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Self-Editing Your Work? Try These 7 Tips

May 01, 2024 - Lesley-Anne Longo

The process of editing your work can be trying, difficult, and frustrating...but it can also be rewarding, enlightening, and satisfying. This month, w...

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Upgrade Your Writing Practice: Tech Tools and Apps for Writers

Apr 09, 2024 - Michael Bedford

Some writers may be able to fill their manuscripts with inspired text without any outside help but, thankfully, in this age of apps and user-friendly ...

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Malaphors: Mixed-up Cousins of Mixed Metaphors

Mar 05, 2024 - Michael Bedford

After writing about mixed metaphors last month, it was brought to my attention that I had peppered that post with malaphors. And, although malaphors a...

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Ask a Business Editor: What Is Inclusive Language?

Feb 21, 2024 - Benedetta Lamanna

This week, we're revisiting a blog from our archives, asking an important questions for editors everywhere, but especially business editors in particu...

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What Is the Active Voice and Why Is It Important?

Feb 13, 2024 - Glen Hoffmann

You’ve likely heard it’s best to write in the active voice whenever possible. This is good advice. In this week’s blog, I’ll explain why by answering ...

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What Is a Trope vs. a Cliché?

Feb 06, 2024 - Lesley-Anne Longo

You may have heard the terms “trope” and “cliché” before, but do you know what they are? Contrary to what many people think, these terms are not synon...

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On Mixed Metaphors: Putting a Fine-Toothed Comb to the Grindstone

Jan 31, 2024 - Michael Bedford

I’ve always been a fan of finding examples of humorous misapplications of grammar or usage guidelines in writing. One source of such grammatical humou...

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What Is Syntax? And Why Is It Important?

Grammar  /  Usage  /  Writing  /  Usage
Jan 24, 2024 - Melissa MacAulay

We’ve all heard it before: “Words are the building blocks of language.” Writers understand this better than anyone, as they are all too aware – someti...

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What’s My Genre?

Jan 16, 2024 - Lesley-Anne Longo

If you’re a regular reader, you may already be familiar with book genres and what your favourites are. Maybe you like thrillers, or horror! Or, perhap...

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Kickstarting Your Creative Engine: Tips to Get Your Writing Started

Jan 09, 2024 - Ronnie Morris

Writing of any sort—whether it’s fiction or non-fiction—can be tough.  Self-doubt can make an already difficult task even harder, and it’s easy to put...

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3 Great Tips on Setting Up Your Writing Environment to Help Get Your Project Started

Jan 04, 2024 - Michael Bedford

There are no secret tips that make writing easy but there are things one can do to get things off to a good start. So, here are a few pointers on sett...

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NaNoWriMo: Fun, Fiction, and Finding a Writing Community

Nov 21, 2023 - Lesley-Anne Longo

It’s November, and while for many people that might mean the lead-up to the holiday season is beginning, for thousands of people around the world, Nov...

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Review of Kiss My Asterisk: A Feisty Guide to Punctuation and Grammar

Sep 12, 2023 - Melissa MacAulay

Going only by the title and back blurb, my very first impression of Kiss My Asterisk by Jenny Baranick (Skyhorse, 2014) was that I am its ideal reader...

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6 Faulty Writing Habits to Avoid

Aug 23, 2023 - Lesley-Anne Longo

There’s never a bad time to refresh your writing skills, and now is as good a time as ever (especially if you’re finding yourself with some extra time...

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Editorial Professional Development Opportunities: The 2023 Edition

Jun 14, 2023 - Michael Bedford

Summer is just around the corner, and in addition to higher temperatures and long-awaited vacation time, many editorial professionals are looking forw...

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4 Ways to Become More Involved in the Writing Community

Jun 07, 2023 - Lesley-Anne Longo

Writing can mean spending a lot of time on your own, but that doesn’t mean a writer’s life should be a solitary one! There are lots of ways you can ge...

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The Publishing Plan: What It Is, and How to Create One

May 31, 2023 - Lesley-Anne Longo

What is a publishing plan? Honestly, a publishing plan is exactly what it sounds like! It involves scheduling and planning for the writing and publish...

