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The Online World of Grammar and Usage: Reliable Online Editorial Resources

Editing  /  Grammar  /  Usage  /  Style
Jul 31, 2019 - Michael Bedford

Although you’re unlikely to find many writers or editors willing to give up the hard copies of their dictionaries or style and usage guides, working a...

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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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What’s the Hook? It Reels in Your Reader’s Attention

Jul 09, 2019 - Lesley-Anne Longo

So you’ve finished your book — congratulations! If you want to pursue the route of traditional publishing, it’s time to start thinking of how to put t...

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7 Steps to Writing Good Online Content

Jul 04, 2019 - Michael Bedford

Different publishers have different demands. One doesn’t submit the same article to both The New Yorker and the Toronto Sun. These two periodicals hav...

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4 Sessions and 2 Keynotes: Soaking Up Book Buzz at Book Summit 2019

Jun 27, 2019 - Lesley-Anne Longo and Beth McAuley

On June 18, 2019, we attended Book Summit 2019 at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre. It was a gorgeous day to be on the waterfront — breezy, warm, and not...

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EditorCon: Reflections on the Editors Canada 40th Anniversary Conference

Jun 19, 2019 - Molly Rookwood

On June 7, a perfect, sunny, 20 degree day, I arrived in Halifax. I breathed in the sea air after many months of life in Toronto, headed straight to t...

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From the Archives: The Art of Synopsis Writing

Jun 12, 2019 - Nina Hoeschele

A few weeks ago an author approached The Editing Company for some help with rewriting the synopsis of her manuscript. I was lucky enough to be p...

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Behind the Scenes at the Anansi Bookshop

Jun 06, 2019 - Jean Mathew

When I moved to Toronto three years ago to become a part of Canada’s publishing scene, I got a job working at the Anansi Bookshop, and it was surreal....

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Pondering the Meaning and Role of Archaic Words — And, Yes, We Can Still Use Them

May 29, 2019 - Molly Rookwood

A few years ago, I decided to celebrate my love of Regency and Victorian literature by getting a tattoo of the word “ardent,” paying homage to Pride a...

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Submissions Etiquette: Dos and Don’ts When Submitting a Manuscript - Part 1

May 22, 2019 - Lesley-Anne Longo

 So, you've finished your manuscript. Congratulations! Now, it's time to think about next steps. If your dream is to be traditionally published, then ...

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Editors Canada: Forty Years of Editorial Vigilance

May 15, 2019 - Michael Bedford

Editors Canada’s website describes its mission statement thus, “Editors Canada promotes professional editing as a key in producing effective communica...

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You Need Permission to Reprint That! What This Means & Why Authors Must Pay Attention to It

May 08, 2019 - Beth McAuley & Lesley-Anne Longo

Anyone writing a manuscript — be it a book, a journal article, a blog, a newsletter — has to understand only one thing about wanting to reprint materi...

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What Editors Do: The Art, Craft, and Business of Book Editing — A Review

May 01, 2019 - Jonathan Adjemian

What Editors Do: The Art, Craft, and Business of Book Editing, edited by Peter Ginna and published by U of Chicago Press (2017), takes on an ambitious...

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The Value of Having Your Thesis or Dissertation Edited by a Professional Editor

Apr 25, 2019 - Melissa MacAulay, Guest Blogger

Having your thesis or dissertation edited by a professional editor can be an incredibly valuable investment. After all, a graduate degree is typically...

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How to Use the Semicolon to Connect Your Thoughts & Clarify Your Meaning

Apr 16, 2019 - Molly Rookwood

As an icebreaker activity in one of my publishing courses, a teacher asked us to give our names, what we liked to read for fun, and what our favourite...

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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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A Beginner’s Guide to Social Media for Writers & Editors

Mar 28, 2019 - Jean Mathew

From its role in political elections, influencing fashion and beauty standards, launching careers, and empowering the activists of today, social media...

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Possessives: Some Basic Rules on Using “s” and an Apostrophe

Editing  /  Grammar  /  Usage  /  Style
Mar 20, 2019 - Jonathan Adjemian

The most common mistakes with grammar often involve seemingly simple things. In English, possession is indicated using an apostrophe and, usually, an ...

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Editorial Women: Then and Now

Mar 13, 2019 - Michael Bedford

A famous editor might sound like a contradiction in terms to some, but for those plugged into the literary world there are a few names that pop up tim...

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To Friend or Unfriend? The Evolution of Nouns into Verbs

Editing  /  Grammar  /  Usage  /  Style  /  Usage  /  Language & editing
Mar 06, 2019 - Molly Rookwood

In 2009, “unfriend” was the Oxford American Dictionary’s Word of the Year, leading to teeth-gnashing of grammar purists across the world. How could th...

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Freedom to Read Week: Fighting Censorship for 35 Years

Feb 13, 2019 - Michael Bedford

Whether the instigating factor in a book-banning campaign is religion, sexual expression, “anti-establishment attitudes,” or some other vague concern,...

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How Canadian Cities Are Celebrating #BlackHistoryMonth

Feb 06, 2019 - Jean Mathew

Cities across Canada are celebrating #BlackHistoryMonth with film screenings, gallery exhibitions, dance parties, and galas. If you’re wondering what ...

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Ask the Editor: Some Common Myths About What We Do

Jan 30, 2019 - Lesley-Anne Longo

There are many myths out there about the editing profession, and there are many myths about editors. An editor is many things, so we know that what we...