Commonly confused words

This webpage has a good list of words spelled similarly which people often mix up.

One that doesn't appear on the list, but which I've seen several times when editing, is complement and compliment.

The former is more often a verb than a noun. It means to add something which enhances or perfects, for example:

The red wine he chose complemented the steak.

The latter is a verb or noun meaning to praise someone, for instance if you say, "Your cooking is excellent" or "You did a great job on that essay."

How to write faster

I especially like this article suggesting ways writers can become more productive. The first tip urges writers not to waste time researching topics in greater depth than is necessary. I'm often guilty of this, but one of the reasons why I love my job is that I'm always learning - and sometimes what I find out helps with another project at a later date, even if it's of no immediate use.

When "to" isn't needed

If you need to reduce word count, look for instances where to can be dropped. Here are two examples: 

Your excellent institution can provide greater opportunities for his growth and help him to realize his potential.

She has helped me to improve my tennis.

Bill Vossler on work lists

Like many other people, I often make a "to do" list. Bill Vossler, whose excellent advice I commented on earlier this year, has a rigid but highly effective approach to such lists:

       Start with number one on your list. Get started, get it done, and cross it off or remove it from your list. Then you're ready to go after number two. Remember, no deviating, and no skipping around.

He explains five key points in this short article.

When "both" isn't needed

The word both is often used in situations where it adds neither clarity nor elegance. For instance:

Both my wife and I enjoy cycling.
 
The chef tasted both the main course and the dessert before sending them to the customers.
 
There's no need to use both in the sentences above because the two items have been identified. Both is only required when you don't otherwise make it clear you're referring to two people, two objects etc.

What people mean when they say "editing"

"Don't just proof it," I'm told by some of my editing clients. "Tell me which are the best bits and which are the worst bits. If there's anything that should be taken out, let me know. And if there's anything that should be expanded, tell which direction I should go in."

When quoting a price for my services, I always examine the unedited text, note its length and estimate how many hours I'll have to spend on it. Also, I ask the client what exactly he/she wants: basic proofreading, copyediting or full content editing - terms clearly explained in this recent article.

British English, American English

I was educated in the UK but have lived in a society which prefers American spellings and usages for more than 20 years. I've been writing for publications here in Taiwan for 16 years, and have gotten used to (in the UK, we say got use to) writing American English. From time to time, however, I'm asked to write something for a magazine which follows British spelling and punctuation rules. If you're not sure whether a publication follows British or American rules, do ask before submitting anything!

I consider myself fully "bilingual" when it comes to writing or editing British or American English. The differences between the two forms of the language have always intrigued me. It's no surprise, then, that this article on the BBC website really tickled my fancy, as we'd say in the UK.