Sue Littleford’s Post

Posting late today because I finally got to bed at 10:30 this morning after a night on the sofa watching the UK election results come in. So, after three hours' sleep and no coffee, I'm here to say the July CMOS Q&A has arrived, with a look at punctuation in geographical names, how to describe the wording on a sign and whether 'revels' is a bad word, not to be used in conjunction with maths for schools (my answer? No it's not - I have many happy memories of the annual party for Brownies in my long-ago-youth which was always entirely innocent and called the Brownie Revels. So that's that one settled for good and all 🤣). Here you go: https://lnkd.in/g3gNQTz3 #AptWords #CMOS #amediting

UK peeps: Vote today! (Unless you've already sent off your postal vote, in which case, yay you!) Don't be swayed by media stories of foregone conclusions (remember the catastrophe of 1992...). Unless you get out and vote, no conclusion is foregone, no matter your political persuasion. And don't forget your photo ID! 👩🏻👨🏻👩🏻🦳👨🏻🦳👩🏾👨🏾👴🏾🧓🏾👳🏽♂️👳🏽♀️👩🏽 #everyvotecounts #useyourvote #takeyourID

Oooh! I made the cover! 'Why training and CPD never get old' is by yours truly - my reasons for not stopping training just because you've been doing your job for a long time. Last year my article for Communicator on how nasty and invidious perfectionism is was voted readers' favourite. Can lightning strike twice in succession?? 🌩🤞🏻 #ISTC #Communicator #amwriting #CPD

I can feel you all turning green with envy! 🤩 Somebody not very far from my keyboard as I type this is copyediting a thumping great book on world Englishes (OK, you got it - it's me). All my Christmases come at once? Oh yes 😊 #AptWords #amediting #worldEnglishes #happybunny

My blog's about to go on its summer hols 🏖 (I'll be posting some golden oldies until it's back) but first... #AptWords #amediting #freelancing #bookreview

I've been to the Berkshire group meeting today, organised by Louisa Ellins under the auspices of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP). We had a most entertaining but highly thought-provoking presentation from Adrian Ashton, author of Loving Your Doubt, about the fundamental unsoundness of 'imposter syndrome' and new ways to think about and tame those gremlins that try to tell you you're not good enough, you don't know what you're doing and everyone else is better than you, so nobody should hire you, so it's not even worth bidding for a project. Check out the book here: https://lnkd.in/eqyaqqJP

June's free ebook from the University of Chicago Press is a bit niche, but if it's *your* niche, it's mainstream! Cycling Science: How Rider and Machine Work Together, by Max Glaskin. https://lnkd.in/ejXiDkHd #AptWords #ebook #freebook #freebieFriday

Time for more bloggy goodness! Here are four key principles that good copyeditors apply to their work (rather than that what we actually do to the text). #AptWords #amediting #blog

🤔 So - here's a question for all you (southern UK??) folks who have wireless keyboards and mice. Did you have trouble yesterday (Thursday 30 May)? Both my keyboard and mouse just... stopped. Then went all glitchy, then stopped. Then went extra glitchy - a clear, single keypress produced multiple results. Or nothing at all. Mouse wouldn't move. New kit, fresh batteries. Been working just fine for the week since I got them. Fortunately, I have wired backups, so I switched to those and all was well. Today, I've gone back to my wireless ones and all is well again. Sunspots? ☀ There's been a lot of extra-strong activity and we're always told a solar storm can play havoc with comms. Is that what I was seeing? If it's just me, I guess it was just a passing visit from the tech gremlins 👺 who have since moved on to pastures new! #AptWords #amediting #technightmares

No new blog post this week 😧 it'll be next week, as I've had a few days off. But here's a golden oldie to keep you going: what you're paying for when you buy a copyedit, and the factors involved in arriving at a price. There's a lot to think about! https://lnkd.in/gSeezNy3 #AptWords #amediting #ambudgeting #proofreading