Mechanics of Writing Editing

Mechanics in Writing

• Mechanics in writing refer to the rules and technicalities that assist with readability, clarity, and flow.
• Editing for mechanics involves checking for spelling, punctuation, and capitalization errors.

Editing Processes and Tips

• The editing process involves multiple stages, including developmental edits, line edits, and editing for mechanics.
• Developmental edits focus on the core ideas and organization of the writing.
• Line edits focus on word choice and phrasing.
• Editing for mechanics is the final stage, where editors check for spelling, punctuation, and capitalization errors.

Editing for Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization

• Spelling errors can include misspelled words and incorrect word usage.
• Editors use dictionaries and thesauruses to verify spellings and word usage.
• Punctuation errors include sentence fragments and run-on sentences.
• Sentence fragments lack a subject, verb, or both.
• Run-on sentences combine two or more independent clauses without proper separation.
• Capitalization rules include: • Capitalizing the first letter of a sentence • Capitalizing proper nouns (e.g., names, locations, events) • Capitalizing normal words in formal titles or when referring to specific people

Examples of Editing for Mechanics

• A paragraph with mechanics errors can be corrected by: • Separating independent clauses with punctuation • Correcting spelling mistakes (e.g., "righting" to "writing") • Capitalizing the first letter of a sentence • Using correct word usage (e.g., "acceptable" instead of "exceptable")