Thursday, June 25, 2009

Moments in Copy Editing

A foreclosed home may be in need of major repairs.

... changed to ...
A foreclosed home may need major repairs.

This isn't a show-stopper by any means. It's certainly not like the "lump crap cocktail" I came across a while back.

But it's one of those little triumphs over wordiness and stiff language that give us copy editors a thrill. Aaah.

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3 comments:

LL Blackwell said...

So simple, yet so beautiful. Prepositional phrases and "be" verbs can be so clunky.

June Casagrande said...

Hey, you just summed up what the book I just finished writing is about. But you said it better and you said it in less than 200 pages.

Eek!

LL Blackwell said...

Yeah, but that won't make me any money. Nor make my kids figure it out. And I'll bet yours is funny, too. Can't wait to buy it!

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