Editors know a thing or two about style.

I’m not talking about the chunky cardigans, furry slippers and fingerless gloves that some of us put on when the weather turns cool.

This is about an editor’s work. Here, style is about making sure the text is appropriate for its intended audience, consistently applying a client’s style preferences, and – where possible – preserving an author’s voice.

This year’s Mediterranean Editors and Translators online conference was entitled ‘The Style Issue’, and there was plenty to interest me in the programme. In this blog post, I’ve summarised three of the sessions that I found particularly useful:

• Editors’ Café
• An overview of institutional styles
• Research writing in English

​In this session, two editors – Alan Lounds and Theresa Truax-Gischler – had a friendly discussion on how they would each tackle the same piece of text. The idea was to get ‘under the hood’ of the editing process from two different perspectives.

The text was the abstract and introduction of an article written by an author whose first language isn’t English. The paper was to be submitted to an international interdisciplinary journal on Romani studies. Alan and Theresa also had access to the full article to assist them in their editing task. Both are experienced editors who are accustomed to working with academic authors, although the article was outside their respective subject specialisms.

Points to note:

• The article was written by a student, as part of a PhD by publication. Neither Alan nor Theresa usually works with students.
• Alan and Theresa had seen the article and prepared their comments in advance – they weren’t being put on the spot!
• Their focus was purely on the language. In the real world, editors would also take into account the client’s budget, timescale and expectations, and any ethical issues or rules relating to editing students’ work.

​I found this discussion fascinating, as I often edit academic papers in English for multi-language authors. Here are the main points that Alan and Theresa covered.

First impressions – Both editors agreed that the  paper was nowhere near ready for submission, in terms of either content or style.

Context – The author mentioned ‘securitisation’ in the abstract but didn’t define this concept or explain its relevance. This lack of context was a serious issue.

Background information – Much of the data given in the introduction was from general sources such as newspapers and non-academic websites, and lacked academic focus.

Parallelism

1. The study involved two countries; the author had been inconsistent in the order in which they mentioned them. Alan felt that the order – whether alphabetical or based on the country’s respective importance in the study – should be the same throughout.
2. Theresa highlighted a lack of parallelism in the study design, particularly in terms of differences in the datasets for the two countries.

First or third person – Alan preferred first-person writing (‘I studied…’), while Theresa retained the third-person perspective. The two editors discussed the trend towards publishers accepting first-person writing, including the fact that this often depends on the academic subject. As an aside, they noted that Spanish authors (for example) sometimes resist writing in the first person in English because this doesn’t come naturally in their first language.

Following a thorough discussion of the two editors’ approaches to the text, several questions from the audience were addressed.

Q: Should the abstract be edited first or last?
A: Probably last. However, when writing an article, Theresa felt it was useful to start with the abstract because it helps the author to formulate the structure of the paper.

Q: What is the role of a developmental editor?
A: Their role is to look at ‘big picture’ issues, including the structure and argument of the text. Ideally, copyeditors and language editors should have some basic training in developmental editing so that they can see whether a text is ready to be edited.
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It was so interesting to see how Alan and Theresa tackled the same piece of text. While there were similarities in their approaches, there were also differences in emphasis. It was proof, if proof were needed, that there’s often no single ‘right’ way to edit a piece of writing.

​Timothy Barton’s presentation was a treat for anyone who – like me – often has to switch between different organisational style guides. Timothy took us on a whistle-stop tour of various guides, including those of the United Nations, the European Commission and the World Intellectual Property Organization.

​The list of topics covered will be familiar to most editors:

• British or US spelling and punctuation (and if British, -ize or -ise)
• Data (plural or singular)
• Use of the Oxford/serial comma
• Year ranges (en dash or hyphen; both years spelled out or second one shortened)
• Numbers as words or figures (words up to nine, up to ten, up to twelve, up to ninety-nine…)
• Currency formats (ISO code or symbol; use of non-breaking space)
• Country names (short form or long form)
• Place names (political considerations: some can’t be referred to as ‘countries’ (e.g. Reunion), some have different names depending on the style guide (e.g. Taiwan))
• Acronyms and initialisms (some acronyms have more than one definition; they can be defined on first use in the whole document or on first use in each chapter; the United Nations has an official list of acronyms and only those can be used)

Timothy then mentioned a few style points that seemed open to debate:

• Should ‘Brexit’ and ‘COVID-19’ be defined on first mention?
• Some style guides don’t allow the possessive to be used for countries and organisations (e.g. you can’t say ‘France’s economy’). Is there a good reason for this rule?
• Some style guides call for the country name to be given after the city name, except in the case of the country’s capital city. So we would have ‘Lagos, Nigeria’, but ‘Abuja’ (Nigeria’s capital city, but perhaps not as well known) without the country name. Is this a sensible rule?

Some other great tips emerged:

• Be cautious when using phrases such as ‘Triple R’ if the document is going to be translated. The constituent words might not all begin with ‘R’ in other languages.
• Avoid using seasons to specify times of the year. Seasons aren’t the same in all countries.
• Customised PerfectIt style sheets can help you to check many of the finer style points, although they do take time to set up.

​I found this a fascinating presentation that highlighted the sometimes surprising differences between well-established style guides. 

​In this presentation, John Bates considered advice on academic writing, drawing out similarities and potential discrepancies between the different sources.

John looked at the definitions of research writing and came up with three key characteristics. The text should be:

• Clear
• Concise
• Precise

But what does that mean in practice?

John considered various aspects of research writing that could in many cases be improved, in line with these three principles.

Use words with care

1. Authors often use words and phrases that they think sound ‘more academic’ but for which there is a clearer alternative. John gave some examples: undertake metric analysis = measure; utilise = use; constitutes = is. These shorter alternatives might not be suitable in all cases, but should at least be considered.
2. Should academic writing be complex? Complexity can refer to writing that is difficult to understand (which we’d want to avoid) or writing that is lexically or grammatically varied (which may be appropriate for the subject matter). Technical terms, although derided by some as ‘jargon’, can be clear, concise and – perhaps most importantly – precise in a particular context.

Nouns and noun phrases
Noun phrases can often be a source of confusion for readers. Take the example ‘infant observation’: does that mean ‘observation of infants’ or ‘observation by infants’? Longer noun strings can raise even more issues, especially if they’re used to mean different things in the same piece of writing.

Subjects and verbs
In most cases, these should be as close to the start of the sentence as possible. Long introductory phrases mean that readers have to keep a lot in their heads before they reach the subject.

Rounding off his presentation, John – referring to comments by Thomas Spratt in 1667 – pointed out that criticism of academic writing goes back a long way. From George Orwell and Michael Crichton to contemporary authors such as Michael Billig (Learn to Write Badly) and Helen Sword (Stylish Academic Writing), plenty of people have had plenty to say on how researchers should communicate their findings. Have things have improved over the years? John feels they haven’t!

An audience member asked about respecting the author’s voice when editing academic writing, especially when that voice is rather ‘flowery’. John acknowledged that this could be a problem. The editor often has more leeway if the text is written by an author whose first language isn’t English, because there’s an expectation that the editor will amend the language to make it clearer and more concise. And if the author’s first language tends towards more elaborate constructions, that could well be mirrored in the English version.