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Segues: A Handy Technique for Writing Transitions

May 24, 2023 - Lesley-Anne Longo

Segues are an important part of writing in any genre, and knowing how to use segues well can be the difference between a successful or not-so-successf...

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The Synopsis: The Best Editing Tool You’ve Never Tried

May 09, 2023 - Lesley-Anne Longo

A synopsis—what is it, really? Well, to put it simply, a synopsis is a brief overview of your larger work. For a nonfiction manuscript, a synopsis cou...

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5 Tips on How to Stay Focused on Writing as the Weather Improves

May 03, 2023 - Michael Bedford

In southern Ontario, where I live, winter tends to be long and cold, and spring tends to be chilly and wet—find some more of my thoughts on Canadian w...

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A Workout for the Writer’s Brain: 8 Writing Courses to Inspire and Energize Your Mind

Jan 04, 2023 - Lesley-Anne Longo

It’s 2023, and lots of people are making resolutions for the new year – spend less, save more, eat more vegetables, get in shape, declutter…the list...

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Holiday How-to: Wrapping Up Your Writing Project before a Break

Nov 22, 2022 - Michael Bedford

Although the holiday season is meant to be a festive diversion, for some writers the holidays serve as yet another roadblock on the journey to pub...

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3 Ways to Set Up Your Writing Environment to Help Get Your Project Started

Aug 10, 2022 - Michael Bedford

There are no secrets tips that make writing easy but there are things one can do to get things off to a good start. So, here are a few pointers on set...

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Reaching “The End”: Tried-and-True Ways to Help You Finish a Writing Project!

Jul 20, 2022 - Lesley-Anne Longo

So, you’ve read TEC’s blogs on how to get a writing project underway, and after many hours of hard work, you’re finally nearing the finish line. Good ...

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Get Your Writing on Track: Tips for Working with a Writing Coach

Jul 13, 2022 - Jaclyn MacNeil

Are you struggling with your writing? Are you worried about grammar and punctuation or structure and flow? Are you battling procrastination? Or have y...

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Kickstart Your Creative Engine: Tips on Getting Your Writing Started

Jul 06, 2022 - Ronnie Morris

Writing of any sort—whether it’s fiction or non-fiction—can be tough.  Self-doubt can make an already difficult task even harder, and it’s easy to put...

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Creating a Good Outline: The First Writing Step You Didn’t Know You Needed

Jun 28, 2022 - Lesley-Anne Longo

Are you trying to get your writing underway? Are you not sure where to begin? Why not create an outline? If you’ve never worked with one before, you m...

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TEC Editing Tips of the Year: 6 Dos and Don’ts for Authors

Jan 12, 2022 - TEC Editors

It’s 2022, and the start of a new year may be enough for you to feel inspired to tick off some of the items on your to-do list. If one of the items on...

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6 Faulty Writing Habits

Jan 11, 2022 - Lesley-Anne Longo

There’s never a bad time to refresh your writing skills, and now is as good a time as ever (especially if you’re finding yourself with some extra ...

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Active vs. Passive Voice: Understanding How and Why They Work

Apr 28, 2021 - Michael Bedford

Although there are some who would advocate for a world free of passive-voice constructions, an all-out ban on this wrongfully maligned verbal form wou...

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Creating the Copyright Page for Your Book: What You Need to Know

Feb 24, 2021 - Michael Bedford

Self-publishing opportunities allow authors to reach their audiences on their own schedules and through their own publishing initiatives. An important...

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6 Tips to Help You Complete Your First Draft

Feb 17, 2021 - Lesley-Anne Longo

It's still the beginning of a new year, and that usually means lots of new authors are out there working on the first draft of that book they've been ...

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Writing During a Pandemic: How to Meet Your Goals and Stay Productive

Nov 24, 2020 - Molly Rookwood

When I first wrote this blog, we were just three months into the worst global pandemic in over a century. It is November and we have been living in th...

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6 Methods of Emphasizing Words and Ideas in Writing

Nov 18, 2020 - Michael Bedford

Emphatic writing allows writers the opportunity to drive home the importance of letters, words, phrases, sentences, and ideas. Aside from mechanical c...

