Hampshire based professional proofreading services
Liz Bourne, our chief editor and proof manager explains the importance of good clean text
You’ve slaved for months on your manuscript, shown it to your partner, read it to your cat, and now you want to see it in print. Is it ready though? A successful book requires a touch of objectivity; when you’re so close to it for months, that’s often difficult to achieve. Readers don’t appreciate plot inconsistencies, spelling mistakes and poor punctuation, and more importantly, it will detract from the narrative and enjoyment.
What it all means
- The big picture. Also called ‘developmental editing’. This could involve restructuring the book, moving chunks of text around or even deleting some. Maybe some of the characters aren’t fully fleshed out? Or the pace of the book doesn’t work? An editor can point these out and suggest amendments. Some reviews
- Copy editing. This involves looking at grammar, consistency and individual sentences, for example, does it read right? If your book has gone through various revisions, it might have lost some of the finer details. A copy editor can check that a character has the same colour hair throughout the book, or that British English instead of US English is used consistently.
- Proofreader. The final stage. When your book has gone through various stages or revisions, it’s surprisingly easy for small errors to creep in. These might be small, but can really jar with a reader and reflect on the quality of the book as a whole.
- An editor cannot rewrite the book for you. Ultimately, it is up to you to give the final approval. Remember, there’s no shame in getting your hard work edited and proofread; all books that you see on the shelves in Waterstones will have been through a thorough editing process. Yes, it costs you money, but the process will iron out any issues, however small, and make your book the best it can be.
You can see a serious success story from an established writer here
Writing for a British or American audience
There may be an ocean between us, but there’s also a gulf in our approach to spelling and punctuation. I’m talking about the use of British English vs American English in our writing.
We’re probably all familiar with the ‘favour’/’favor’ debate, but there are some other, more subtle differences in how we write for either a British or American audience.
Other differences in spelling include how we write ‘practice’, as a noun, and ‘practise’ as a verb. We like to differentiate, but our American friends prefer to stick to ‘practice’ for both.
Tricorn will sign up for a training programme (to learn a computer program), while Americans simply attend programs whether computer-related or not. We may feel well travelled, whereas over the pond they are well traveled.
In some instances, spelling is merely a preference or a style guide issue. For example, although it’s not incorrect to write ‘empathize’ in British English, it is often preferable to use ‘empathise’. Our American friends prefer the -ize format throughout however.
And it’s not just spelling. You’ve got to keep an eye on punctuation too. Americans love to add a full stop after an abbreviation – like Mr. or Dr. – whereas in the UK we only add a full stop after an abbreviation if it is truncated mid-word, like Prof. or fig. (for figure).
The key is to be consistent throughout. And if your book is for both an American and British audience, stick with one format.
There are plenty of other editorial conventions to consider when preparing a book for a British or American audience all of which can ensure your book looks slick and professional. But don’t worry if you’re not sure of all the rules – our editors know their stuff and can make sure that your book is publication-ready.
Tricorn
Knowing your capitals
Uppercase. Lowercase. Do you know when to use them?
We know that we should use capital letters for proper nouns – people’s names,
cities, countries, etc. – but what about other words such as compass points, job titles
or seasons? It can be confusing but there are some simple rules we follow at Tricorn
Books to make sure your manuscript is consistent and easy to read.
Where the term comes from, upper case and lower case
Generally speaking, using capital letters can make your writing a bit ‘shouty’ and
distracting for the reader, so it’s good to avoid them other than in the obvious ways
that we were taught at school. Here are some other rules, based on examples we’ve
spotted in books that we’ve published here at Tricorn:
Job titles – capitalise job titles, but not the areas of responsibility or parts of a job
title if you are not referring to it in full. For example: ‘Katie is an editor who was
recently promoted to Senior Editor.’
Organisations – when talking generally about organisations, such as universities,
we use lowercase ‘u’. But if writing about a specific university it should be
capitalised. For example, ‘UK universities have an excellent reputation’ but ‘the
University has an excellent reputation’ (when ‘the University’ refers to a specific
institution which has already been named).