​There was so much more to METM21 than I’ve summarised here, and I’ve yet to catch up with the recordings of the sessions I wasn’t able to attend in real time. The hope is that next year’s conference will take place in person, in San Sebastián, Spain. And if that’s the case, I’m hoping I won’t need to pack my fingerless gloves.

I’ve been a big fan of Bradford Literature Festival for a number of years. It’s a bright spot in Bradford’s cultural calendar and I’ve written in the past about why I love it. 

In previous years I’ve usually attended a fair few sessions during the annual festival. I’ve loved the variety of subjects on offer, the chance to hear interesting (and well-known) speakers in some marvellous venues, and the opportunity to listen, learn and reflect – and often to be challenged.

This year – as a result of the general uncertainty and a lack of organisation on my part – I attended only two events. But what this year’s festival lacked (from my point of view) in quantity, it certainly made up for in quality.

As a trailblazer – a South Asian woman in a predominately white male industry – Anita talked about the difficulty of negotiating various ‘spaces’ and having to curb aspects of her personality to meet certain expectations. She has clearly thought long and hard about the privileged position in which she now finds herself, about how she could – or should – use that position to carve a path for others, and about her regrets for not speaking out on particular occasions.
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Many of Anita’s reflections also touched on the personal sphere. She talked about food, family and weddings. She talked about how South Asian girls were mostly not encouraged to speak up, except on the topic of beauty. And she wondered how much the lives of women (particularly those from South Asian backgrounds) have changed since she was growing up.

This was an entertaining and thought-provoking discussion. Anita’s book is now on my reading list.

The setting for Sunday evening’s event was the magnificent ballroom at Bradford’s Midland Hotel. The topic – grief – was a more sombre one than Saturday’s, although there was plenty of light on hand, not least from the amazing chandelier that graces the venue. 

Rev. Richard Coles and Arifa Akba were interviewed by Peg Alexander. ​These were two quite different stories, with some common threads. Richard Coles’ husband, David, died in December 2019 as a result of addiction to alcohol. Arifa Akbar’s sister, Fauzia, died in 2016 from undiagnosed tuberculosis. Both deaths were a shock, yet in some ways not really a shock, perhaps complicating the grief that these two authors have felt since.

There were other common observations – and ones that anyone who has ever been bereaved will recognise. For instance, when someone dies there is a huge amount of ‘admin’ to deal with, sometimes lasting many weeks (or even months). This can, in one sense, be welcomed as something practical to focus on, but it can also be exhausting. Another aspect of grief is the baffling realisation that everyone else is carrying on as normal with their everyday lives, while you’re still dealing with the enormity of your bereavement.

Richard and Arifa each reflected on what had helped them to deal with the grief they felt. As a widow, Richard didn’t appreciate being told by others how he should be feeling and behaving, but did value conversations with other widows who told him how they themselves had felt/behaved, without giving advice. Meanwhile, Arifa noted that the loss of a sibling isn’t as widely recognised as the loss of a spouse is, something that left her feeling rather adrift. Coincidentally, two of her close friends had also lost siblings, so Arifa was able to discuss her feelings with them.

The two authors also discussed addiction and attitudes to it. David’s alcoholism wasn’t public knowledge, so many were shocked by his death. Richard described the strain of living with and caring for an addict: he often went without sleep so that he could make sure David was safe. Arifa described the complex issues associated with her sister’s eating disorder – a type of addiction – including the shocking negative comments made by a member of medical staff.

Arifa and Richard touched on the way in which grief had affected their relationship with art and music, respectively. Fauzia was an artist who had created striking paintings and embroidered art. She had been deeply affected and inspired by the Sistine Chapel, leading Arifa to visit the Vatican after her sister’s death to share that experience and feel a connection with Fauzia. Richard and David had played music together, so Richard had avoided revisiting their shared music after David’s death because it was just too painful. Instead, he had decided to learn to play a new instrument: the accordion.

​And so ended my Bradford Literature Festival 2021. It was brief, it was bright, it was brilliant. I can’t wait for next year…

When you’re building a career as a freelance editor or proofreader, it’s good to seek advice, right?

The trouble is that, as with many situations in life, there’s no single ‘right’ way of doing things.
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A while ago I read a tongue-in-cheek blog post summarising conflicting advice on how to be a successful academic. It inspired me to think about the nuggets of wisdom that are often presented as undisputed truths to those seeking guidance about running an editorial business. Here’s my summary.

✅ Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram can be great for raising your profile, engaging with potential clients and building relationships with colleagues.
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❌ But social media can be a real drain on your time and energy. How does it fit into your overall marketing strategy? Would your efforts be better directed elsewhere?  

✅ If people pass your name on to others, that’s great! It involves little effort on your part – other than ensuring you’re always providing an excellent service, of course.

❌ But it can be risky to rely on this as a strategy for finding work. What if the referrals dry up? How will you find new clients (or how will new clients find you)?

👉 Further reading: https://www.louiseharnbyproofreader.com/blog/word-of-mouth-marketing-for-editorial-freelancers-and-why-it-wont-work-if-youre-a-passive-marketer

✅ With an hourly rate, you should – in theory – be paid for the time you put in. 

❌ But a rate per 1,000 words (or per project) rewards the efficient editor who uses time-saving tools and techniques. It also means the client knows in advance how much the work will cost.
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👉 Further reading: https://aceseditors.org/news/2021/what-type-of-pricing-structure-should-freelance-editors-use

✅ If you’re skilled in using Word, it makes sense to focus on clients who use it.
​ 
❌ But you might be missing out on some interesting projects. Could you extend your skills into new areas [Google Docs, Excel, PowerPoint] to tap into different markets? 

✅ Working for free – often on the promise of exposure or further work, or for a client pleading poverty – is a mug’s game to be avoided at all costs.
 
❌ But if you’re looking for experience and the chance to practise your skills, perhaps for a worthwhile cause, you might gain as much as you ‘lose’ by volunteering your services.

👉 Further reading: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2018/05/14/when-should-you-work-for-free/?sh=7a229d58f556
👉 Also see this handy flowchart by typographer, graphic designer and lettering artist Jessica Hische: http://www.shouldiworkforfree.com

✅ Accepting low-paid work can leave you caught in a trap of working for less than you’d like. 

❌ But a low-paid project can sometimes have other benefits (raising your profile, giving you experience, providing at least some income), so it could pay off. And a big project with a lower rate might prove more profitable than several smaller ones with higher rates, as there’s less admin and set-up time involved.

✅ It’s great to carve out a specialist niche where you can apply your skills and expertise and feel comfortable with the subject matter. You can also market yourself as an expert. 

❌ But restricting yourself to a niche can leave you high and dry if that market collapses. You’re also cutting yourself off from other subject areas and new types of work. And sometimes your perspective as a non-specialist can be valuable to the client, especially if the target audience aren’t experts either. 

👉 Further reading: https://northerneditorial.co.uk/2016/03/25/to-specialise-or-not/

✅ Working directly for your own clients allows you to quote the rates you want, set your own timescales and establish yourself as an independent professional. 

❌ But you have to find these clients yourself. Working for an intermediary (such as an agency) takes the pressure off, marketing-wise, and can often provide a steady flow of work. 

