substantive editing archive
Proofreading
Proofreading is the final stage of the publishing process and takes place after the manuscript has been typeset as the final check for typographical errors before printing. In the case of online publication, it is done prior to posting the content on an Intranet or the Internet.
It is the proofreader’s job to check the …
Converting text from print to web publishing
Converting text from a traditional print format to a web-style format requires more than a traditional structural (substantive) edit and copy edit. The flow of a print document is linear. The same content on-screen requires a completely different navigational system.
Recently, I was given the job to edit an Engineering Careers Manual which had been written …
Editing text for engineering careers website
Editing text that will go up on a website is different to editing for print publications, especially if the work involves transforming text written for print so that it will work online.
It involves a substantive edit which changes the structure of the text so that it works for website navigation. Identifying …
Signposting information
An important feature of the structure of any document, whether on a website or in printed format, is effective signposting.
Signposting techniques include:
using headings and heading hierarchies to map the structure for readers
using lists to draw attention to key elements of the information
cross referencing information: in print referencing other pages within the document; on websites, using …
Structuring content
It’s true that content is king, and it is also true that unstructured content is death.
Think of editing as the process of taking an uncut diamond and turning it into the sparkling gem that will be the centrepiece of a beautiful ring.
The difference between an unedited piece of writing and the final version made …
Substantive editing
Sometimes called developmental editing or structural editing, substantive editing looks at both the content and structure of a manuscript as a cohesive whole.
The structure of any writing is essential for cohesiveness and for maintaining the reader’s interest. It doesn’t matter how well something is copy edited or proofread if it is not well structured in …
