Urban Edits

When I lived in Singapore, a kitchen supply shop called Pantry Magic opened near my house. It was a lovely shop, filled with beautiful enamelware, hardworking wooden spoons, and tempting cooking gadgets.

But, aside from my joy at it opening, I can only remember one thing about Pantry Magic. When I pulled my first purchase out of the bag, the receipt drifted to the floor. I glanced at it and my eye stopped.

Apparently I’d been shopping at “Panty Magic.”

Oops.

I know this is a small mistake, but it’s also an embarrassing and, more importantly, an avoidable one.

Everyone needs an editor. An editor is a fresh pair of eyes; she can catch large problems or small errors that the writer, so close to the text, can miss.

An editor can make sure that the narrative makes sense, that the argument is clear. When we write we often make connections in our heads but not on the page; or we may forget that our reader can connect the dots and over-tell. An editor will see that.

An editor can see where arguments are muddled, where rearranging can clarify, and where something might be missing.

Everyone can misuse a word, create an awkward sentence, or make a punctuation or spelling mistake.

These issues, some large, others small, are distractions to a reader. You have an argument to make, a story to tell, a message to get across; you want your reader to hear you clearly. Don’t let them be distracted.

Contact me:
christen@urban-edits.com
+44 (0) 7773 556 650