👉 Further reading: https://www.louiseharnbyproofreader.com/blog/who-finds-your-editing-and-proofreading-clients-for-you

✅ It’s important to present yourself as a serious professional who can be trusted to do an excellent job. Clients aren’t interested in your personality.

❌ But clients are individuals too. Their purchasing decisions can be influenced by personal factors, so there’s nothing wrong with showing your character if the circumstances are right. 

✅ The editorial profession is a collegiate one. You should follow every piece of advice to the letter, while closely emulating other editors and proofreaders in running your business. 

​❌ But this will inevitably lead to frustration and burnout. By all means seek advice and observe how others run their affairs. Keep in mind, though, that not all advice will suit your situation (and a lot of it is contradictory anyway). What works for one person might not work for everyone.

👉 Further reading: Here’s the article that inspired this blog post, 10 steps to Becoming a Successful Academic – the definitive guide.
 
What conflicting pieces of advice have you been given? 

[With thanks to Laura Ripper for comments and proofreading.] ​

Freelance editors and proofreaders: have you ever felt as though you’re ‘muddling through’ in your professional life? You’re not alone.

The current situation has forced many of us to adjust our plans on a daily (hourly?) basis. But even without a pandemic, freelancers have to adapt to changing circumstances and come up with new plans and different ways of working. I’ve called this ‘muddling through’, but you could also call it flexibility, resourcefulness and ingenuity.
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Here are seven areas where this flexibility and resourcefulness will come in handy. It’s not intended to be a list of things to worry about! Instead, it’s a recognition of the creativity and pragmatism that many successful freelancers display. 

Most of us start out with some idea of the work we’d like to do, or for which we’d be most suited. With my NHS background, I thought I’d be the ideal person to work on health- or HR-related material. However, my first publisher client specialised in non-fiction books for the general reader, so that was that – at least initially.
 
You might have to review your initial business idea in the light of various factors:

• Is that type of work available?
• Can clients in that field find you?
• Is other work available that you find you enjoy just as much (and, importantly, that pays the bills just as effectively)?

 
If you’re determined to stick to your original vision, that’s fine. But it’s worth keeping an open mind about the direction you’re going to take.

​Ask a group of freelance editors or proofreaders how they find work and you’ll end up with a list as long as your arm.
 
Some take the direct approach, contacting potential clients with speculative enquiries. Others rely on word of mouth from professional or personal contacts, or repeat business from returning clients. Most find they need to be visible, whether that’s on their own website, through a directory or bidding site, or on social media. Networking can be successful for some. And then there’s the element of luck – the chance encounter with a potential client in an unexpected place (on a train, in the school playground, at a Zoom book club), or simply the ‘you happen to be just what we’re looking for at this moment in time’ scenario.
 
It’s important to plan for finding work and clients so you can focus your efforts to best effect. But it also pays to be alert, flexible and ready to respond to new opportunities. To quote Louis Pasteur: ‘Chance favours the prepared mind.’

​​Are you a morning person? Or do you do your best work while burning the midnight oil?
 
It’s great to be able to choose your working times – and to decide how long you’re going to spend at work – but sometimes you might need to adjust things. How do you cope if you need to put in extra hours? Can your working space accommodate changes (for example, if you share the facilities with other family members)? How do you cope physically with doing a ten-hour day instead of your usual five hours?
 
Again, flexibility is the key. You need to take breaks more frequently if you’re working longer hours. Are there some tasks that don’t require quite the same level of focus as others? If so, could you work on those when your concentration is waning (in the evening, perhaps)? Can you work somewhere else if need be?

Most of us would admit that we take technology and equipment for granted. We carry on with our work routines assuming that everything will run as it should. But if disaster strikes, emergency action might be required.
 
Saving your work in the cloud is sensible because it means you can access it from another device (if you have something suitable).
 
If your internet connection goes down, you might have to use your mobile data as a short-term solution. Pre-pandemic, you might have chosen to de-camp to your local coffee shop and use their wi-fi, and we’re all hoping that’ll be possible again before too long.
 
Home-based freelancers might even have kind neighbours who can help (a spare laptop cable here, some emergency printing there).
 
While it’s useful to have a back-up plan (an old laptop you could bring back into service if your main computer fails, for example), it’s impossible to prepare for every eventuality. Again, it’s a question of thinking creatively, recognising when and where to ask for help, and knowing at what point to discuss the situation with your client if you’re not going to meet the deadline.

A sudden illness, a chronic medical condition, a relative needing help, unexpected childcare demands, not to mention burst water pipes and power cuts … these problems aren’t exclusive to freelancers (nor do they only happen during a pandemic). But if you’re working to a deadline, with no one else who can step in to do your work, situations like these can make things very difficult.
 
Of course, some people choose freelancing precisely because it enables them to work around their personal circumstances, whether that’s their own health condition or their caring responsibilities for children, elderly relatives – or even pets. It’s when the unexpected happens that additional problems can arise.
 
Once again, some extra flexibility is the key. Could you take a break from work and make the time up once the situation is resolved? Perhaps you can temporarily rearrange your working hours? Is there anyone who can help with childcare, even if it’s on a video call with your child while you work for a while?
 
Freelancers often worry about telling their clients about emergencies like this, feeling that it might make them seem unprofessional. I’ve found that clients are usually very understanding about such situations, especially if you can suggest a solution (an alternative deadline, for example). And most clients would rather know you’re struggling, even if you end up not needing extra time to finish the work. After all, they’re human too!

It’s great when you’ve managed to secure plenty of regular, enjoyable work from a client who pays well and is nice to deal with. It’s not so great if that client suddenly disappears for some reason (bankruptcy, merger or takeover, taking the work in-house, etc.) and you’re left with a gaping hole in your work schedule. This is something that’s happened to me on a couple of occasions, and it can certainly feel like the rug has been pulled out from under your feet.
 
Clearly, you need to respond, but how you respond will depend on your circumstances. Here are a few ideas:

• Contact other clients (past and present) to let them know you have unexpected availability
• Ramp up your online activity to increase your visibility (this may or may not involve saying that you’re looking for work…)
• Ensure your website is up to date and that it appeals to the clients you want to attract
• Prepare a good speculative email or letter and start sending it to prospective clients you’ve identified
• Use any downtime to focus on your business, including writing and publishing blog posts, getting your accounts in order and updating your skills
• Consider marketing the skills you’ve gained while working with the lost client, particularly if these are in a niche area

Being prepared in advance – for example, by maintaining a robust online presence and an up-to-date CV – will help you to step into action in an emergency. And the old adage ‘Don’t put all your eggs in one basket’ is relevant here: relying too heavily on one client is never a good idea.

​So there we have it – a quick look at how a flexible, responsive approach will help in running your business. Yes, freelancing might sometimes feel like ‘muddling through’, but perhaps we should instead see it as being creative and developing resilience. That sounds much more impressive!

Don't panic! How to stay calm in a crisis - CIEP blog – by Melanie Thomson
Seven things freelancers know about time – by Liz Jones
 How freelance editing prepared me for working through the pandemic – and how it didn’t – by Liz Jones
 2020: Lessons from the Longest Year – by Crystal Shelley
Buck the trend: strengthening your business during lockdown – by Rachel Gristwood
How to be lucky – by Christian Busch

Many of us have been terribly disappointed over recent months when the inevitable has happened – an in-person event (whether that’s a summer fête, rock concert, conference or networking session) has been cancelled because of the pandemic. The upside is that many events have gone virtual, enabling people to attend events that they wouldn’t otherwise have access to.

