Collins Dictionary for Writers And Editors

by Martin H. Manser

A comprehensive collection of entries designed to sweep the minefield of the English language and provide you with the only reference you will need for writing, editing and proofreading. Well-known or well known? Affect or effect? Majorca or Mallorca? Royal Family or royal family? Spell check cannot be relied upon to help you with the trickest aspects of the English language. So even the most sophisticated writers of English will be faced with these and many similar problems in the quest for clear, elegant and correct writing. The Collins Dictionary for Writers and Editors answers these and thousands of other usage conundrums. So, whether you're a writer, proofreader or editor, for books, periodicals or websites, it should be your essential reference. With accessible information covering everything from style and Americanization (or Americanisation), to proofreading marks and transliterations, this is the only reference you will need. Also includes / abbreviations and acronyms / misspellings / compound words / plurals / capitalization / apostrophes / titles

Genres: Writing

480 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Martin Manser is a professional reference-book editor. Since 1980 he has compiled or edited nearly 200 reference books. He has also compiled and edited many titles that encourage Bible reading.

Reviews

[Joanna Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful detailed reference!

[Lydia St Giles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This dictionary is not in competition with the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. The words are not followed by phonetic renderings or definitions of grammatical function. No, this is a volume “giving reliable guidance on problematic words, names etc, stylistic conventions and usage.” Professional writers and editors are the intended readership and they can be confident of producing work that will stand close inspection.
As with a normal dictionary, entries are single words or phrases, listed in A - Z order. The notes concentrate on any problems that word may create for the editor. For example, the word ‘decades’ instructs us to “use 1820s, 1960s, etc., without apostrophe. Century digits may be replaced by apostrophe (e.g. during the ‘40s and ‘50s) in less formal contexts, or the shortened number may be spelt out, especially in names, which may have capital initials (e.g. the Roaring Twenties).”
Among the categories covered by the book are: misspellings, acronyms, homophones, sensitive terms and trademarks. Personally, I found the advice on hyphens (provided under the word itself) invaluable in preparing text for printing. The Appendices list proofreading marks, scientific symbols, transliteration of other alphabets, the Beaufort scale - it measures the force of the wind - and, finally, diacritical marks used in European languages.
Definitely one for the reference shelf.

[Suzanne Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. So useful for editing Barque, and I've used it on everything I write now.