Proofreading & Editing Tips

The Art of Anaphora: When Repetition Makes Perfect

The Art of Anaphora: When Repetition Makes Perfect

Let it land. Let it linger. Let it echo. You've just experienced anaphora. While your high school English teacher may have scolded you for repetition, anaphora proves that sometimes breaking the rules creates the most memorable writing. What Is This Fancy-Sounding...

Short, Sweet, and to the Point

Short, Sweet, and to the Point

At 5 feet tall, I’m shorter than most Christmas trees, filing cabinets, refrigerators (I never see their tops without a stool), arcade machines, and the average moose. Maybe that’s why I have an affinity for things that are compact and efficient—I like difficult...

Consistency Is Key: Lessons From a Swedish Café

Consistency Is Key: Lessons From a Swedish Café

My editor eyes never go off duty, even when I’m on vacation. Case in point: We just had Spring Break in Oregon. On one of the days, my family and I met my longtime friend and her husband at a charming Swedish café in Portland. It’s a fantastic place that serves...

Sing Me a Double Negative, Bill Withers

Sing Me a Double Negative, Bill Withers

Double negatives are a grammar no-no, but you’ve probably heard them in some of your favorite songs. You’ve no doubt sung along to them, and maybe you didn’t even realize you were breaking the rules. While double negatives usually flip the meaning to a positive (just...

Understanding Points of View in Writing

Understanding Points of View in Writing

For the past eleven years, I’ve worked on an online platform with a mix of projects, many of them from non-native English speakers. Today, I received a request to “put my article in third person.” It made me think that many people might not know the different points...