And so it was that I signed up for the SENSE 2020 Conference. SENSE is the Society of English-language professionals in the Netherlands, and this year’s event marks the organisation’s 30th anniversary. The plan had been to hold the conference in Maastricht. If that had gone ahead, it’s unlikely that I’d have been able to attend in person. However, when it moved online, taking place over three afternoons in June, I decided to book a place.
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As it happened, the conference coincided with a confluence of deadlines in my work, something I’d have taken steps to avoid if I had been travelling to Maastricht for a few days away from my desk. As a consequence, I decided to concentrate on those sessions that seemed most relevant to my work as an editor. In this article I describe just six of those sessions, in an attempt to give a flavour of the conference and to illustrate its relevance to all language professionals.

There are full details of the programme on the SENSE website. I’ve chosen to write up a summary and my impressions of the following sessions:

• Be(a)ware of (round) brackets (especially ‘Dutch’ ones)! Joy Burrough-Boenisch
• ‘I just moved on’ – Museum translations Tony Parr
• How much time does quality require? Brian Mossop
• Using your network to branch out into new areas Sally Hill
• From whining to shining Tiina Kinnunen
• Editing in the era of digital nomadism: How I look after my mental and physical health Marieke Krijnen​

And at the end of this article I summarise some of the main points I took away from the conference.

Who knew there was so much to learn about brackets (parentheses), especially when it comes to how they are used in languages other than English? Joy started by showing us what various reference sources say about bracket use in English, highlighting some of the similarities and differences between these sources. She extended this to look at the use of brackets in Dutch. One major difference here is the widespread use of brackets in Dutch to indicate ‘or’, as in ‘stagiair(e)’, meaning ‘male or female’. This is similar to the English use of brackets in, for example, ‘name(s)’. Another example she gave was a sign on Dutch trains that referred to ‘(folding) bicycle’, which means bicycle or folding bicycle.
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Joy showed many more examples from both Dutch and English, including ones that demonstrate the creative use of brackets to make a point such as ‘Plan(et) B’ and ‘un(der)paid workers’.

Clearly, if you’re translating from Dutch, or editing English written by a Dutch native speaker, you need to carefully consider what the author intended, rather than simply imposing the English rules on bracket use and potentially changing the meaning.

​I’d initially wondered how relevant this session would be to my work as an editor, but it turned out to be fascinating (and very relatable). I’m sure we’ve all encountered poorly translated text in museums and galleries. Tony described various specific issues that can make such translations not fit for purpose. The principles of plain language are often ignored, tenses are sometimes inappropriate and confusing, and the language used is frequently far too technical. In addition, there is often far too much text.

How a translation is presented can also interfere with its usefulness for the visitor. Tony showed examples of English text in minuscule type, or so low down on a panel that it was almost impossible to read from a standing position.

One fascinating aspect of this presentation was Tony’s own observations of how visitors reacted to English translations at different museums. His findings weren’t encouraging: at one museum he noted that of 50 non-Dutch-speaking visitors, only one had read the English translation provided – and even then, only some of it.

The key point that made this session so relevant – even for a non-translator like me – is that the reader (or visitor, in this case) needs to be at the centre of the experience. This sounds obvious, but Tony felt that some museum professionals hadn’t really taken this on board. For example, one museum had three ‘visitor profiles’ that were intended to guide its public-facing communications. All these profiles were Dutch speakers – yet the staff told Tony that 50% of the museum’s visitors do not speak Dutch.

Plain English, non-technical language and an appropriate amount (and visibility) of text should be at the heart of all written material – not just text in a museum!

This session tackled the thorny issue of quality, starting with the oft-quoted diagram showing time, price and quality (the point being that you can only ever have two out of three of these). Brian explored this ‘triangle’, first considering the effect that time can have on a project – both too little time (it’s obvious how this will affect quality) and too much time (when it might be difficult to maintain the same standards over the whole period). He also pointed out that quality can be difficult to quantify.

Brian's key piece of advice was to focus on which level of quality you are being asked to produce (for the corresponding price). The four levels Brian defined were intelligible, informative, publishable and polished. If a client is paying (and allowing enough time) only to make a text intelligible, an editor or translator needs to avoid devoting too much time and effort to trying to produce a polished end-product. That’s easier said than done, of course.
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Keeping this in mind can help to make sure that quality, price and time are better aligned.

The main thrust of Sally’s session was that freelancers shouldn’t simply focus their marketing efforts on potential clients. Instead, they should devote time and effort to building networks among their fellow professionals. This really resonates with me, and it’s something I’ve found important throughout my freelance career.

Sally looked at the different ways you can ‘find your tribe’ as a freelancer. Joining professional networks is one option – or why not start your own?

Volunteering can be another way to build relationships with colleagues and to develop new skills. I’ve had past experience of this as a director of the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (now the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading) and as the founder of an SfEP/CIEP local group.
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Underlying all such activities is the idea of ‘trust transfer’. If you get to know others within your network, it’s more likely that they’ll come to trust your skills and expertise. This can lead to work opportunities, whether through direct referrals or word of mouth, and even to joint projects in which freelancers with complementary skills can provide a complete service. You can also pass on work to trusted colleagues if you aren’t able to take it on yourself.

There’s a popular image of the freelancer as working long hours (often in pyjamas) and being poorly paid for the privilege. Tiina’s presentation was intended to help freelancers escape from such scenarios and position themselves as expert professionals in their chosen field.

There were two main strands to Tiina’s advice: productivity and brand image. On productivity, Tiina advised freelancers to take a long hard look at the work (and specifically the rates) they are taking on and to make informed decisions about future jobs. Many translators work on per-word rates, but a high per-word rate doesn’t always result in an attractive hourly rate. And remember – you don’t have to accept every job.

Productivity also encompasses the services you provide. You need to be clear with clients about the level of work you are offering on a particular job – beware of offering perfection if the client can only pay for (and may only be expecting) text that is fit for purpose. Different types of clients can also have an impact on productivity: ‘difficult’ clients can be very time-consuming!

In terms of your image, it can often help to find a niche or specialism so that you can become (and be seen as) an expert in that particular field. When it comes to providing services for your clients, you need to present yourself as part of the solution for their issue, not part of the problem. Becoming the ‘go to’ expert for your clients is the ultimate goal.
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Tiina also stressed the importance of finding trusted colleagues with whom you can share best practice and collaborate on projects, something that can ultimately lead to new clients and more business.

Since it’s very difficult to be a digital nomad during a pandemic, Marieke had adapted her presentation to cover looking after your mental and physical health in the current situation. Ironically, it turns out that quite a lot of her advice is appropriate for both scenarios – albeit that they seem to be at opposite ends of the spectrum (at least in terms of ability to travel).

