Line Edit: proofreading for correct punctuation, grammar, and spelling plus checking for consistency; effective, age-appropriate word choice and sentence structure; consistent verb tense; appropriate paragraph and sentence length; overuse of clichés; use of unnecessary modifiers; ineffective use of repeated words and phrases; and point of view issues
Tip for Fiction Writers
The use of the omniscient third-person point of view is far less common than it used to be. When writing from this perspective, an author can share what all characters are thinking, feeling, and doing.
Most novels are now written in the limited third person or first person point of view. So, if your POV character is unaware of something (for example, what another character is thinking—they can only speculate—or what is occurring in another room), it’s a good idea not to include these details.
Note: Of course there are always exceptions to the rule. If you are writing about a race of aliens with the ability to read minds, for example.
Tip for Nonfiction Writers
As is the case with any genre, it’s important to know as much as possible about your target audience. If you are writing on a topic about which your audience is knowledgeable, you won’t need to include “the basics” or a glossary of terms that would be familiar to them. On the other hand, if you are introducing a topic that is new to readers, the basics and a glossary could be helpful additions.
Tip for Memoir Writers
When deciding which information to include in your memoir, it’s a good idea to ask yourself this question frequently: “Is this detail mine to share, or is it someone’s else’s?” It’s important to be mindful of how others come across in memoir. This doesn’t mean you have to whitewash situations or downplay the impact another’s actions had on you. It’s about finding the best way to share your story.
Deep Point of View Basic
When writing in DPOV, it is especially effective to incorporate the principle of “show don’t tell.”
It draws readers in far more if you say, “My stomach clenched and my legs felt like the overdone noodles I’d had for supper last night,” than if you simply say, “I was nervous.”
Featured Recommendation
The 18th Edition of the Chicago Manual of Style is now available—and it’s HUGE!
This is THE definitive style guide for many authors and writers.
I also recommend CMOS online.
Q1 Contest Details
If you know someone who would benefit from this newsletter, please forward it to them. If you do so, just let me know, and, even if they don’t sign up, I will enter your name into a random draw to get 10 percent off any editing service I offer. Discount to be used by December 31, 2025.
Until March 15 . . .