The art and craft of editing
Use focussed tasks to turn editing from a fuzzy, depressing process into a proactive, task-based operation with clear goals.
Evidence for eyes and ears: teaching sentence style online
When re-designing workshops for online delivery, I try to exploit the auditory and visual potential of the platform to enhance what I’m communicating.
Working with your word limit
Cherise Saywell When coaching students nervous about the blank page, I’ve often used the word limit as a technique for getting started. A big project, such as a PhD thesis, is less intimidating once you break it down. For example,…
Printing your work
Printing a draft is like taking out a map halfway through a journey to remind yourself of where you’re going.
Pruning versus felling
Sometimes you can selectively prune your writing, but sometimes you need to cut a whole section.
‘Find’ your tics
Use a checklist of your own bad writing habits to correct and improve your work.
A bird’s-eye view
Use the Navigation Pane in Word to help you check the structure of your work.
Break up long sentences
Always check your writing for over-long sentences and insert a full stop.
Don’t waste – recycle
If you have to edit out sections of your writing, keep them in case they're useful for another project.
‘Your academic writing isn’t academic enough.’
Focus on using powerful, single-word verbs to make your writing more formal.