For example, when it comes to exercise, digital nomads don’t usually have the option of joining a gym or a regular class, or of participating in a team sport, and these are all things we haven’t been able to do during the coronavirus crisis. Going for a walk or a run is an ideal way of exercising individually. Using hashtags such as #stetwalk and #stetrun can add an element of fun, and there are even virtual groups (e.g. the CIEP Run On Group on Facebook) to provide motivation. Office equipment such as a treadmill desk might be another solution.

The office set-up is also important from an ergonomics point of view. Good posture is key: adjusting screen height and having the appropriate chair and other accessories can make a big difference. Marieke has found that varying her sitting position and location can help. Working in a café or co-working space hasn’t been possible recently, but she suggests spending some time at a desk, some in an armchair and some in a park or garden.

Good work–life balance is essential. Marieke’s tips included blocking emails outside working hours, using apps to restrict access to social media, taking weekends off, finding different places to work, and pursuing a hobby that gets you out of the house.

Marieke is a great believer in making connections, and these can be vital in maintaining good mental health. At the moment such connections are likely to be virtual ones. Marieke mentioned digital support communities such as Twitter and the Editors’ Association of Earth Facebook group, as well as professional associations (which often provide forums and opportunities to ‘meet’ digitally). Conferences (like the SENSE one) can also be a chance to build a network, as can co-working spaces and face-to-face meet-ups – when these become available once again.
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What I particularly admired about Marieke’s session was her honesty. Although she offered lots of excellent advice, she admitted that she herself didn’t always get it right and had sometimes felt overwhelmed and stressed. Simple things like taking a shower or going outside can really help. It’s vital to give yourself a break!

​In conclusion, I really enjoyed ‘attending’ the conference. It was lovely to see some familiar faces and some new (to me) language professionals based in different countries. I picked up some common themes running through the above sessions, and these are useful pieces of advice for any editor, proofreader or translator:

1. Put the reader at the centre of the text.
2. Keep in mind the time/price/quality triangle when approaching your work and thinking about your productivity.
3. Position yourself as a ‘go to’ person, both within and outside your profession.
4. Network, network, network! Forging connections with your colleagues has both professional and personal benefits.

I certainly hope to be able to attend the SENSE conference again in future, be it virtually or physically.

As an editor, I spend my time making sure material is correct, consistent and clear for the intended audience.

When I work with academic authors, it’s assumed that most readers will be those with an interest in – and background knowledge of – their specific academic field.

Similarly, the reports I edit for an EU agency are aimed at readers who already have a certain level of knowledge about the subject, whether that’s vocational training systems, factors affecting the labour market, or updates on the situation in a particular country.

But what about communicating research to others? How can those with specialist knowledge convey information to others outside their sphere? And, in fact, why should they do this?
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Although I rarely need to consider these questions in my day-to-day editing, I’m very interested in this issue. It’s something that researchers and others are having to be more conscious of – and that’s no bad thing.

Research Retold is a Leeds-based company that helps researchers to communicate their findings in accessible (often visual) ways. I recently went along to one of the company’s events, which brought together researchers and those who work with them.

​One technique for focusing the mind on the key aspects of a piece of research is to try to sum it up in 60 seconds – an elevator pitch, if you like.
The description should answer the following questions:

1. What problem did you address?
2. How have you investigated it?
3. Why should people care?

We tried this out in pairs during the event: each researcher explained their research to a non-researcher. This exercise proved to be quite challenging, but it was valuable. Of course, one key difference between this exercise and many forms of communication is that we non-researchers were able to ask questions and clarify anything that wasn’t clear. Often, the intended audience doesn’t have that opportunity, so it’s even more important to communicate clearly.

The starting point in communicating research is the intended audience:

• Who are they?
• Why do you want or need to communicate with them?
• Why should they care about your research?

The next aspect is the method of communication. Mihaela Gruia showed us some real-life examples of types of publication that are suitable for different audiences.

• For policymakers, the information needs to be clear and concise, but with sufficient detail to convey the key points. Here, policy briefs and visual summaries can be appropriate.

For me, this event was a valuable opportunity to discuss research communications with real-life researchers. In turn, the researchers seemed to appreciate the chance to think about why, how and with whom they should share their findings.
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It was good to step back from the words on the page and consider the wider aspects of communicating research. Thank you, Research Retold, for providing a forum for us all to do this!*

Three years ago I was inspired to write my very first blog post after a trip to Tarragona in Spain. I’d attended the annual gathering of the Mediterranean Editors and Translators (MET) – the so-called MET Meeting (METM, pronounced ‘met-um’) – and this made me think about how international my work had become since I started freelancing.

This year, I decided it was time for a return visit. METM19 was in Split, Croatia, and I decided to combine the event with my annual holiday.

I spent a lovely few days acclimatising myself to Split and enjoying the wonderful weather. It’s a fascinating place with a beautiful seafront and plenty of historical interest (especially Diocletian’s Palace, which was built for the Roman emperor Diocletian in the fourth century AD and is now a maze of narrow streets full of homes, shops and restaurants).

​When it came to METM itself, my first activity was one of the ‘Off-METM’ lunches. These are small groups focused loosely on a theme (ours was ‘Feedback is a two-way street’), aimed at helping delegates to get to know one another before the conference itself. There were also various optional workshops that delegates could pre-book.

After lunch, we headed to the School of Medicine at the University of Split for the start of the official proceedings. To give you a flavour of the conference itself, I’ve briefly summarised the various sessions and presentations that I attended. Because MET is an organisation for both editors and translators, the programme featured some sessions that were relevant to one or other of these different professions, and some that were relevant to everyone.​

Content marketing is a hot topic for editors and proofreaders, and one that has featured on the programme at previous Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP) conferences that I’ve attended. Translator Maeva Cifuentes explained the concept and illustrated the benefits using the results of the content marketing activities she has undertaken for a client. She stressed the need to take a strategic approach and to evaluate results regularly.

As well as a review of MET’s activities over the year, the General Assembly included an announcement of the venue for MET20: San Sebastián in the Basque Country. If the applause and the exclamations of delight were anything to go by, this was a very popular choice.

The chair invited questions and comments from the floor. One of these prompted a lively discussion on the need to consider the environmental impact of future events, including everything from travelling to METM to using plastic cups and conference swag bags. Plenty of food for thought.
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And speaking of food, the General Assembly was followed by a buffet lunch, at which we once again enjoyed soparnik (among other tasty dishes).

David Barick used real examples to highlight problems with different types of comparison – both between variables in the results of a single academic study and between the author’s findings and those in the literature (where the tense used will be particularly important in drawing a distinction between current and previous research). 

​In this comprehensive overview of what should be included in a quotation for a client, Jenny Zonneveld gave a detailed run-down of all the tasks involved at every stage of the process. She outlined the various factors to consider when preparing a quote, including the thorny issue of whether a fee per word, per hour or per project is appropriate.

Spanish clinician Jaume Canet has published many papers over several decades, and editor and translator Mary Ellen Kearns has provided editorial support for him throughout that time. In this presentation, Mary Ellen described the various stages of Jaume’s career, highlighting his prolific publication record and the types of support and input required over the years. 

