Recommended: reference books about editing
Cultivate excellence. We believe these titles offer useful, interesting ways of thinking about language and communication — in any medium.*
The books about editing are great for novice and experienced editors and writers. Keep them near to clear the cobwebs and settle disputes.
- Use Dupré for fast, practical answers.
- Try Hofstadter and Bringhurst to inspire yourself (and to impress visitors).
Give them a few minutes daily and find yourself cultivating excellence — editorial and otherwise.
Books about editing
It’s about so much more than grammar and spelling… but those, too.
A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communications
Why, commas really DO make a difference!
The Art, Craft, and Business of Book Publishing
A Guide to Debugging Your Prose
A Modern Guide for Editors and Journalists — Arthur Plotnick
English language
Strunk — because if we don’t know our history, we’re doomed to repeat it. And it’s surprisingly helpful to understand where today’s rules came from when considering contemporary usage.
An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style
Compact Edition
Strunk: Writing Strategies with Grammar, New Lessons on Writing with Style
2015 edition, Jeremy Butterfield ed.
A Game for Language Lovers, Grammar Geeks, and Bibliophiles
Typography
A different kind of art… with dashes of science, biology, and psychology.
Renowned typographer Robert Bringhurst
Just like Gill: exasperating, exorbitant, exciting.
Lessons, exercises, and examples
Left Field
Challenging how we think, and because most editors benefit by also being generalists.
Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In
An Eternal Golden Braid
Why worry about website typography?
You will find an interesting overview in this article concerning design and typography, from the respected website “A List Apart.” When you are convinced, order a copy of Bringhurst — it’s invaluable.
* External Design is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. That does not determine our choice of titles.
