Media is changing our language, and it is up to us to preserve it. Take it from me, a proud advocate of and for generation Z and young millennials. There are so many news reports and articles about how our language is changing “for the worse.” However, with a proactive approach, we can be sure that it progresses for the better. We can use new media to share our innovative ideas through carefully crafted words.
The internet has allowed many people who would have never written in a public forum to share their ideas with the masses. This means that we are connected with writers’ words from around the world. The very idea that I can read a guide about meditation by a writer from Africa, a paranormal romance book by an independent author residing in the UK, and an eBook about vampires by a young author in New York City (all books that I did read this week) is a truly magical idea that our ancestors could have never dreamed of. The ease of finding such varied topics written by authors of all nations is a great opportunity to create a smarter, more well-rounded, and more connected society. However, without properly curated content, this will not be possible.
My concern and the concern of many copyeditors is the ease of sending and receiving this information, which causes the quality of some content to decline. It is all too easy to publish a work with errors. I see many “they’re” and “their” mix-ups, incorrect adverb usage, and careless misspellings on a daily basis that could have been easily avoided with just a bit more time and attention to the work. I cite this as proof of how we must be more careful when crafting our content and why copyeditng is crucial.
Copyediting is more important than ever. Instead of information overload and saturation, if we put more thought into what was released, we would all benefit from the higher quality of content. Copyediting is a crucial step in the process of releasing the best content possible, and there are many talented copyeditors who are dedicated to working diligently on such content. Technology has afforded more people the opportunity to copyedit because of this increase in online materials and ease of connecting with others. I began freelance copyediting when I was still in high school. Each essay and article I copyedited varied in topic, and I would help the authors shape their works into something that would add societal value. When a work is free of errors, it appeals to the reader, unlike works with blatant errors that negate an author’s intentions.
The future of language is still evolving. As the Internet and technology develop, so will our communication. We must be more mindful of the information we release, as to preserve the English language. This means that copyediting is more important than ever. It is only through the thoughtfulness of copyediting that we can release our best work.
Filed under: editor, Writer, writing
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