The closing keynote of METM19 was given by linguist Lynne Murphy, author of The Prodigal Tongue. The book’s subtitle is ‘The love–hate relationship between British and American English’, and Lynne described some of the differences in the language on the two sides of the Atlantic. Relating these to the METM19 theme (‘Making it count: communicating with clarity and concision’), and specifically the concision aspect, she explained the process of ‘densification’, in which language becomes more informationally dense over time. I’d heard Lynne speak before (at the SfEP conference and at Leeds Literature Festival), so I was expecting this to be an interesting and entertaining session. I wasn’t disappointed! (I hope Lynne will permit that last piece of punctuation: she allows her students one exclamation mark per year, and advises them to use it wisely…)

​And with that, all that remained was for delegates to make their way to the closing dinner and afterparty. The four-course meal was served at a pace that could best be described as ‘leisurely’ (we were still waiting for dessert at 12.30am). I’m not sure whether this was a Croatian tradition, or whether catering for such a large group had proved challenging for the restaurant. Nevertheless, the food was tasty and I enjoyed the conversations over dinner, with Lynne Murphy on one side and Rebecca Warden from International Correspondents in Education (one of my main clients) on the other. The METM choir also entertained us with a couple of numbers.

Although the disco was just getting going as dessert was being served, I’m afraid I was ready to make my way back to my apartment as 1am approached.

I very much enjoyed my second METM and I hope it won’t be my last. The programme was interesting and varied, the people friendly and approachable, and the setting lovely. I met individuals from all over Europe and beyond, attended informative sessions given by presenters from a range of backgrounds, and came away with a renewed sense of the importance of language professionals in an increasingly globalised world.

Oh – and I sampled soparnik!

Do you love figures, calculations and graphs? Or would you rather avoid numbers if at all possible?
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If you’re an editor or proofreader who routinely works on mathematics or science material, you’ll be used to dealing with figures, percentages, tables and graphs. But even editors who work on other texts (academic, business, and even fiction) will sometimes need to handle numbers and data.

Perhaps you’re editing a survey report, a paper containing the results of a research study, or an organisation’s annual report. Even if the client isn’t expecting you to perform an in-depth analysis of their calculations and data presentation (and you feel it’s out of your area of expertise – or your comfort zone), there are some straightforward things you can look out for to help your author keep their data in line.
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Most of what follows is based on my own experience, so it isn’t intended to be an exhaustive list of issues. But I hope it will reassure you that checking figures and data presentation doesn’t necessarily require you to have a PhD in mathematics. Your basic editing and proofreading skills – together with a bit of logic and common sense – can often help you to spot when something’s amiss.
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This issue will be familiar to most editors and proofreaders. When writing a number, should it be ‘five’ or ‘5’, for example? What about ‘twenty’ or ‘20’? ‘Three hundred and forty-nine’ or ‘349’? This will often be covered in your client’s style guide. A common convention is for numbers below 10 to be written as words, and 10 and above to be written as figures. But this can vary, so it’s worth checking.
 
In some (though not all) conventions, numbers within the same sentence should be made consistent:
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• I bought 3 apples and 13 pears. YES 
• I bought three apples and 13 pears. NO

In formal writing, it’s preferable to avoid starting a sentence with a figure. This might simply mean using words instead:
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• Twenty people visited the museum. YES
• 20 people visited the museum. NO

 
Alternatively – and particularly if the number is a large one, or it isn’t a whole number – it’s better to reword the sentence.

• On average, 345.23 people visited the museum each day. YES
• 345.23 people on average visited the museum each day. NO

 
If you’re editing fiction, conventions might be slightly different. For example, numbers are often expressed in words when they appear in dialogue.
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There are various ways in which statistics can be unintentionally misreported in the text. As an example, let’s look at two statements.

• According to our research, 50% of dentists are women. YES
• According to our research, 50% of women are dentists. NO

 
It’s easy to see how the confusion arises: the sentences contain the same words – just in a slightly different order. In some cases – like this one – it’s obvious that one of these sentences is incorrect, purely on the basis of general knowledge. In other cases, such inaccuracies are more difficult to spot without checking elsewhere in the document.
 
Other things to look out for in the text include:
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• Making sure ‘greater than’ (>) and ‘less than’ (<) are the right way round (sometimes mix-ups occur when the author has rearranged the text);
• Making sure ‘significant’ and ‘not significant’ are correctly attributed (particularly relevant when statistical analysis is being reported). 

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In the same way that you’d proofread names, punctuation and capitalisation of words and phrases, you should be on the lookout for obvious errors and inconsistencies in numerical content. For example, when numbers are mentioned in more than one place (in a table, in the text, in the introduction, on a graph), are they consistent? Are the correct signs used (+, −)?
 
Similarly, in the same way that you’d use your own knowledge to spot errors when proofreading a general piece of text, you can sometimes see clearly that a mistake has been made. If an author claims that the population of London is 8,787 or 8.7 billion, you’ll probably realise that there’s something wrong. In a school report I was proofreading, I noticed that a student was congratulated on achieving 1.25 cm in the high jump, which conjured up an amusing – though misleading – image.
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​Remember when Michael Gove, the then UK Secretary of State for Education, stated that he wanted all schools to be performing above the national average? Think about it. If all schools are above the national average, that is no longer the average. As proofreaders and editors, we need to have some level of understanding of basic mathematical terminology – or at least, of words and concepts that are in everyday use – so that we can at least raise a query if something doesn’t look right.
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An awareness of what percentages mean can help you to spot errors and problems. Even if you’re not going to be checking an author’s calculations, it does help to know that 50% is half of something, 33% around a third, and so on. So if an author claims that 24 of the 47 people in a survey are men, and that this proportion is 25% (i.e. a quarter), it’s something you need to query.
 
As well as basic calculation mistakes, it’s worth being on the lookout for inaccurate descriptions of percentages. I’ve seen ‘majority’ used to mean ‘the largest proportion’. Here’s an example:

• 25% of people in the group are self-employed
• 35% of people are retired
• 40% of people are employed

This does not mean that ‘the majority of people are employed’ – ‘majority’ means ‘most’ (i.e. more than 50%), rather than simply the largest group.
 
Another thing to check is whether the percentages add up to 100. But beware – that might not always be appropriate. For example, if reporting on answers to a survey question where people could tick more than one option, the total could well be more than 100%. In this example, it’s clear that some people like both apples and bananas:

• 65% of people like apples
• 73% of people like bananas

​In cases like this, the percentages won’t necessarily add up to 100.
 
A more subtle issue when it comes to percentage is whether the author really does mean ‘per cent’ (%), or whether they mean ‘percentage points’.  As an example, if the unemployment rate in 2001 was 5% and the unemployment rate in 2011 was 10%, the correct way to describe this would be to say that the 2011 rate is 5 percentage points higher than the 2001 rate. The unemployment rate is definitely not 5% higher (in fact, it is 100% higher!).
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​Even if the client isn’t expecting you to check all the calculations – some of which might be pretty complicated – there’s no reason you shouldn’t check straightforward sums. Adding up a column of numbers in a table can sometimes reveal some surprising errors, or issues that at least need to be queried. It can be handy to use Excel to check figures: simply cut and paste your column(s) of numbers into a blank spreadsheet and use the SUM function (∑ from the ribbon on the Home or Formulas tab).
 
