20 Best Books On Editing (2023 Update)

Far more than just a software manual, avid editing is your trusted guide to uncovering the many layers of one of the world's most exciting crafts. this book weaves valuable editing principles together with the robust avid workflow, delving deeply into efficient editing techniques and concepts. in an easy-to-read style, you'll encounter detailed step-by-step instructions for hundreds of avid procedures, and more than 500 images and screen captures make complex concepts easy to grasp. you'll soon begin to know the system in and out, all while improving your overall editing technique and skillset. geared toward beginning and intermediate avid editors, this book guides you through both narrative and documentary editing projects.

Far more than just a software manual, avid editing is your trusted guide to uncovering the many layers of one of the world's most exciting crafts. this book weaves valuable editing principles together with the robust avid workflow, delving deeply into efficient editing techniques and concepts. in an easy-to-read style, you'll encounter detailed step-by-step instructions for hundreds of avid procedures, and more than 500 images and screen captures make complex concepts easy to grasp. you'll soon begin to know the system in and out, all while improving your overall editing technique and skillset. geared toward beginning and intermediate avid editors, this book guides you through both narrative and documentary editing projects.

Hundreds of books have been written on the art of writing. here at last is a book by two professional editors to teach writers the techniques of the editing trade that turn promising manuscripts into published novels and short stories. in this completely revised and updated second edition, renni browne and dave king teach you, the writer, how to apply the editing techniques they have developed to your own work. chapters on dialogue, exposition, point of view, interior monologue, and other techniques take you through the same processes an expert editor would go through to perfect your manuscript. each point is illustrated with examples, many drawn from the hundreds of books browne and king have edited.

At last, direct from the trenches, here's the book technical editors have been waiting for. unlike other guides which review grammar and spelling—but don't address the special challenges of technical editing—this lively, practical book deals with the real-world problems, issues, and decisions that face technical editors and writers.in this book you'll get tips for preparing a style guide technical writers will want to use. you'll find checklists of what to look for during different types of editorial reviews, learn how to make the transition from traditional to desktop publishing, and see how you can build true usability into printed and online documentation. enhanced by real examples, case studies, and practical techniques, these flexible and pragmatic solutions go far beyond the mechanics of marking up manuscripts.

Covering both the practical and the theoretical aspects of publishing, editors on editing includes essays on the evolution of the american editor; the ethical and moral dimensions of editing; how books are chosen; what an editor looks for in a query letter, proposal, and manuscript; line editing; copy editing; the free-lance editor; the question of "political correctness"; making the most of writers' conferences; plus numerous other pieces that provide a fascinating, provocative, and sometimes controversial look into the complete editorial process. an annotated bibliography helps make this completely revised edition essential for anyone interested in the art and craft of this all too often misunderstood profession.

Written by an experienced author team, the first part of the text provides an overview of the editing process (appraising the document, creating an editing plan, and implementing the plan), the second part covers substantive editing (editing for organization, completeness, accuracy, etc.), and the third part explains copyediting (from its principles and procedures to their application in practice) and proofreading. the authors discuss such topics as fraud in the workplace and whistleblowing; navigation aids in print and digital documents; redaction of classified or confidential information; layout and design principles; controlled languages, the plain english movement, and international varieties of english; content reuse and content management systems; and electronic editing skills. the book provides ample coverageof grammar, punctuation, and usage, with many authentic examples from technical and business documents.

"i trust tiffany yates martin with the editing process even more than i trust myself. read this book and steal her secrets "–kelly harms, washington post-bestselling author of the overdue life of amy byler"tiffany yates martin is an exceptional editor, so of course her advice and counsel in intuitive editing is exceptional as well. when you are ready to go deeper, to dig into the revision process, using tiffany's intuitive editing strategies will help you take your writing to the next level."–new york times- and usa today-bestselling author steena holmes"authors, if you can't be lucky enough to have tiffany as your editor, then intuitive editing is the next-best thing. her advice is sound, thoughtful, no-nonsense and given with the compassion that every author and their book deserves."–elisabeth weed, literary agent, the book group"editing your own writing can feel like doing your own brain surgery…." after you've completed your manuscript and you're standing at the foot of revision mountain, climbing to the summit can feel impossible. it's hard to look at your own writing with the objective eye needed to shape it into a tight, polished, publishable story–but just like writing, self-editing is a skill you can learn. developmental editor tiffany yates martin has spent her career in the publishing industry honing practical, actionable techniques to help authors evaluate how well their story is working, where it might not be, and how to fix it.with a clear, accessible, user-friendly approach, she leads writers through every step of deepening and elevating their own work, as well as how to approach the edit and develop their "editor brain," and how to solicit and process feedback. intuitive editing doesn't offer one-size-fits-all advice or rigid writing "rules"; instead it helps authors discover what works for their story and their style–to find the best version of their vision.whether you're writing fiction, narrative nonfiction, or memoir; whether this your first story or your fiftieth, intuitive editing will give you the tools you need to edit and revise your own writing with inspiration, motivation, and confidence.tiffany yates martin has spent nearly thirty years as an editor in the publishing industry, working with major publishers and bestselling authors as well as newer writers. she's led workshops and seminars for conferences and writers' groups across the country and is a frequent contributor to writers' sites and publications.

