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  • Be Your Own Editor

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Sigrid Macdonald
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Be Your Own Editor Kindle Edition

by Sigrid MacDonald (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.3 out of 5 stars (30)
Are you uncertain when to use affect or effect? Loath or loathe? Compliment or complement? Do you struggle with character development, establishing realistic dialogue and composing articles, proposals or manuscripts?

Be Your Own Editor by Sigrid Macdonald offers a crash course in grammar basics, starting with punctuation and proper use of the dreaded apostrophe. It suggests ways to identify frequently misused words; to devise strong characters and background settings in fiction; and to structure nonfiction.

Nowadays, we're all writers — we write blogs, essays and business proposals. Professional authors write short stories, newspaper articles and manuscripts. If your writing is good, but you question your grammar and organizational skills, this informative, reader-friendly manual is for you.
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  1. Print length
    162 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    January 20, 2010
  5. File size
    362 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sigrid Macdonald is a copy editor, a book coach, and a freelance writer. Originally from New Jersey, Macdonald currently resides in Nepean, Ontario. She's written three full-length books including Getting Hip, D'Amour Road and Be Your Own Editor. Her articles have appeared in Canada's largest newspaper, The Globe and Mail; The Women's Freedom Network Newsletter in Washington, D.C.; the American magazine Justice Denied; and the Toastmaster, a publication of Toastmasters International which is read in 80 countries. Sigrid edits fiction, non-fiction, short stories, websites and biographies, and helps people who feel stuck with their writing. She believes that a muse is someone who isn't afraid to make mistakes because more is learned from failure than success.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B003LBS7OQ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 20, 2010
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 362 KB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 162 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1451596120
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.3 out of 5 stars (30)

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Sigrid Macdonald

Sigrid Macdonald

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Sigrid Macdonald is a copy editor, a book coach and a freelance writer. Originally from New Jersey, Macdonald currently resides in Ontario. She's written three full-length books and her articles have appeared in Canada's largest newspaper, The Globe and Mail; The Women's Freedom Network Newsletter in Washington, DC; the American magazine Justice Denied; and the Toastmaster.

Sigrid edits fiction, nonfiction, short stories, websites and biographies, and helps people who feel stuck with their writing. She believes that a muse is someone who isn't afraid to make mistakes because more is learned from failure than success.

Read more at http://sigridmacdonald.blogspot.com/

Customer reviews

3.3 out of 5 stars
30 global ratings
Sponsored

Customers say

Customers find the book's information quality positive, with one noting it's easy to use as a reference. Moreover, the writing advice receives positive feedback, with customers appreciating the helpful guidance for all writers, and one mentioning it provides a good overview of editing techniques.
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5 customers mention information quality, 4 positive, 1 negative
Customers find the information in the book helpful, with one mentioning it is easy to use as a reference.
I have read your book and have gotten a lot of helpful information from it....Read more
...This book offers little insight that helps you rethink your work - the hardest part of editing that I need help for!Read more
...The information she provides is valuable. To the best of my knowledge, her advice is good....Read more
...or to lessen the load on her book editor (and thus the fee), this wasn't very helpful. I wasted $10.Read more
5 customers mention writing advice, 4 positive, 1 negative
Customers appreciate the writing advice in the book, finding it helpful for all writers, with one customer noting it provides a very good overview on editing and another mentioning it clears up basic grammar questions.
...Nothing grand. The writing's accessible which is a pro, I suppose, like I said, I was looking for something more advanced.Read more
Sigrid is a well-respected editor who offers advice to every writer who wants to ensure his or her work is as close to perfect as possible.Read more
...It clears up some questions on basic grammar you may have in a too the point fashion.Read more
...However, her own writing style is replete with redundant and over-used words. Take her editing advice, but do not copy her syleRead more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Shirley Kalpin Olson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Be Your Own Editor
    Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2012
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I have read your book and have gotten a lot of helpful information from it. Thanks for putting together all the ways which are default in many of our writing. This book will be something I will make useful through all of my writing. Thanks again. Shirley
    Helpful
     Report
  • CB
    2.0 out of 5 stars Somewhat Misleading Title
    Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2012
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Anybody who's ever worked with a real, $2-$4 a page book editor knows just how deep of an analysis you're paying for. That was what I was hoping for with this book, which more properly should have been called "Be Your Own Proofreader." There are already numerous grammar and fundamental writing books out there, and this one is more along those lines. To an amateur writer, clearly this would be somewhat helpful, but for a pro looking to do her own book editing or to lessen the load on her book editor (and thus the fee), this wasn't very helpful. I wasted $10.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Katherine Harms
    3.0 out of 5 stars Just so-so
    Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2016
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This book is extremely well-organized, but I would not choose the author for my editor. The information she provides is valuable. To the best of my knowledge, her advice is good. Her book would be easy to use for reference when self-editing.
    However, her own writing style is replete with redundant and over-used words. Take her editing advice, but do not copy her syle
    Helpful
     Report
  • Wendy Gibbins
    4.0 out of 5 stars Useful little book.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2013
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    A straight to the point grammar book, with no waffling. It clears up some questions on basic grammar you may have in a too the point fashion.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Barbara Florio Graham
    5.0 out of 5 stars Quick and Helpful Advice for All Writers
    Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2012
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Sigrid is a well-respected editor who offers advice to every writer who wants to ensure his or her work is as close to perfect as possible.
    Helpful
     Report
  • James R. Holder
    5.0 out of 5 stars For would be Writers
    Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2014
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    A very good overview on editing your own writing
    Helpful
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  • melrosechoc
    2.0 out of 5 stars Mostly basic advice, not on editing for big picture
    Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2012
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This book contains mostly basic tips strongly focusing on grammar and styling.

    I was hoping for a book with more advice on editing for the big picture - how to refine your structure, how to step in to the 2nd draft, how to refine the presentation of ideas, etc. But I feel like only the "Three Years After..." section (6 pages) addresses that. The rest are about sentence-by-sentence, phrase-by-phrase editing.

    This book offers little insight that helps you rethink your work - the hardest part of editing that I need help for!
    Helpful
     Report
  • jsharp02
    3.0 out of 5 stars It's okay
    Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2013
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I found it to be more of a beginner's editing book rather than a more advanced one. I guess it's a good book if you're looking for the basics. Nothing grand. The writing's accessible which is a pro, I suppose, like I said, I was looking for something more advanced.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • carol arnall
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Advice
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 14, 2010
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Sigrid's book is packed full of excellent help and advice.
    Her tips are so useful I know they will help me in my future writing.
    It is the sort of book that comes back to you the next day. Always a sign of a first class author.
    My advice to any writer is buy this book you will never regret it.
    Report
  • writer2050
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hints for editing
    Reviewed in Australia on May 22, 2014
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    MacDonald begins with checking out the good and bad of the protagonist. Does the dialogue have idiomatic expressions? Is the plot plausible? Use descriptive colours for the background setting. Describe the buildings. Best hint: balance narrative with dialogue - if there's 5 pages of narrative, it's too much. For transitional sentences, make sure the opening sentence in a paragraph relates to the previous paragraph. Watch for common jargon - omit e.g. awesome. Finally there are quizzes to test the reader. I found this book helpful.
    Report
  • AvidReader
    1.0 out of 5 stars Useless as a reference book on Kindle
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 28, 2015
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Useless as a reference book on Kindle. Needs to be in paper format to be able to read and use properly
    Report
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