You can also use Excel to perform other straightforward calculations (%, −,  ×, ÷). Even if you don’t routinely use Excel, it’s worth familiarising yourself with the basic functions and with how to create a simple formula. Of course, you can always check figures using pen and paper or a calculator, but Excel can save you quite a bit of time (and – if used with care – can reduce the risk that you’ll make errors in your own calculations). 
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​If mathematics isn’t your thing, it’s possible that your eyes glaze over when you see any type of equation. But even if you’re not expected to proofread equations in the text, you can use your existing skills to spot obvious errors. For example, you might notice a term in the equation that’s different from those mentioned in the text. There might be a reason for this, but it could be a typo, so it’s worth a query to the author. Look out, too, for equations that the author has copied and pasted (to save retyping) with the intention of putting in different figures or other terms. Has the author remembered to update all the details?
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​I occasionally come across a table or chart in which the number ranges look something like this:

• 0–10, 10–20, 20–30, … and so on.

This is a problem because the ranges don’t have clear upper and lower limits: they overlap. For example, in which category would a value of ‘20’ be placed? Only the originator of the data would know the answer, so there’s usually very little that the editor or proofreader can do to correct this, other than query it. Ideally, ranges should look like this:

• 0–9, 10–19, … and so on.

Or like this:

• ​0–10, 11–20, etc.

And if the data includes values that are not whole numbers (e.g. 2.8, 19.99, etc.), the ranges will need to be more exact:

• 0–9.99, 10.00–19.99, etc. 

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​Again, consistency is the key here, as well as sticking to the style requirements.

a) Units

• Are these consistently abbreviated (km) or spelled out (kilometres)?
• If they’re abbreviated, are they closed up to the figure (5km)? If there’s a space, should this be a non-breaking space so that the figure and the unit do not become separated over a line break?
• How should percentages be expressed: 25%, 25 % (with a non-breaking space), 25 percent (tends to be US spelling) or 25 per cent (tends to be UK spelling)?

b) Decimal separators

In UK and US English, a full stop (full point) is usually used to separate whole numbers from decimals. The decimal point is usually on the baseline of the text, but sometimes a middle dot is used (e.g. 34·12). And in some countries a comma is used as a decimal separator. I’ve come across this most often in work by European authors, but the convention is also followed elsewhere.

c) Thousands separators

​Similarly, there are different conventions for separating groups of digits in larger numbers. In many cases a comma is used (10,000), but some styles call for a non-breaking space (10 000).
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Whole books have been written about the best way to present data in graphs, charts and diagrams, and the mistakes that can be made in data visualisation. Here, I’m just going to highlight some of the issues that I’ve come across when editing material containing such features.

a) A suitable style

Does the chart present the data clearly and unambiguously? For example, pie charts are often not a good way of presenting data, as this article explains. When checking a chart, graph or diagram, you need to ask whether it makes sense. Can you think of a clearer or better way of presenting the data?

b) Gimmicks

It’s tempting to use colours and special effects to make a chart, graph or diagram more eye-catching and ‘interesting’. However, that’s often not necessary (unless such effects are part of house style or branding). Bear in mind that colours, shapes and fancy shading can be distracting and confusing for the reader. In any case, such effects will often be stripped out at the next stage of the publication process.

c) Axes

As a rule, these should always start at zero. In this example, the chart on the right seems to be suggesting that The Times newspaper has twice as many sales as the Daily Telegraph, but that’s simply because the vertical axis starts at 420,000 rather than at zero. Results can easily be distorted if the chart isn’t showing the full picture.

d) When charts go wrong

Special mention must be made of this chart, which shows the average female height in various countries. It’s misleading in a couple of important ways:
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• The shapes chosen to represent the different heights are of different widths (in proportion to their heights). So the ‘Latvia’ shape is larger in all dimensions than the ‘India’ shape, completely distorting the picture.
• The vertical axis does not start at zero. Yes, the values represented are all above 5 feet, which is probably why the authors decided to present the data like this. But that has the effect of suggesting that women in Latvia are four times as tall as women in India.

You first need to consider whether the table is suitable for the type of document (e.g. an academic paper vs. a brochure aimed at the general public) and whether it presents the data clearly.
 
When it comes to checking the details within a table, the advice I’ve already mentioned is relevant. Use your proofreading skills to check whether figures are consistent with those mentioned in the text. Add up columns to check totals. Apply your common sense to make sure the data looks correct.
 
It’s also worth checking the following specific points:

a) Units

​Are the units clearly stated? For a table displaying only one type of data (e.g. percentages or monetary values), the units are sometimes included in the table caption:
Table 1: Owner-occupiers as a proportion of the population, 1950–2017 (%)
 
If the table shows different types of information, the units might be included with each value. So the columns will look something like this:

Consider whether the table would be less cluttered if the units were added to the column headers and deleted from the data itself, as in this example: 

b) Order of information

Check whether items are listed in a consistent way. For example, in the table above, the ‘countries’ are shown in alphabetical order. But the author could also have chosen to list them in ascending or descending order, by either the unemployment rate or the average income. Either of these alternatives would have been acceptable. However, if items are listed in apparently random or inconsistent order (e.g. in a series of tables), this might be confusing to the reader.
 
c) Row and column headings

Do these clearly explain the data in the table? If there’s more than one table with a similar layout, are the row and column headings presented in a consistent way?
 
d) Table layout

​I recently came across a table similar to this one (I’ve only included part of the table, although the rest of it was similarly misleading). The author had tried to present information about the sample population, but the table was laid out in such a way that it implied an association between different variables. For example, it appeared that all the male participants are in the three younger age groups, and that all the female participants are in the older age groups.

​The way this table is laid out suggests connections between the different categories that don’t (in this case) exist. And – to illustrate a point made earlier – you might have noticed that the figures in the ‘Age’ categories add up to 104, rather than 100 (the total for the ‘Gender’ categories).
 
Rather than presenting the information in this way, it would have been better to keep all the categories separate. This is the layout that I suggested to the author. 

​This version is not as concise as the original, but at least it doesn’t suggest relationships that aren’t (necessarily) there.

​I hope this article has reassured you that your usual proofreading skills, together with a bit of common sense, will help you to check numerical information in a document, even if you don’t consider yourself a ‘numbers’ person. Here’s a summary of my top tips for approaching this type of work.
 

• Consult the style guide (if any) to check what’s required.
• Consult Butcher’s Copy-editing and New Hart’s Rules, both of which have useful sections on science and mathematics.
• Use logic and common sense to judge when something’s not quite right.
• Use Excel to check straightforward calculations.
• If numbers (and the way they are presented) are repeated in different parts of the document, check them for consistency.
• Check for similar statements about numerical data in different parts of the document (in the abstract, executive summary and conclusion, for example) and make sure they’re consistent.
• Ask yourself whether charts and tables present the data in a clear way.
• Query with the author if anything looks amiss.

​I’ve previously written about why I love this festival – and my feelings certainly haven’t changed! This year the programme is as strong as ever, and it continues to tick all the boxes as far as my admiration is concerned. So I thought I’d present an updated version of my previous article, featuring highlights from this year’s fantastic festival offerings. 

​Bradford has had its fair share of bad publicity over the years, and it might not be the first place that springs to mind if you’re thinking of cultural events. But a few years ago, Bradford Literature Festival (BLF) burst onto the scene – and I love it! This year’s festival is fast approaching. Here’s why I’m looking forward to it. 

