I put up with good-natured teasing about my preoccupation with grammar and punctuation (which, also by the way, is only a part of what editors “fix”). More people than I can count have told me they’re self-conscious sending me emails because they think I’m grimacing as I pick out all their spelling/grammar/punctuation errors. Well, I am, but I would never tell you that, and I really have better things to do than read your messages with a red pen in my hand.

I’ve been called a grammar Nazi, comma queen, punctuation princess, and a pain in the ass by friends and foes alike.  I don’t care what they call me because, ironically, they call me when help is required in their attempts at wordsmithing. At least three times a week I get a text, email or phone call from a friend or acquaintance asking me the correct way to spell, punctuate or hyphenate something.

Writers don’t like being critiqued or corrected. But just because someone has something to say doesn’t mean they* say it well. The editor’s sole mission is to make the writer look better. It’s no skin off my back if a writer doesn’t know to punctuate around parentheses, when to use affect or effect, or the proper use of a semicolon. I point those things out in your draft so your writing will be readable, not to make you feel foolish or stupid. I’ll also tell you that you’ve confused your reader with your run-on sentences, used a word out of context, or are guilty of dangling a modifier. So, when you ask me to proof your work, expect me to be thorough (though politely so).

Because I want you to shine like a star.

A client of mine called me after reviewing the dissertation I edited for her. She was getting ready to submit it and asked if she could include me in the acknowledgement section. I told her that wasn’t necessary; editors are background people who are used to being invisible. She insisted, saying the paper would’ve been a mess without my help. Her draft of the acknowledgement page included a request that I check it for grammar and punctuation. Now there’s someone who values her editor.

My guess is this post includes an error or two or three. I know that because every writer needs an editor and/or proofreader. And for those of you who will be pointing my errors out to me, that will just prove my point. And I’ll be grateful you did.
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I would be remiss if I didn't give a shout out to my friend, Christine H., who inspired this post, whether out  loyalty to the cause or as just another way to yank this nitpicker's chain. Either is fine.

​*Ahh, the singular they. Maybe I’ll discuss that in a future post. Maybe.

College professors wear many hats. One is as a mentor of graduate students seeking newly-minted terminal degrees, shepherding candidates successfully through the process.
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A large part of that shepherding involves seeing students through the process of researching, writing, and editing their dissertations. Carol M. Roberts estimates that 40% to 50% of all U.S. doctoral students end up “ABD,” or all but dissertation. In other words, these students have completed all the required coursework, but the dissertation remains unfinished.

No doubt there are a variety of reasons why these students careen to a stop before crossing the finish line. The most frequent excuse is that tackling the actual planning, organizing and writing of the dissertation is so daunting.

​Intimidation in the face of this task is understandable. Completing a dissertation, after all, will likely be a huge step forward in the student’s chosen career. It doesn’t matter that the student has years of academic writing experience because some of the most educated people struggle with organization, English grammar, and other elements of writing. Then there is the record number of international students seeking degrees in the U.S. whose English writing skills do not match their verbal skills.

The dissertation’s intended audience is technical or academic, and so it must be clear and free of distractions such as incorrect punctuation, comma splices, subject-verb disagreement, and run-on sentences, to say nothing of typos and spelling errors. International students often misuse American colloquialisms, idioms and jargon, or translate directly from their native language into English. These are only some of the writing obstacles students fear.

Since academic writing differs greatly from creative, journalistic, technical or business writing, the student should seek out an editor who can ensure that the writing meets the dissertation committee’s required standards and focuses on style, mechanics and grammar.

The people at 2 Red Pens have years of experience assisting with the writing and editing of dissertations for both native English speakers and international students in a variety of disciplines.

We would like to encourage dissertation advisors and committee members to point their post-graduate students to the 2 Red Pens website where they can contact us for help in completing the final step in their academic career.

Are you really prepared to end your academic career as an ABD? An estimated 40% to 50% of doctoral students in the U.S are classified as all but dissertation, which means they’ve completed all the required coursework, but their dissertation remains unfinished.
No doubt there are a variety of reasons why so many students careen to a stop before crossing the finish line. The most frequent excuse is that tackling the actual planning, organizing and writing of the dissertation is so daunting.
Intimidation in the face of this task is understandable. After all, completing a dissertation will likely be a huge step forward in the student’s chosen career. And there is a record number of international students seeking degrees in the U.S. whose English writing skills do not match their verbal or comprehension skills.

​Doctoral candidates realize that a dissertation must be written on a professional level. Some may even be looking to have their papers published. Dissertation advisors and committees expect a paper that is organized, clear and free of distractions such as incorrect punctuation, comma splices, subject-verb disagreement, and run-on sentences, to say nothing of typos and spelling errors. International students often misuse American colloquialisms, idioms and jargon, or translate directly from their native language into English. These are only some of the writing obstacles students fear.

Since academic writing differs greatly from creative, journalistic, technical or business writing, the student should seek out an editor who can ensure that the writing meets the dissertation committee’s required standards and focuses on style, mechanics and grammar.

Professional writers have editors for a good reason: no writer can adequately or objectively proofread his or her own work. Most advisors encourage doctoral candidates to have their dissertations proofread and edited prior to submission.

The people at 2 Red Pens have years of experience assisting with the writing and editing of dissertations and other academic writings for both native English speakers and international students in a variety of disciplines.

We would like to encourage post-graduate students to contact us for the various ways we can help with academic writing assignments.

There is a difference between editing and proofreading. An editor corrects a writer’s manuscript. A proofreader makes the final review of a document or manuscript that is ready for print or publication, checking for errors missed in the editing process. But I’m not fussy about using these two terms interchangeably. I don’t care if you call me an editor or call me a proofreader – just call me!

The following are brief descriptions of technical, substantive and deep editing (different people use different terms for these services). They are not exhaustive definitions, but merely offer a basic idea of what each involves.

Every writer needs an editor*. Let me repeat: every writer needs an editor. (Notice I didn’t say every writer needs a friend or family member to proof his or her draft.) Professors and dissertation committee members are learned people, but they aren’t professional editors. I guarantee you they have their scholarly work edited prior to submission, and so should you.

You’ve nearly reached the finish line. Let an editor help you cross it like a winner!

So, once you’ve made the decision to hire an editor, here’s what you need to know.