Seasons – quite often we see people capitalising ‘Summer’, ‘Winter’, etc. However,
this is incorrect. Seasons should be presented in lowercase.
Compass points – these are usually not capitalised, unless as part of a proper
noun, for example ‘the south of England’, ‘the East End’, ‘Central America’, ‘north-
east Scotland’.
As with many editorial matters, sometimes things aren’t entirely clear-cut, so we
usually refer to the New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors for guidance. So
don’t worry if you’re not sure – this is what our editors can take care of!
To hyphenate or not to hyphenate…
Consider these statements:
Bob was a small business owner.
Bob was a small-business owner.
Is Bob running a small business? Or is he a short person who runs a business? A hyphen can make all the difference. But it can sometimes be confusing.
Editorial convention states that a hyphen can be used when creating compound adjectives that modify a noun. Huh? What? Let’s look at some other examples:
1. A part-time job (but she works part time)
2. A ten-minute speech (but his speech ran for ten minutes)
3. A world-class act (but the act was world class)
4. A little-used car (but the car was little used)
I could go on…
But when an adverb is used that ends in -ly, that changes things. Look at these examples:
1. A badly designed poster
2. A beautifully cut hairstyle
3. But hyphens are needed with short and common adverbs, for example:
4. An ill-prepared report
5. A much-needed grammar lesson
There are other examples and rules, but if you’re not sure don’t worry. Our experienced editors will ensure that your manuscript is copyedited and proofread to within an inch of its life! And we will help you publish your beautifully crafted and long-awaited book (see what we did there?!).
The Oxford comma: a small mark with a big impact
Few punctuation marks have sparked as much debate as the Oxford comma. Also known as the serial comma, this small yet significant punctuation mark has divided writers, editors and grammarians for years.
But what exactly is the Oxford comma, and why does it matter?
The Oxford comma is the comma placed before the final conjunction (such as and or or) in a list of three or more items. For example:
• With the Oxford comma: I love my parents, Lady Gaga, and Shakespeare.
• Without the Oxford comma: I love my parents, Lady Gaga and Shakespeare.
Without the Oxford comma, the second sentence suggests that Lady Gaga and Shakespeare are the writer’s parents—an amusing but unintended interpretation.
A brief history of the Oxford comma
The Oxford comma takes its name from the Oxford University Press (OUP), which has long championed its use in their publications. The practice can be traced back to the 19th century, when OUP printers and editors adopted it for clarity and consistency in academic and literary works.
Despite its prestigious origins, the Oxford comma is not universally accepted. While American English (particularly The Chicago Manual of Style and the MLA Handbook) generally endorses it, British English (following The Guardian and The Times style guides) often omits it unless needed for clarity.
Why the Oxford comma matters
Though small, the Oxford comma plays a crucial role in avoiding ambiguity. Consider the following examples:
• With the Oxford comma: We invited the strippers, JFK, and Stalin.
• Without the Oxford comma: We invited the strippers, JFK and Stalin.
The first sentence suggests that three separate groups were invited, while the second implies that JFK and Stalin are the strippers—a very different meaning!
Legal disputes have even been influenced by the absence of the Oxford comma. In 2017, a dairy company in Maine lost a lawsuit over a missing comma in a labour law, costing them $5 million in unpaid overtime claims. The court ruled in favour of the workers, as the lack of a comma created ambiguity in the legal text.
Should you use the Oxford comma?
The decision to use the Oxford comma often depends on style guides and personal preference:
• Use it if you follow Oxford University Press, The Chicago Manual of Style, or APA guidelines.
• Omit it if you follow The Times (UK) or The Associated Press (AP) Stylebook, unless necessary for clarity.
• Be consistent—whether you use it or not, apply the rule throughout your writing.
Final thoughts
The Oxford comma may seem like a minor detail, but its ability to clarify meaning and prevent confusion makes it a valuable tool for writers. Whether you embrace it or avoid it, understanding its role in punctuation can help ensure your writing is clear, precise and professional.
Where do you stand on the Oxford comma debate? Do you always use it, or do you think it’s unnecessary?