Tag: editing

To Be or Not to Be Capitalized in a Title

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Now that we’ve reached October, Halloween decorations have been slowly popping up in my neighborhood. Each time I go for a walk I see new cobwebs, gravestones, pumpkins…and lots of skeletons. Skeletons that are five inches to twelve feet tall, that have two heads, or light up, or are dressed up for the colder weather. Some are just a head and bony hands reaching out from the grass or supported by a tall shrub, reminding me of Hamlet holding a skull in the iconic scene from Shakespeare.

A skeleton wearing a floppy black felt hat has its hand out as if giving a friendly hello
A friendly neighborhood skeleton greets passersby. Photo by Natalie Roth

When I get back from my walk around the block, I sit down to edit the subheadings of a science article and I find myself recalling another moment from Hamlet—that phrase, to be or not to be—as I review which words to capitalize.

It’s those little words that get me. To, it, as, but, for. When you’re writing a title, heading, or subheading, there’s no one right answer for capitalizing these little words. For instance, I’ve titled this post in Chicago style: conjunctions like “or” stay lowercase and so do articles (i.e., a, an, the). The preposition “to,” meanwhile, is capitalized when it’s the first word but not when it’s in the middle of the title. Now if I were to write the title in AP style, which is typically used for newspapers and magazines, the “to” gets capitalized both times, because AP style also capitalizes the word when it is used as an infinitive (the infinitive here being “to be”).

So the answer to which words get capitalized in a heading depends on the context of how the word is being used and the style of the document—a newspaper headline won’t follow the same guidelines as the subheading of a nonfiction trade book, for instance.

When in doubt, or if you’re curious to compare all the style guides, you can check out https://capitalizemytitle.com/. This free tool lets you type in any headline and toggle among Chicago, AP, MLA, APA, and other styles to see what words to capitalize. Like any digital tool, it might not always pick up on things that a human would, such as whether a word is being used as an adverb (the other instance of capitalizing “to”), but it is a great start to proper formatting and a quick way to double-check your thinking as you review the capitalization in titles and headings.

Whether you’re dusting off the cobwebs of an old piece of writing or drafting fresh content from a bare-bones outline, consistent capitalization is a small way to add a little extra boost. Do you have a piece of writing ready for those decorative touches? Tell me about it using my Contact page.

“Please Mr. Postman”

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Photo of a blank card next to a sunny window sill, with a pen ready to write.

Please Mister Postman, look and see

Is there a letter, a letter for me.

I sang along to this and other Motown songs when I was younger, and I still get caught up in the catchy tune. But this week, when an article I edited used the word “postman,” I paused on the word. Language has changed since the Marvelettes first sang the tune in 1961. Some might say the term is old-fashioned, that it should be “mailman.” Others might point out that postal workers aren’t just men anymore, and the term should be a gender-neutral term such as “letter carrier.” The latter is in line with the latest APA Style Guidelines for bias-free language, which advocates for choosing language that is inclusive and respectful. You can see their entry on avoiding gendered occupational titles here.

As an editor, I have the opportunity to spot problematic language and check in with the writer about their intent. Does a certain word choice unnecessarily exclude people or introduce bias? Does the phrasing come across as disrespectful; was that the intent? I try to thoughtfully consider the language that I find on the page, and it’s an ongoing process.

This past week I added to my awareness by attending an ACES editing webinar on potentially problematic language. Some of the examples were good reminders of things I’d heard before about considering wording used around race, gender, and mental health. For instance, saying someone “suffers from depression” is biased compared to simply stating that they “have depression.” Another piece of advice was to consider the language that advocacy groups recommend and to think through the pros and cons for choosing terms when there’s no consensus. Ask: Is this word choice perpetuating a harmful stereotype? Is it respectful to readers? The editing stage is the perfect time to catch and consider these moments so that the writing fits the intent.

