Summary

Roz Warren, a writer and editor, offers to privately notify Medium authors of typos and grammatical errors in their posts, emphasizing the importance of good editing for writers to improve their work.

Abstract

Roz Warren, who identifies as both a writer and an editor, has extensive experience in polishing written work. She expresses her inability to ignore errors in Medium posts, even when enjoying the content. Warren advocates for the value of line editing and promises to send private notes to authors whose work she appreciates, pointing out their mistakes. She believes that a good writer should welcome constructive editing to enhance their craft. While she acknowledges the rudeness of unsolicited extensive edits, she sees it as a service to help fellow writers by correcting obvious errors, always ensuring to applaud the work before providing feedback.

Opinions

Roz Warren views her editing skills as a "Superpower" that she cannot turn off, which compels her to notice and correct errors in Medium posts.
She has a strong negative reaction to typos and grammatical errors, feeling a compulsion to edit and improve the text she reads.
Warren respects the integrity of writers' work and limits her corrections to typos and grammatical errors, unless a more extensive edit would significantly improve the piece.
She believes that a writer should be grateful for good editing, as it is a key factor in becoming a better writer.
Warren practices etiquette by always applauding a post before suggesting corrections, considering it rude to do otherwise.
She is selective in offering her editing assistance, choosing not to engage with posts she does not like or find worth polishing.
Warren is open to receiving feedback on her own work, inviting readers to inform her of any typos or errors they find in her posts.

Medium Writers! I Am An Editor and I WILL Point Out Your Typos

You’re Welcome

I am a writer, but I’m also an editor.

For decades, I’ve worked with writers to polish and publish their prose. I’ve also edited and published over a dozen humor anthologies.

The good news? I’m great at my job. When I read a client’s work, not only will I notice every flaw, but I’ll know just how to correct each one.

The bad news? I can’t turn this Superpower off.

Which means that when I read your latest Medium Masterpiece, even as I’m enjoying it thoroughly, I can’t help but notice all the mistakes. The typos! The grammatical errors! Not to mention the unclear, convoluted or just generally screwed-up sentences.

When it comes right down to it, almost everything on Medium could use a good line edit.

I also notice the good stuff, of course. If a sentence delights me, I will highlight it. Good grammar is also a big turn on. (I recently awarded Lon Shapiro 50 claps for correctly using the word “whom.”)

But whenever I see a typo? I die a little inside.

As I read, I long to edit. Polish. Reorganize. Correct that spelling error! Punch up that joke!

Of course if anybody did that to me I’d be furious. Unless? It actually was an improvement.

Then I’d be thrilled.

A writer recently complained in one of the Medium Facebook forums about a reader who, unasked, had plastered her latest Medium post with multiple suggestions for improvement.

I would never do that! (For one thing, a serious edit like that takes a lot of time and I’m not getting paid.)

I limit myself to pointing out typos and obvious grammatical errors.

If there is a typo or grammatical error in your Medium post, and I like your work? I will send you a private note about it.

(If I don’t like your work? I won’t bother. There’s no point in polishing a turd.)

And, of course, I always clap before I correct.

I can’t think of anything ruder than refusing to clap for a post, then leaving the writer a little note about all the typos in it.

Anyone who would do that is a monster.

How have my fellow writers responded to my little corrective notes?

So far they’ve been okay with this. In fact, most of them have thanked me.

And that’s how it should be.

A good writer welcomes good editing. That’s how a good writer gets even better.

So if you find a typo or other grievous error in this post?

Do me a favor and tell me all about it.

Writing Coach and editor Roz Warren can help you improve and publish your work. Roz writes for everyone from the Funny Times to the New York Times, has been in 16 Chicken Soup for the Soul collections, and has published 15 books, including a collection of library humor called Our Bodies, Our Shelves. Drop her a line at [email protected]. (That’s Ros with an “s,” not a “z.”)

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