Editing is often seen as one item on a list of steps in the writing processusually put somewhere near the end, and often completely crowded out of writer's workshop. too many times daily editing lessons happen in a vacuum, with no relationship to what students are writing.in everyday editing, jeff anderson asks teachers to reflect on what sort of message this approach sends to students. does it tell them that editing and revision are meaningful parts of the writing process, or just a hunt for errors with a 50/50 chance of getting it rightcomma or no comma? instead of rehearsing errors and drilling students on what's wrong with a sentence, jeff invites students to look carefully at their writing along with mentor texts, and to think about how punctuation, grammar, and style can be best used to hone and communicate meaning.written in jeff's characteristically witty style, this refreshing and practical guide offers an overview of his approach to editing within the writing workshop as well as ten detailed sets of lessons covering everything from apostrophes to serial commas. these lessons can be used throughout the year to replace daily oral language or error-based editing strategies with a more effective method for improving student writing.

Editing is a tricky business. it requires analytical flair and creative panache, the patience of a saint and the vision of a writer. transforming a manuscript into a book that edifies, inspires, and sells? that’s the job of the developmental editor, whose desk is the first stop for many manuscripts on the road to bookdom—a route ably mapped out in the pages of developmental editing. author scott norton has worked with a diverse range of authors, editors, and publishers, and his handbook provides an approach to developmental editing that is logical, collaborative, humorous, and realistic. he starts with the core tasks of shaping the proposal, finding the hook, and building the narrative or argument, and then turns to the hard work of executing the plan and establishing a style. developmental editing includes detailed case studies featuring a variety of nonfiction books—election-year polemic, popular science, memoir, travel guide—and authors ranging from first-timer to veteran, journalist to scholar. handy sidebars offer advice on how to become a developmental editor, create effective illustration programs, and adapt sophisticated fiction techniques (such as point of view, suspense, plotting, character, and setting) to nonfiction writing. norton’s book also provides freelance copyeditors with a way to earn higher fees while introducing more creativity into their work lives. it gives acquisitions, marketing, and production staff a vocabulary for diagnosing a manuscript’s flaws and techniques for transforming it into a bestseller. and perhaps most importantly, developmental editing equips authors with the concrete tools they need to reach their audiences.

Concise, practical, and comprehensive, the elements of editing synthesizes the information today's writers, editors, journalists, and students need and use most. from an inside look at the delicate relationship between author and editor to preparing a manuscript for the printer; from graphics and photography to copyright and libel law, no other book about editing covers so much material so thoroughly. for aspiring and practicing writers, editors, and everyone who wants to present a crisp, clean sentence, the elements of editing is an invaluable reference. – back cover.

Concise, practical, and comprehensive, the elements of editing synthesizes the information today's writers, editors, journalists, and students need and use most. from an inside look at the delicate relationship between author and editor to preparing a manuscript for the printer; from graphics and photography to copyright and libel law, no other book about editing covers so much material so thoroughly. for aspiring and practicing writers, editors, and everyone who wants to present a crisp, clean sentence, the elements of editing is an invaluable reference. – back cover.

Now in its 12th edition, this core text is the most comprehensive and widely used textbook on editing in journalism. thoroughly revised and updated to incorporate more online and multimedia formats, this hands-on guide offers a detailed overview of the full process of journalistic editing, exploring both the micro aspects of the craft, such as style, spelling and grammar, and macro aspects, including ethics and legality. recognizing the pronounced global shift toward online multimedia, the authors continue to stress the importance of taking the best techniques learned in print and broadcast editing and applying them to online journalism. this new edition also includes an in-depth discussion of the role editors and journalists can play in recapturing the public's trust in the news media. additional chapters examine how to edit for maximum visual impact and how to edit across media platforms, teaching students how to create a polished product that is grounded in the best practices of journalism.the art of editing, 12th edition, remains an essential resource for students of journalism across all media and levels interested in editing, design and media writing, as well as for professionals seeking to refine and refresh their skill set. accompanying online features include instructor powerpoints and student exercises.

