Why Words Need to Work their Best By John S. Geddes, MA, Dipl. Journalism It's a cut-throat world out there, especially now that the Internet is established as 'the way' to access your readership. Combine this with the reality that never before has the world been so saturated with information (and misinformation!) and you have a highly challenging arena to confront. Worse, many writers have been given a false sense of security by dependence upon software packages. These 'autopilot authors' have compromised their craft by failing to recognize that good writing requires a sharp and critical eye trained on everything from first to final draft. Writing software packages only work within their own short 'job descriptions'. They can't promise a perfect text, much less the intended message! Good editing demands a trained human eye! In my experience, the most common problem faced by many writers is the failure to trim the flab from their work. Whether it's shaving down a word count for an academic paper or making sentences pithier and punchier, rest assured that The Text Vet® can present your words in the best possible light!		It occurred to me whilst pursuing my MA at Buckingham University that many writers (be they native speakers or not) have trouble with English language and expression. The language itself can be difficult to wield and there are also various conventions to follow while working within the many disciplines of writing. Scientific writing demands a treatment different from that used for a Humanities paper, and both are a far cry from writing advertising copy. Numerous books have been written governing good grammar. In the 1940s, Usage and Abusage provided brilliant guidance on how to use English best. But that was then: English is a living language; modern readers have modern expectations. Venturing out unprepared with your written work is like trying to drive an unsafe car amid the thundering rush of the highway. It only takes one mistake to make your writing 'crash' and keep it from succeeding as well as it should. Why leave it to chance? My Eagle eye is consistently drawn to errors in works ranging from high profile journalism to obscure biographies. Beyond embarrassment, these errors will result in a crushing loss of credibility with possible examination or business failure. It only takes one typographical error, one poorly worded sentence, bad formatting or a failure to appreciate English idioms to turn off prospective clients.
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