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Finding Your Flow: A Self-Study Approach to the Academic Writing Process

Oct 07, 2020 - Mary Goitom, PhD, Guest Blogger

Though I can agree with the adage that anyone can write, we seldom take the time to unpack how people come to the writing process. In my world of acad...

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Keep It Simple: Being a Better Business Communicator

Jun 30, 2020 - Lesley-Anne Longo

Writing in a business environment can often be tricky, but throw in the uncertain times of a global pandemic and a rapidly changing market? Things jus...

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Writing During a Pandemic: How to Meet Your Goals and Stay Productive

May 27, 2020 - Molly Rookwood

As I write this, we’re three months into the worst global pandemic in over a century. The world we live in is unprepared and unequipped to run smoothl...

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6 Tips to Help You Complete Your First Draft

May 12, 2020 - Lesley-Anne Longo

Completing the first draft of your book can be the most daunting thing about writing a book — the revising and editing can be difficult, but first get...

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Bringing Your Manuscript to the Next Level: 5 Tech Tips for Writers

May 06, 2020 - Michael Bedford

Some writers may be able to fill their manuscripts with inspired text without any outside help but, thankfully, in this age of apps and user-friendly ...

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5 Online Editorial and Literary Communities to Take a Look at if You Haven’t Already

Apr 08, 2020 - Michael Bedford

Although in-person writing circles and book clubs will eventually reclaim their rightful places in public libraries and diners across the land, online...

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A Question of Tenses: Which Tense to Choose and Why

Mar 31, 2020 - Molly Rookwood

We use different tenses all the time: I am listening to music. I went to the store on Saturday. I will make broccoli tonight. I am waiting for the tel...

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5 Amazing Resources for Writers: How You Can Get Involved in the Writing Community

Mar 11, 2020 - Lesley-Anne Longo

Writing can be an incredibly rewarding career, but it can also be, at times, a lonely one. If you are like most writers, you probably work from home (...

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7 Tips for Clear and Effective Business Writing

Feb 13, 2020 - Molly Rookwood and Beth McAuley

Chances are good that you will have to do some writing at some point in your business career. And regardless of your field, your writing will have to ...

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Writing an Undergraduate Thesis: Where to Start

Jan 30, 2020 - Molly Rookwood

So, you’ve done your years of studying. You’ve written countless essays and papers and exams. You know enough about a specific subject that you could ...

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How to Turn Connecting Sentences into Powerful Parts of Your Prose

Jan 08, 2020 - Jonathan Adjemian

There are plenty of different approaches to writing. Some writers like to let the words pour out on the page and clean and shape them later; some outl...

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Midterm Madness: A Primer on How to Format Your APA Academic Paper

Nov 20, 2019 - Lesley-Anne Longo

November has rolled around again, which can only mean one thing (for students, anyway): midterms and papers are coming up and will be due before the w...

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It's your first draft, right?

Oct 16, 2019 - Beth McAuley

When a writer shows her/his work to someone and asks them to read it, there is the inevitable dread that she/he might hear those infamous words, “This...

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Editing Acronyms and Initialisms: Tips on Using Them Effectively

Sep 24, 2019 - Molly Rookwood

As anyone who edits (or writes) non-fiction knows, few things are as frustratingly difficult to keep straight as acronyms and initialisms. Two weeks a...

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Book Review: Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks, by Wendy Laura Belcher

Sep 04, 2019 - Jonathan Adjemian

For academics across disciplines, writing and publishing journal articles is an unavoidable part of professional life. Anyone who’s been or been close...

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Finding Your Flow: A Self-Study Approach to the Academic Writing Process

Aug 21, 2019 - Mary Goitom, PhD, Guest Blogger

Though I can agree with the adage that anyone can write, we seldom take the time to unpack how people come to the writing process. In my world of acad...

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The Return of Confusables: Part IV

Jul 24, 2019 - Lesley-Anne Longo

Our blog series on confusables (a.k.a., easily mixed up words) has remained popular throughout the years, so we thought we’d revive it and take a look...