"bell's prose is elegant and wonderfully readable in this artful guide."—publishers weekly the artful edit explores the many-faceted and often misunderstood—or simply overlooked—art of editing. the book brims with examples, quotes, and case studies, including an illuminating discussion of max perkins's editorial collaboration with f. scott fitzgerald on the great gatsby. susan bell, a veteran book editor, also offers strategic tips and exercises for self-editing and a series of remarkable interviews, taking us into the studios of successful authors such as michael ondaatje and ann patchett to learn from their various approaches to revision. much more than a manual, the artful edit inspires readers to think about both the discipline and the creativity of editing and how it can enhance their work. in the computer age of lightning-quick composition, this book reminds readers that editing is not simply a spell-check. a vigorous investigation into the history and meaning of the edit, this book, like the elements of style, is a must-have companion for every writer.

The essential guide for all writers. with over 700 examples of original and edited sentences, this book provides information about editing techniques, grammar, and usage for every writer from the student to the published author. the essential guide for all writers. with over 700 examples of original and edited sentences, this book provides information about editing techniques, grammar, and usage for every writer from the student to the published author. after earning her m.a. in english literature, claire kehrwald cook taught english composition fro three years at a midwestern university before she went into publishing. for the next eight years she worked for a major book company, rewriting problem manuscripts in the trade, business, and college departments. since 1976 she has worked at the modern language association, where she enjoys styling literary essays considered worthy of painstaking editorial efforts.

One of the world's leading experts on genetics unravels one of the most important breakthroughs in modern science and medicine. if our genes are, to a great extent, our destiny, then what would happen if mankind could engineer and alter the very essence of our dna coding? millions might be spared the devastating effects of hereditary disease or the challenges of disability, whether it was the pain of sickle-cell anemia to the ravages of huntington’s disease. but this power to “play god” also raises major ethical questions and poses threats for potential misuse. for decades, these questions have lived exclusively in the realm of science fiction, but as kevin davies powerfully reveals in his new book, this is all about to change. engrossing and page-turning, editing humanity takes readers inside the fascinating world of a new gene editing technology called crispr, a high-powered genetic toolkit that enables scientists to not only engineer but to edit the dna of any organism down to the individual building blocks of the genetic code. davies introduces readers to arguably the most profound scientific breakthrough of our time. he tracks the scientists on the front lines of its research to the patients whose powerful stories bring the narrative movingly to human scale. though the birth of the “crispr babies” in china made international news, there is much more to the story of crispr than headlines seemingly ripped from science fiction. in editing humanity, davies sheds light on the implications that this new technology can have on our everyday lives and in the lives of generations to come.

Vim is a fast and efficient text editor that will make you a faster and more efficient developer. it's available on almost every os, and if you master the techniques in this book, you'll never need another text editor. in more than 120 vim tips, you'll quickly learn the editor's core functionality and tackle your trickiest editing and writing tasks. this beloved bestseller has been revised and updated to vim 8 and includes three brand-new tips and five fully revised tips. a highly configurable, cross-platform text editor, vim is a serious tool for programmers, web developers, and sysadmins who want to raise their game. no other text editor comes close to vim for speed and efficiency; it runs on almost every system imaginable and supports most coding and markup languages. learn how to edit text the "vim way": complete a series of repetitive changes with the dot formula using one keystroke to strike the target, followed by one keystroke to execute the change. automate complex tasks by recording your keystrokes as a macro. discover the "very magic" switch that makes vim's regular expression syntax more like perl's. build complex patterns by iterating on your search history. search inside multiple files, then run vim's substitute command on the result set for a project-wide search and replace. all without installing a single plugin! three new tips explain how to run multiple ex commands as a batch, autocomplete sequences of words, and operate on a complete search match. practical vim, second edition will show you new ways to work with vim 8 more efficiently, whether you're a beginner or an intermediate vim user. all this, without having to touch the mouse. what you need: vim version 8

