Tools of the Trade

By Neal Hock (@HocksEditing)

Neal is the owner of Hock’s Editing Services. I hired Neal for several of my projects and can attest to his integrity and work ethic. In this post he talks about the essential tools that serious writers and editors should have at their disposal.

One of the questions I’m frequently asked by authors is, what are some of the resources I should have? There are numerous resources available for writers, editors, and everyday people who write. The following resources are the ones I use most frequently during my editing process, and they would be helpful additions to any writer’s library.

A good dictionary. Many people will say a thesaurus is a writer’s best friend. I respectfully disagree. I believe it’s important to master what words truly mean before trying to use a large variety of them. The dictionary I prefer is The American Heritage College Dictionary, a trustworthy resource that is well respected. Other dictionaries that are dependable include Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Webster’s New World College Dictionary, New Oxford American Dictionary, and Random House Webster’s College Dictionary. Since the English language is constantly changing, make sure you have the most recent edition of your dictionary of choice.
A good thesaurus. As with dictionaries, there are a number of good thesauruses available. Roget’s International Thesaurus is widely considered the industry standard. Others include Synonym Finder by J. I. Rodale, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Thesaurus, and The American Heritage College Thesaurus.
A good style guide. A style guide helps a writer sort through the ins and outs of what recommended manuscript style is for things like capitalization, use of italics, and when to use quotation marks. The Chicago Manual of Style is considered by many as the industry standard, and it’s my guide of choice. There are other reliable style guides available, such as Words into Type, The Elements of Style by Strunk and White, and Merriam-Webster’s Guide to Punctuation and Style.
A good usage guide. Usage guides are very helpful when deciding things like when to use awhile and a while, should it be alright or all right, and what the proper use of comprise is. My two favorite guides are Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage and Garner’s Modern American Usage by Bryan A. Garner. Other useful ones include The Careful Writer by Theodore M. Bernstein, Modern American Usage by Wilson Follett, and A Dictionary of Modern English Usage by H. W. Fowler. Having one good usage guide will suffice, but I recommend owning at least two, as there are conflicting opinions about what is good usage. The more guides you are able to consult, the better idea you will have about the varying opinions for a topic.
General grammar books. This category covers a wide range of books, but I’m referring to the ones that make grammar topics approachable rather than daunting. Some of my favorites include The Handbook of Good English by Edward D. Johnson, Woe Is I by Patricia T. O’Conner, and The Elements of Grammar by Margaret Shertzer.
A large TBR pile. There’s nothing better than reading other authors’ works to learn firsthand what good writing looks like.

These recommendations are not exhaustive, but if you’re serious about your writing, these resources will serve you well. Whether you’re self-publishing, trying to land a deal with a traditional publisher, or just wanting to add to your writing toolbox, these references are valuable tools to have at your disposal.

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Thesaurus or Dictionary ? (nolanparker.wordpress.com)
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Turns out it is acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition (respublica.typepad.com)


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