Whether it’s a handwritten letter from a loved one or the latest novel from your favorite author, words connect us to ideas and feelings. Yet language is changing all the time, so it’s a good idea to think about what ideas and feelings underlie particular word choices. Conscious language guides from advocacy groups and editing associations are great tools to keep up with language trends. Some of these guides are helpfully compiled by editor and authenticity reader Crystal Shelley here.

Looking for an editor to bounce ideas off of and thoughtfully provide feedback on the language in your writing? Send me a message on my Contact page.

Enchantments & Editing

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I’ve spent the past two weeks immersed in the world of Dungeons & Dragons for the very first time. It’s a world I knew was there, knew friends or friends of friends who liked it, but had never entered it myself. And was I in for some surprises. 

When I was approached to copyedit a cocktail book that was inspired by and engaged with the world of D&D, I didn’t realize that it would ask for the same engagement from me. And yet, the language is just a step away from standard English, requiring a careful review of phrases that might at first appear to be errors. The creatures include goblins and fairies, but they aren’t like those found in traditional fairy tales. 

Landscape view of green hills and pastures in Killarney, Ireland, with a moody cloudy sky giving it a sense of enchantment.
When I think “enchantment,” I return to the stunning views in Killarney, Ireland. Photo by Natalie Roth

This project required a lot of research and fact-checking to make sure that I understood what the typical target reader understood. It had me very grateful for the timely help of more knowledgeable people online and in real life as I built a clearer picture of how things worked in this creative world. And even though I’ve turned over my edits, I haven’t turned over the sense of awe this project gave me for the incredible world-building and imagination that comes part and parcel with D&D. 

More details to come on the book as it reaches publication! In the meantime, what worlds live in your head? You can tell me about the creative projects you are building by using my Contact page. 

Steel and Music

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Since my last post on editing out the fluff, I happened upon the book Stylized by Mark Garvey, which dives into the history behind Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style. Garvey follows the publication journey of the book as E. B. White worked to update Strunk’s original rules, with side journeys into the style guide’s meaning and impact. This iconic style guide aligns with the idea of removing fluff, with one rule simply stating “omit needless words.” Yet, as Garvey explains, this isn’t an all-encompassing or straightforward right-and-wrong guide to writing. Strunk had simply noticed what good writers were doing and used his style guide to point out the rules beneath their words.

E. B. White was one of the students influenced by this approach to writing, and his appreciation for Strunk’s teaching led to his involvement in getting the style guide more widely published as we know it today. White spent many years writing at The New Yorker, and playwright Marc Connelly reportedly described his contribution as bringing “the steel and the music to the magazine.” Consistently applying rules of language gave him a strong base on top of which his writing could sing.

A picture of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. It is known for its acoustic design within and its multiple panels of stainless steel on the outside, shaped like sails.
Steel and music come to life in the curved stainless steel of the Walt Disney Concert Hall, an iconic building designed by architect Frank Gehry to bring music to the city of Los Angeles. Photo by Natalie Roth

An analogy Garvey uses to explain this idea of steel and music, or rules and play, is to think of the way a bird relies on rules in nature. It needs gravity, friction, wind, and air pressure to get where it’s going. In the same way, a good writer learns the rules of language so that they can then navigate and play with them to get where they want to go.

As an editor, I work with an author to help them get where they want to go with their writing. Often that means applying grammar and style rules in a way that improves clarity and flow. When I took a class in grammar for editing, the somewhat dry material certainly didn’t feel like play—because it was the steel. I can now use this steel to reinforce and empower the creativity of the author, and it is then that we get the music.

Do you have a piece of writing you want to sing? Tell me about it using my Contact page.

Edits to a Classic Pastime

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With summer in full swing, I had the opportunity to go to a pro baseball game recently. The weather turned out perfectly, and I found myself soaking up the sunshine while watching “America’s pastime.” I didn’t grow up regularly watching sports, but I’d heard the hubbub this season about the changing MLB rules and I was curious enough to check it out.