Excel at editing! the editor's job encompasses much more than correcting commas and catching typos. your chief mission is to help writers communicate effectively–which is no small feat. whether you edit books, magazines, newspapers, or online publications, your ability to develop clear, concise, and focused writing is the key to your success.the editor's companion is an invaluable guide to honing your editing skills. you'll learn about editing for: – content: analyze and develop writing that is appealing and appropriate for the intended audience. – focus: ensure strong beginnings and satisfying endings, and stick with one subject at a time. – precise language: choose the right words, the right voice, and the right tense for every piece. – grammar: recognize common mistakes in punctuation, parts of speech, and sentence structure–and learn how to avoid them. you'll also find valuable editing resources and checklists, advice on editorial relationships and workflow, and real-life samples of editing with explanations of what was changed and why. the editor's companion provides the tools you need to pursue high quality in editing, writing, and publishing–every piece, every time.

Editing is an invisible art where the very best work goes undetected. editors strive to create books that are enlightening, seamless, and pleasurable to read, all while giving credit to the author. this makes it all the more difficult to truly understand the range of roles they inhabit while shepherding a project from concept to publication. in what editors do, peter ginna gathers essays from twenty-seven leading figures in book publishing about their work. representing both large houses and small, and encompassing trade, textbook, academic, and children’s publishing, the contributors make the case for why editing remains a vital function to writers—and readers—everywhere. ironically for an industry built on words, there has been a scarcity of written guidance on how to actually approach the work of editing. this book will serve as a compendium of professional advice and will be a resource both for those entering the profession (or already in it) and for those outside publishing who seek an understanding of it. it sheds light on how editors acquire books, what constitutes a strong author-editor relationship, and the editor’s vital role at each stage of the publishing process—a role that extends far beyond marking up the author’s text. this collection treats editing as both art and craft, and also as a career. it explores how editors balance passion against the economic realities of publishing. what editors do shows why, in the face of a rapidly changing publishing landscape, editors are more important than ever.

Longtime manuscript editor and chicago manual of style guru carol fisher saller has negotiated many a standoff between a writer and editor refusing to compromise on the “rights” and “wrongs” of prose styling. saller realized that when these sides squared off, it was often the reader who lost. in her search for practical strategies for keeping the peace, the subversive copy editor was born. saller’s ideas struck a chord, and the little book with big advice quickly became a must-have reference for copy editors everywhere. in this second edition, saller adds new chapters, on the dangers of allegiance to outdated grammar and style rules and on ways to stay current in language and technology. she expands her advice for writers on formatting manuscripts for publication, on self-editing, and on how not to be “difficult.” saller’s own gaffes provide firsthand (and sometimes humorous) examples of exactly what not to do. the revised content reflects today’s publishing practices while retaining the self-deprecating tone and sharp humor that helped make the first edition so popular. saller maintains that through carefulness, transparency, and flexibility, editors can build trust and cooperation with writers. the subversive copy editor brings a refreshingly levelheaded approach to the classic battle between writers and editors. this sage advice will prove useful and entertaining to anyone charged with the sometimes perilous task of improving the writing of others.

Too many writers suffer under friendly fire. too many pros are ground down by unhelpful supervision. how to edit and be edited is the first book to set out the principles of constructive editing–how to provide it, and how to obtain it from those who read your work.an editor and film development executive for over 30 years, allegra huston has worked with writers including two nobel prize winners, three booker prize winners, and jane goodall. as the author of the bestselling memoir love child and the novel a stolen summer, as well as numerous screenplays and magazine articles, she has worked with editors and development executives across the spectrum. in this concise guide, she shares techniques that energize and inspire the writer, clarify problems and foster a strong working relationship." the twice 5 miles guides how to read for an audience and how to edit and be edited should be required reading for all writers and editors, as well as all creative writing teachers and students. both books are bursting with outstanding insights and fresh ideas. and as a bonus, they're written in prose so accomplished and excellent, they're a lesson in itself on how to write a brilliant writing guide. whether you're a newbie beginner or a well-seasoned pro or somewhere in between, these books will make you a better editor, reader, and writer." –kate christensen, pen/faulkner award-winning novelist and former teacher at iowa writers workshop"deft, clear and charming, without a wasted word. the series, which might as well be subtitled 'things writers are too embarrassed to ask about, ' promises to immediately fill a tremendous need in the lives of those of who still live and die by the book." " –jonathan lethem, nyt bestselling novelist and roy e. disney '51 chair in creative writing, pomona college"an indispensable tool for students in terms of learning how to respond to fellow writers in a workshop setting. this is a very valuable book."–sue william silverman, novelist and memoirist, faculty member at vermont college of fine arts