AI and writing: What is missing and what could we lose?
Writers who rely on AI to research and generate ideas are missing out on a huge amount of human knowledge.
Working with writers: The case for strengths-based editing
As editors, we work with writers to fix problems. While it is satisfying to identify problems and help writers improve their work, one of the hazards of editing is focusing only on what is wrong and forgetting to acknowledge what is right.
Think before you slop
When you assume that AI will think for you in the writing process, workslop awaits.
Editing in the age of AI: Why human insight still matters
Artificial intelligence (AI) makes me anxious. Not because I’m worried about robot uprisings or deepfakes, but because I’m an editor living through what feels like an existential moment for my profession, arguably for almost all professions. Every day brings new…
Spell Canadian!
Canadians are being encouraged to keep our elbows up, stand together for our sovereignty, and buy Canadian. Could we also (please) spell Canadian?
Words that have worn out their welcome
Certain words and phrases rise to prominence every year, capturing the zeitgeist. Every December, I love reading the words of the year from the major dictionaries. For 2024, Merriam-Webster chose “polarization” as its word of the year, Oxford University Press…
The finer points of lists
A list can be a powerful plain-language tool to help readers find information they might otherwise miss. When used effectively, lists help busy readers skim content so they can grasp ideas quickly and efficiently. Increasingly, however, lists are overused and…
Sentence case, Title Case, or ALL CAPS?
One of the most common issues we run into as editors is capitalization—starting certain words with a capital letter or using capital letters for entire words.
An inspiring new book about ecological restoration
Partner Merrie-Ellen Wilcox's inspiring new book is here.
An eye-opening experience
On a sunny, breezy evening in Montreal, my two daughters, my nephew, and I walked through the front door of an unassuming-looking restaurant named Onoir.