Author: Dawn Josephson and Lauren Hidden

ISBN: 0-97449662-6

The following review was contributed by:  Rev.Marie Davies: : Click Here To Read More Of Marie's Reviews:

            A writer types ‘the end,’ breaths a sigh of relief and breaks out the chocolate but the celebration maybe premature.  The last word of a manuscript signifies the beginning of the editing process.  As the author of numerous sermons, academic papers, articles, as well as, fiction, I have found the editing process to one of the most challenging parts of writing.  In Write It Right: The Ground Rules for Self-Editing Like the Pros authors Dawn Josephson and Lauren Hidden offers writers a step by step plan for self-editing.

            A series of self-tests assists the writer in identifying his or her individual weaknesses. For someone, like me, who hasn’t taken a grammar class in twenty years, the tests are a revelation.  I had no idea how much I had forgotten from my undergraduate writing courses. The self-test, also, provides the writer a frame of reference for the kind of errors to look for when editing.  The writer develops a personalized editing checklist.

            Taking a step beyond grammar, Josephson and Hidden show how to correct problems with organization, repetition of idea or words, sentence structure and even wordiness. I know more than a few preachers who could use some help with wordiness.

            Most writing books I have read stress the importance of scheduling time for writing but Write It Right tells us to schedule time for editing. Whether writing for a living or for pleasure errors in grammar and style make manuscripts appear unprofessional and sloppy.

            Write it Right is for writers of fiction and nonfiction who are looking for practical help in understanding and implementing a self-editing process. It correctly identifies the difference in the thought process of the editor verses the author.  Writers can learn to think as editors using Josephson’s and Hidden’s Ground Rules for Self-Editing Like the Pros.