Edit yourself like a pro. I'm a writer, editor, and book coach who has worked with more than 4,000 students, entrepreneurs, and corporate/institutional clients over the last 30+ years. You'll hear from me in your Inbox every other Wednesday at 2pm EST :) Reader Testimonials: "You're one of the cheeriest, funniest, most helpful writer-oriented people I know! Thanks for being out there!" "Love your newsletter, especially your light-handedness! Thanks :-D" "I enjoy your insights and style. Thank you for providing the newsletter!" "I am LOVING your newsletter and am very happy I discovered it 😊" "You're awesome—keep up the good work!" "Can't tell you how much I enjoy reading your newsletter. You uncomplicate things authors are puzzled about." "I so enjoy your writing and sense of humor. You make editing sound like fun!!" "I love everything about Editorial Notes. Keep up the great content!"
Define Source, Guaranteed Typo Finder, and Platform!
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Hiya Reader, A question for you. What do you make of a school teaching students that it's okay to use AI if they #1 disclose that they've done so, and #2 cite it as a source with both in-text citations and an entry on the reference list? Hit reply to give your opinion on this! Extra credit for explaining why you hold the opinion you do. Think a friend would appreciate Editorial Notes?Send them this link to sign up:
(And if you’re the appreciative friend, you can subscribe at the same link.) Example of the WeekSometimes this is a good example—or a great one. Sometimes this is a bad example—or just a funny blooper. Sometimes a combination. You never know. I'm a little stumped for an appropriate caption for this gem sent in by reader Michelle. What do you think? At first glance, it seems like a simple vocabulary mix-up. But the more I consider it, the more I wonder about the philosophical potential. Actionable Tip of the WeekA trick to add to your self-editing toolbox right now! When is the best, absolutely beyond a doubt guaranteed foolproof time to find typos in your writing? No matter how carefully I proofread, and no matter how many times, the optimal time for finding typos is, in my experience, hands down: as soon as I click "send." It's really no wonder we all long for a magic bullet to raise our success rate from 99.9999999999999% accuracy to 100%. One reader question (thanks Rick!) makes an excellent Actionable Tip of the Week, so I'm handling my expanded answer here. With all the AI swirling around us, is it reasonable to use the platforms not as a replacement for writing, but as tools to find mistakes and improve what we've written? Specifically, what about Grammarly? Reader Question of the WeekJenny wrote: How important is social media presence for a writer? Jenny! The short answer? It depends. The long answer... Want to Submit a Reader Question to Helene?Give in to the urge.
Link of the WeekNot to pile on to AI, but this week's link piles on. The Verge's You Sound Like Chat GPT explains how "document[ed] shifts in the way we speak and communicate as a result of ChatGPT" is evolving into a massive linguistic shift — including a word you might want to stop using if you want to sound like the actual human you are. I ❤️ Hearing from You!Comments? Just reply to this email or click this link. I respond to every email—that's a promise. Thanks for reading!~Helene, your writing sherpa P.S.Time to get some expert eyes on your writing? You know what to do! |
Editorial Notes
Edit yourself like a pro. I'm a writer, editor, and book coach who has worked with more than 4,000 students, entrepreneurs, and corporate/institutional clients over the last 30+ years. You'll hear from me in your Inbox every other Wednesday at 2pm EST :) Reader Testimonials: "You're one of the cheeriest, funniest, most helpful writer-oriented people I know! Thanks for being out there!" "Love your newsletter, especially your light-handedness! Thanks :-D" "I enjoy your insights and style. Thank you for providing the newsletter!" "I am LOVING your newsletter and am very happy I discovered it 😊" "You're awesome—keep up the good work!" "Can't tell you how much I enjoy reading your newsletter. You uncomplicate things authors are puzzled about." "I so enjoy your writing and sense of humor. You make editing sound like fun!!" "I love everything about Editorial Notes. Keep up the great content!"
Hello Reader, This is the final Editorial Notes issue of 2025. I'm on holiday, so here's a reader favorite from the archives. I'll be back with a new issue in your Inbox on January 7, 2026! Happy New Year! Earlier this week, I came across a sobering yet inspiring statistic that I just had to share with you! Assuming you average seven to eight hours of sleep in each 24-hour period (#lifegoals), ten minutes equals approximately one percent of your waking time. One percent! On the one hand, it's...
Editorial Notes = clarifying information, additional insight, annotations Hiya Reader, Have you ever wondered why water bottles are always 16.9 ounces? Well, I sure did. I reached out to Caitlin Olson who publishes the quirky and always fascinating Today You Should Know which you should subscribe to if you don't already. Here is her response: "A 16.9-ounce bottle comes out to 500 ml, which confirms the metric system’s influence. My guess is this size stuck in the U.S. thanks to the...
Editorial Notes = clarifying information, additional insight, annotations Hiya Reader, Ever feel like you have no idea what people are talking about? C'mon, I know it's not just me! Fortunately, Merriam-Webster recently added over 5,000 words to its collegiate dictionary! Now you will really understand how terrible a situation it is when you find yourself adulting. You're welcome. Think a friend would appreciate Editorial Notes? Send them this link to sign up: Refer a Friend! (And if you’re...