Example Line Editing (exercise)

New writers may wonder what "line editing" means. It consists of an editor reading -- line by line -- for any mistakes. These may be obvious ones--such as a misspelled word or improper use of a "sound alike" word. Editors mark cliches or overworn phrases as well. Editors at this stage also look at punctuation and suggest fixes. For example, in dialogue, the comma always sits within the last quotation mark, rather than after it.


I thought I'd use a well-known piece to show errors an editor might look for and mark (for the writer to correct). Read through the Gettysburg Address and mark the errors you find. Just highlight the Address, put it in Notepad so you can easily change whatever you notice. (Don't use Word for this exercise, since the program will note the errors. Try to do this exercise without help from a spellschecker or grammar program.

At the end of this post, I'll include the correct version. No, no peeking!

Version WITH ERRORS

The Gettysburg Address, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, November 19, 1863

For score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all mene are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testting whether that nation, or any nation so concieved and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who hear gave there lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fiting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger cents, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say hear, but it can never forget what they did hear. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated hear to the unfinished work which they who fought hear have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather bee fore us to be hear dedicated to the great task remaining bee fore us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, fore the people, shall not perish from the earth.



Did you find the errors?

If you think you found them all, your last task is to read it through again. This last read-through helps to make sure you caught everything.








CORRECT VERSION

The Gettysburg Address, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, November 19, 1863.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.



When you compare the original with your corrected version, did you find all the errors?


These are the types of tasks writers should do on their own work before submitting to a publisher. However, it never hurts to hire a line Editor and ask that they review your work again. It's well worth the money if it helps you get published.


Judith