Tag: Editing Advice

Candid Talks, Nonfiction, Writing

Purrfect Prose

Pauline Shen

When I began submitting entries for writing contests and felt the sting of rejection, I realised that I needed help with the proofing process of writing. This was an imperative part of the writing-for-publication journey. What it meant was that I had to get more practice—not of writing, but of getting used to someone other than me reading my precious brainchildren. Reading my own work does not necessarily catch incoherencies.

Photo by Monica Silvestre on Pexels.com

As tough as it may be to receive criticism of my work, I learned that it was the surest way toward improvement. After all, writing for publication means that I’m not just doing this for myself. The goal is to reach others. So, my work should be the best and most presentable version—not just what I deem to be good enough.

I’ve decided to share here a tale of the first time I asked for a volunteer proofer to read my composition. It went like this:

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Candid Talks, Nonfiction, Writing

Writers: Don’t Make this Mistake! Avoiding copyright issues through original wording

Pauline Shen

I remember when my family purchased our first home computer. I spent my evenings getting on the web through dial-up. Back then I would wait for what seemed like eons for websites to load. I was logging-on to chat networks long before instant messaging was a thing. If a family member needed the telephone, it meant logging-off and using the computer without internet—an impossible proposition these days. An offline PC meant playing 3D Pinball while listening to music on my radio.

Photo by Christina Morillo on Pexels.com

The main reason my parents purchased the computer was to enrich my ability to complete homework and so I could learn about the looming technical age first hand. They knew jobs in the future would involve a computer. Pre-Y2K, this preparation meant learning how to touch-type on the keyboard. We didn’t have a fancy typing program. I simply looked for opportunities to practice. Like when you’re learning a language, it’s a good idea to seek out social situations to engage in speaking it.

Once my fingers got used to the keyboard layout, the next challenge was speed. How did I train this? While listening to tunes, I typed out the song lyrics as I heard them. It was fun! The result? I was one of few students in my secondary school who could type over 70 words per minute. My teachers used to say that it was possible to earn a few bucks on the side by typing essays and such. Great prospect—never happened.

Thanks to my parents’ foresight, in the 25 years since then I’ve placed my touch-typing skills toward a range of personal, academic, and professional endeavours. It’s a skill I use daily. Have I continued typing song lyrics? Well, no. Let’s hold on to that thought for a minute.

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