As an editor and proofreader, I get to read about many different subjects on a daily basis. This is certainly one of the best perks of the job.

Just like anyone else though, the more interesting the material, the more interested I become; the less interesting the material, the more I want to switch out the copy for a classic.

When we write, our main objective is to communicate, whether it’s to get that A, a promotion, or a book deal, but sometimes we forget that someone actually reads our writing — that is, it is not enough to simply write.

Once we get our ideas on paper, we have to make sure that our writing makes sense, and not just to us.

Most importantly, we must ask ourselves: Would I read it?

This depends on whether the writing is well-organized, crisp, clear, stylish and engaging.

How can I improve, you ask? Use an editing service to get an expert opinion and constructive criticism.

With the help of an editor, you can transform a piece of mediocre writing into writing that you and your reader want to read.

You’ll have a hard time finding someone who, at least once in their lifetime, hasn’t used a word or phrase in conversation without knowing exactly what it means. You’ve caught yourself doing it, right?

Many people use words and phrases that they’ve heard others use and then put them to use for themselves – without ever knowing the true meaning. You’ll find lots of examples of this sort of thing at our blog in the future. Today, we’re talking about the phrase “when worse comes to worst.”

So, is that the correct phrasing? Or is it when worst comes to worse, or worst comes to worst? How about when worse comes to worse? Oh, OK, it’s the original one: when worse comes to worst.

To keep yourself from falling into this trap in the future, just take a moment to think about the meaning of the phrase. Basically, the phrase is typically used to say that when a situation goes from bad to really bad, we’ll take x course of action. For example, “When worse comes to worst, we’ll still be able to manage our workload if we prepare the right way.” So it’s when worse comes to worst (bad to really bad).

“Worst comes to worst” is also technically acceptable, but it doesn’t seem nearly as intuitive as “worse comes to worst.” We recommend using whichever one makes the most sense to you.

Have a different take on how to keep this phrase straight in your mind? Feel free to leave a comment below.

Editors will be the first ones to tell you about how important it is to have your work edited. A no-brainer, right? But editors like me, who edit books (among other things, of course), often find it frustrating when writers dedicate significant time to drafting their manuscripts, yet are often in a hurry when it comes to editing.

To “edit” a piece of writing is to read it from the perspective of an objective reader who knows no other information than what is provided in that piece of writing, to make sure that the writer’s ideas are presented clearly and logically, and to fix accordingly. For books and other lengthy manuscripts, this is an especially involved process.

Just think about it: If you’re reading a piece of writing for the first time and you’re not privy to the inner workings of the writer’s mind (of course), it will take some time to first read the piece of writing, digest it, read it again to identify weak spots, inconsistencies, sentences/paragraphs that need improvement, etc., and then make actual changes and write comments and suggestions for the writer’s consideration.

Now, I don’t know about you, but when I have my writing edited (yes, editors need their personal and professional writing edited, too! – the subject of a future posting), I want the editor to work carefully and deliberately, dare I say slowly. Deliberately or studiously is probably the best word choice here.

So if at some point in the future you know you’ll need editing, help yourself benefit from a thorough editing service by giving the editor ample time to get to know your writing and make it the best it can possibly be.

The number of spaces between sentences is always a hot topic for debate. You know, a tap on the period button and then one on the space bar – or two.

At Edit Me F.A.S.T., I use one space. Some other services may use two. I’m sure you’ll find a number of different opinions, as well as different reasons for the same opinions, if you ask just a few people about their preferences. Takeaway message: Don’t mess with someone’s spaces.

Most people these days use one space. And most writing styles recommend one space. So why would you ever use two spaces? Quite simply, it’s personal preference.

If you’re a student and your teacher or instructor prefers either one or two spaces, follow their instructions. Keep in mind that APA style, frequently used by students and academics, used to call for one space, but now two are recommended. Or, if you’re a business professional, you’ll most likely use one space since that’s the generally accepted style in the business world.

But keep in mind that neither way is technically “wrong” as long as you haven’t been instructed to follow a particular style by a professor or boss. And you have complete freedom with your spacing when doing your own personal writing, whether it’s for a blog, journal, letter, or any other kind of writing outside of the academic and business realms. Just keep in mind that one space is arguably the more modern approach of the two.

The biggest concern you should have with spacing is not whether to use one space or two, but whether the spacing is consistent throughout your writing. Going back and forth between one and two spaces is not only annoying to the reader, but it also erodes your credibility as a writer; a lack of consistency demonstrates carelessness and little or no attention to detail.

Similarly, as a proofreader my main goal with spacing is to make a customer’s spacing consistent. Many people don’t realize that spacing is important, but I can guarantee you that your professor or boss will pick up on inconsistent spacing at first glance… or they should be using a proofreading service!

So if you choose not to use a proofreading service and instead go it alone, DO NOT overlook the importance of consistent spacing. It may be of help to print out your writing in order to more easily spot extra (or insufficient) spacing.

We’ve all done it. All you can think about is pushing the print button, or firing off an email with your essay attached. You’ve put in the hard work, or at least gave it that college try, and now you’re convinced that you’ve earned the right to be finished — and free of headaches for the night.

But before you take that victory lap, remember the words of possibly every teacher you’ve ever had: Proofread it!

Let’s make one thing clear: Proofreading actually is a necessary part of the writing process, not just something you do if you feel like it. Professors and employers really can tell if your writing has been proofread. The misconception that spell checkers and auto-correction features know the difference between “there” and “their” is astounding, and simple proofreading errors that your English teacher sees all the time are often the most difficult to overlook when it comes to assigning grades.

So, you really do need to either proofread your document yourself, or use a proofreading service. And to encourage you to use my proofreading service, contact me and mention this post and you’ll get 20% off your first order.