After a few weeks of editing class, I feel myself editing everything I read. Sixth grade was the last time I thought about coordinating and subordinating conjunctions or comparative and superlative adverbs. I use them all of the time, but now I am reminded of what they are called and how to properly use them.
Once revisiting grammar rules, I have found myself practicing my editing skills regularly. I have never done this in the past, but the habit seems to be taking over. For example, I am performing a very redundant task of sticking 14,000 labels (yes, 14,000!) onto postcards for a soy food program at work. As boring as it is, I continually find myself thinking that I would use a different word choice, select better pictures, and use fewer complicated sentences for the postcard. Although I think the communication manager does an outstanding job, I might have changed a few things after being reminded of editing issues.
Now I wonder if I am going to ever be able to read anything without critiquing it in my head. I critique text messages, headlines, emails, and even my 8 year old sister’s writing. (How horrible is that?) I am glad I am being more conscientious about writing, but I also hope to learn how to enjoy reading and learn not to criticize everything. Mistakes are bound to happen.
Note: To check out some headlines with some major editing issues, check out http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/505755/newspaper_headline_typos.html?cat=2. Some of the headlines with editing errors are humorous.
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I have been doing the exact same thing. I think I have looked in the AP Stylebook more times in the past three weeks than I have my entire college career. Since we are journalism majors (I'm assuming you are), I feel that it is a good thing that we are always critiquing not only our writing, but other writing as well. After all, that is the point of this class; to be able to look at a piece of writing and see of there are any mistakes and how we can make it better. Looks like there is no more pleasure reading for us.
ReplyDeleteI can definitely see your point, Kayla. "Re-learning" grammar has affected the way I read daily. As a college student, I go crazy reading my friends' e-mails, facebook posts and text messages. Before J420, I found myself, like many other college students, forgetting the eight parts of speech and what transitive and intransitive verbs mean.
ReplyDeleteHowever, at least we are getting better at what we do - writing! I think as we go along in our professional careers, we will learn how to look past this grammatical dilemma.