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A Guide to Decluttering Your Writing, or The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Jul 17, 2019 - Molly Rookwood

When I first considered this blog post, I had a brilliant idea. I’d compare it to Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up! I’d call it “Th...

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Publishing Plans for Authors: Why Managing Your Journey Is Important

Apr 11, 2019 - Lesley-Anne Longo

What is a publishing plan? Here at TEC, we’ve created many publishing plans for our non-fiction authors who have contracted us for our Publishing Cons...

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Editorial First Steps: Looking Back on “Encourage Young Writers Day”

Apr 08, 2019 - Michael Bedford

Starting an editorial career can be a complicated undertaking. Whether pursuing a career as an employee at an established company or starting out on o...

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3 (More) Ways to Avoid Repetition in Writing

Apr 25, 2018 - Lesley-Anne Longo

  One of our more popular blogs is 3 Ways to Avoid Repetition in Writing, in which I discus how repetition in writing can disengage your reade...

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5 Tips for Writing Engaging Nonfiction

Feb 01, 2018 - Lesley-Anne Longo

I'm open to reading almost anything ­– fiction, nonfiction – as long as I know from the first sentence or two that this is a voice I w...

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Segues: Another Technique for Writing Transitions

Aug 17, 2017 - Lesley-Anne Longo

Segues are an important part of writing in any genre, and knowing how to use segues well can be the difference between a successful or not-so-successf...

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Less Is Not More: How to Write Longer Sentences (if you really have to)

Jul 20, 2017 - Barbara Kamienski

  Strunk and White's The Elements of Style is a classic, a compendium of pithy advice for writers who want to get their ideas across clearly and...

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Revisiting Transitions: What They Are and How To Use Them

Feb 01, 2017 - Lesley-Anne Longo

Well, it's February 2017! We're solidly in Canadian winter, but we'll also be transitioning into spring soon (we can hope). In the spirit of great tra...

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7 Tips for Detecting Canadian Business Editorial Style

Nov 10, 2016 - Beth McAuley

  Imagine you have been asked to write an article for the Rotman Management, the Magazine of the Rotman School of Management at the University o...

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7 Tips for Detecting Business Editorial Style

Sep 15, 2016 - Beth McAuley

Have you ever sat down to write a business article for a journal or a magazine and wondered what the editorial style of the publication was? Perhaps t...

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Let Me Rephrase That – The Fine (and Necessary) Art of Revising

Feb 18, 2016 - Chris Cameron

  An editor is an expert at revising collections of written words. In fact, one French term for editor is "réviseur." As a prof...

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Transitions: What They Are and How to Use Them

Feb 10, 2016 - Lesley-Anne Longo

  While drafting the February edition of the TEC newsletter, I found myself flipping through Beth's collection of Editorial Eye back issues, sea...

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3 Ways to Avoid Repetition in Writing

Jan 27, 2016 - Lesley-Anne Longo

When reading a document, there are any number of writing errors or distractions that can take you out of the moment and interrupt the flow of your rea...

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How to Lose Your Mind in 72 Hours: The 3-Day Novel Contest

Nov 27, 2012 - Nina Hoeschele

The Challenge I am a perfectionist.   I realize this might not be the most shocking admission for an editor to make. Still, while it ser...

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An Update on Our Writers Support Package

Mar 24, 2011 - Nadine Bachan

In the spring of 2010, two authors agreed to become our inaugural writers for The Editing Company’s Writers Support Package. Ann Eyerman and B...

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An Appreciation of What Authors Do

Jan 10, 2011 - Beth McAuley

  We have been editing and proofreading a number of manuscripts over the past few weeks that have made us here at TEC come to realize just how...

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It's your first draft, right?

Aug 12, 2010 - Beth McAuley

When a writer shows her/his work to someone and asks them to read it, there is the inevitable dread that she/he might hear those infamous words, &ld...

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The Editing Company Is Launching an Innovative Support Package for Writers

May 27, 2010 - Beth McAuley

The Editing Company is introducing a new support package for writers. Currently in its trial run, The Editing Company’s Writers Support Package ...