View of baseball field and spectators at an afternoon White Sox game
Baseball and editing: every dot, or player, in place. Photo by Natalie Roth

The new rule changes shave about a half hour off the game time. A few seconds here, a few seconds there. The game was now a little more streamlined, making it a bit more welcoming to new spectators…just like an edited piece of writing!

Taking out the fluff is a standard step when I edit articles for business websites. These are phrases or sentences that don’t add anything new to the piece and can be cut without anyone missing them. The end result is a punchier, more focused piece of writing that is easier on the reader’s attention span.

I enjoyed taking in the atmosphere at the ball park and I didn’t miss any of the cut “fluff” time. Whether it is baseball or business articles, taking a thoughtful, organized edit to the project can produce a more enjoyable experience for a wider audience.

Even if you’re not a sports fan, baseball has seeped into the language of everyday conversation. Check out this list of 10 Common English Baseball Idioms and see how many you use already! And if you’re looking for editorial services, learn more about how I can help by visiting my Services page.

The Big Dipper, or Is It the Plough?

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A few days ago was Bastille Day, what my brain’s shorthand considers the French equivalent of our July 4th. Each year now, the date takes me back to the year I celebrated Bastille Day in Paris with a picnic and fireworks. These fireworks were memorable because I got to watch them from the lawn in front of the Eiffel Tower.  

Eiffel Tower lit up at nighttime with the colors of the French flag (blue, white, red) and a crowd of people in front to celebrate Bastille Day.
Eiffel Tower lit up for Bastille Day concert and fireworks display in 2016. Photo by Natalie Roth

As the fireworks brightened the sky and then faded out over this iconic monument, another light display gradually took its spot next to the Eiffel Tower as well: the Big Dipper. It’s one of the easiest constellations to spot and here it was, ready to be spotted. Yet some people don’t know it as the Big Dipper. If they grew up in the UK, they may call it the Plough. Others link this set of stars to Ursa Major, the Great Bear, or maybe they prefer the name Drinking Gourd.

My role as an editor is to track which term an author uses and check for consistency. The term they choose can be significant. I worked on a history book project that highlighted how the “Drinking Gourd” pointed to the North Star and thus helped enslaved people navigate their journeys northward and out of enslavement. The National Park Service’s website was one of my go-tos for checking U.S. history facts from writers I worked with. Meanwhile, using the term Ursa Major, the Great Bear, would link the collection of stars to many different oral storytelling traditions and mythologies across the globe.

This constellation contains and inspires a breadth of stories for people to hear or read about and learn something new. Whenever I spot the Big Dipper in the sky, I remember the stories it has been linked to over the years, including my story of seeing it grace the sky next to the Eiffel Tower. 

Looking for a thoughtful eye to look over the story you want to tell? Check out the editorial services on my Services page.

Weathering the Storms

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Mangrove trees on the beach
Mangrove trees face tidal flooding at Cape Tribulation Beach. Photo by Natalie Roth

Yesterday it was raining heavily all day here in Chicago, after a mostly dry start to summer. And yet today is warm and sunny, the only evidence of yesterday’s downpour in the few remaining puddles (and flooded basements for some unhappy people).

As I walked around enjoying the bright summer day, it popped into my head how the main character in the book I’m editing right now would have experienced similar rainy days to yesterday, but without the relief—she is growing up in Vietnam, and July is part of monsoon season. A whole season of heavy rain and flooding each year that transforms her village into one navigable by boat. 

Monsoon season isn’t a thing here in Chicago, but we get to experience a taste of it with the occasional rainy day and by reading about someone’s experiences in another part of the world. I’m excited to keep editing the book and to find out how the main character weathers the storms.

Pictured is a grouping of mangrove trees that I saw on a trip to Cape Tribulation Beach in Queensland, Australia. Mangroves have a special root system that adapts to frequent flooding, allowing them to survive despite environmental challenges… What experiences do you hope to share with readers? You can tell me about it by visiting my Contact page.