​For such a young festival, BLF attracts some notable speakers. This year there’s George the Poet, AC Grayling, Michael Rosen, John Barnes, Luke Goss and Jeanette Winterson (to name but a few). In previous years I’ve been to events featuring Jeanette Winterson (she must like it here!), Akala, Carol Ann Duffy and Jackie Kay. And a couple of years ago I happened to fall into conversation with none other than Germaine Greer as she consumed a refreshing shandy before a panel event. The hot topic she chose? The traffic diversions and snarl-ups she’d encountered on her way home from an event the previous night. Not quite what I was expecting.

​As an editor, I’ve loved being able to hear experts like linguist David Crystal and The Times columnist Oliver Kamm talking about language and usage. I’ve attended panel discussions on English as a global language, the author–editor relationship and how not to write bad sex. And at this year’s BLF there are sessions on cultural appropriation in writing, how to get published, crime writing and thrillers, how to make writing pay, and the power of podcasts. Professional development has rarely been this enjoyable.

I’m always impressed by the wide range of events at BLF. There’s classic literature and contemporary crime fiction, there’s poetry and rap, there’s magic and fairy tales, there’s feminism and religion, there’s music, comedy, film, politics, heritage tours, walks... And this year, there’s even an event devoted to tea! It’s a great opportunity to immerse yourself in something you love, or dip your toe into something new. Expect to laugh, cry, think, enjoy and relax, and to come away inspired, informed and challenged. What more could you ask for?

Bradford has a rich literary and cultural heritage, and that plays a part in BLF. Inevitably, perhaps, the Brontës are often featured – and this year is no exception – but there’s always a real desire to explore their work in new and interesting ways. Other local talents also come under the spotlight. Once again, the work of Bradford playwright Andrea Dunbar (Rita, Sue and Bob Too) is considered, while Poet Laureate Simon Armitage – who hails from nearby Marsden – will discuss his new translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. There’ll be discussions on topics that resonate in the city, including The Satanic Verses, Islamophobia and Bradford City AFC, and tours of Undercliffe Cemetery, the Jewish Quarter, Bradford Police Museum and Little Germany. It’s a great way to learn about the area’s history and find out more about some of the hot topics of the day.

Say ‘literature festival’ and many people think it isn’t for them. But I’m sure at least some would reconsider if they took a look at the programme and tried out an event or two. There’s a great variety of stuff that’s designed to appeal to all age groups and to reflect Bradford’s diverse communities. Most events take place in or around the city centre, and some are free. And as well as the usual discounts for students, senior citizens and disabled people, there are special tickets for refugees, asylum seekers and benefit recipients (the cost of a ticket is refunded on attendance, which means free entry!).

Bradford has a chequered history when it comes to education, and many of its schools still struggle with literacy and educational attainment. I think BLF can only be a good thing in this respect. The programme’s chock-full of stuff for children and young people. There are plenty of free activities, including two Baby Raves, for which I’m considering borrowing a baby. And the festival has a great schools programme, which includes author events, performances, writing workshops, and author visits to schools. Oh, to be young again…

​I think the fact that Bradford can put on a festival of such quality is a demonstration of what’s best about this vibrant city and its culture. During previous festivals I’ve spent time in the Festival Hub in City Park, and it’s a great place to hang out, grab a coffee and enjoy the buzz. I’ve been interested to see the inside of some of the city’s great buildings, such as City Hall and the Midland Hotel, and I can confirm that there’s more to Bradford than dark satanic mills and sink estates. And even if only a fraction of the city’s population comes to BLF events, many more – especially children and young people – will surely benefit from its effects.

So, there it is. Once again, I can’t wait for BLF and for the chance to learn something new, be challenged and entertained, and perhaps even find out about visiting celebrities’ travel headaches. Bring it on!

Facebook has many helpful features – some obvious, some less so. Here are six tips to help you to make the most of your Facebook experience, whether you’re using it mainly for personal or for business purposes.
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I’ve given instructions for Facebook on a PC and an Android phone, but you should be able to find the same features on a Mac or an iPhone. And do bear in mind that Facebook changes from time to time, so these features might appear in a different place in future – or even disappear altogether!

​If you want to receive notifications when something’s been added to a post, Facebook has a useful feature that’s worth knowing about. In the top right-hand corner of each post there’s a drop-down menu (click on the three dots to reveal it). Simply choose ‘Turn on notifications for this post’. And if you want to turn off notifications, you can do that from the drop-down menu too.

​Of course, you should automatically receive a notification if you’ve already contributed to the thread. But there’s no need to type ‘Following’ or ‘F’ in the comments just to make that happen. Far better to turn on notifications from the menu so that you’re not cluttering the thread. Your friends and colleagues will thank you for it.

We’ve all had the experience of seeing something on Facebook, thinking we’d go back later to read it, and then not being able to find it. The same drop-down menu you use to turn notifications on and off also has a ‘Save link’ option. Click on that and it’ll be saved for you, without you having to comment on the thread. 

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• On a PC, that should be in the ‘Explore’ list on the left-hand side of your personal newsfeed (your personal newsfeed is what you see when you click ‘Home’ at the top of the page). 

​You can even organise the links into ‘Collections’ (e.g. work, health, music), making them even easier to find.

Facebook groups are a great way to connect with others through shared interests. For example, many editors and proofreaders enjoy reading and taking part in discussions in the Editors’ Association of Earth public group and its associated closed groups.
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Before starting to post in a group – whatever type of group it is – it’s a good idea to read the rules. Many groups have guidelines on the types of posts allowed. For example, are you allowed to advertise (either your own products and services or those of someone else)? There are often other rules about what is and isn’t acceptable.

It’s important to follow all the guidelines. It makes the job of the group admin(s) so much easier, avoids wasting everyone’s time, and makes the group experience far more pleasant and productive for all users. If it’s a professional group – like the ones for editors and proofreaders, for example – following the rules helps you to maintain your professional image.
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And if you decide you don’t like a particular group’s rules, you can always start your own!

​One useful aspect of Facebook groups is the search feature. This enables you to look for previous discussions on a particular topic so that you don’t run the risk of asking a question that’s already been answered. 

One thing you need to be aware of when commenting on a Facebook thread – whether that’s on a friend’s timeline, on a page, or in a group – is the privacy settings.

​This is where the privacy details appear on the group page on a phone:

​And on a PC:

Facebook’s algorithms are such that it’s difficult to control what you see in your newsfeed. But there’s one useful feature that does at least allow you to hide specific posts from friends, pages and groups if you’d rather not see them again (for whatever reason).
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When you see the post in your newsfeed, click on the three dots in the top right-hand corner of the post to find the same drop-down menu mentioned in Tip 2 above. Simply choose ‘Hide post’. You’ll notice that there are also options to ‘Snooze’ a particular person for 30 days, or ‘Unfollow’ them completely so that you won’t see their posts at all (but you’ll still be friends). Very handy!

​You’ll only see the full menu with this option if you click on the post in your newsfeed, rather than, for example, within a group, or on a page or a friend’s timeline. 

​So there we are: six little tips that can make a big difference to your – and other people’s – experience of Facebook. I hope you find them useful!