Е. Казакова - Практикум по чтению и переводу профессиональных текстов по книгоизданию и редактированию. Английский язык

6. Aim for compelling, clear copy. Write for the 8—10th grade reader. Don’t try to impress with pompous words such as «utilize.» Always think «What’s in it for them?»

7. Use specific nouns and names. General references don’t engage your readers’ emotions. Let them see the size, color, and shape. Rather than say, «Write your book fast to make lifelong income,» say «Write and finish your book fast so you can take that long vacation to a Caribbean island.» Money alone doesn’t motivate, but what we can do with it does.

8. Let go of certain adverbs. Words like very, suddenly, and sparingly, tell instead of show. Use adverbs as often as you celebrate your birthday. Did I show, rather than tell? Your readers are hungry to experience feelings as well as picture themselves in your examples.

9. Let go of adjectives. Instead of saying, She is a super-intelligent person,» you could say, «She’s a genius.»

10. Appeal to the senses of sight, sound, and emotions. Telling is not effective. Instead of «Buy this book today because it is so useful,» say, «Would you like to double, even quadruple your Online income in three months?»

11. Cut redundancies. Too much repetition in your texts speaks boring or «talking down» to your readers. Be willing to part with some of your «precious» words. Your first edit should reduce your words at least by one-fourth.

12. Don’t use pompous words to try to impress your reader. Use the shortest, simplest, most well-know word. Check your word’s number of syllables. The more syllables, the more difficult.

13. Keep the subject and verb as close together as possible. Don’t make your reader work to get the meaning.

14. Use the present or past tense of the verb rather than the "-ing“ form of the verb. Instead of „she is singing,“ say, „she sings or she sang.

15. Put your point at the end of a sentence, a paragraph, or chapter for emphasis. This position hooks the reader to pause and notice or hooks him to keep reading.

16. Cut cliches. Once, original metaphors, cliches age and become trite. Instead of «Birds of a Feather Flock Together,» you could say, «Birds of a Feather Need to Fly Away.»

Make your texts sculptured and painted like a fine work of art. Your word choices do make a difference – both in commercial acceptance as well as audience understanding.

Self-editing will help.

Comments:

Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach, Author of 10 eBooks including «Write your eBook Fast,» and «How to Market your Business on the Internet,» she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says…and Business Tip of the Month at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtmland over 140 free texts.

3. Answer the following questions:

1. Want is the aim of the text?

2. What recommendations do you follow on your writing?

3. Why should we avoid complex words?

4. Why is it better to cut redundancies?

5. What is recommended about the introduction?

6. What Grammar recommendations are given by the author?

7. What kind of words is it better to use?

4. Translate the sentences into Russian:

1. Your texts also bring people to your Web site to buy your products. Use this checklist to edit your own work.

2. While it’s best to get at least two other edits from business associates, you can edit your texts yourself with a little help.

3. Your readers want to get to the heart of your text fast. They want easy-to- read quick tips. Long stories can bring a yawn to your reader.

4. Complex sentences and multiple phrases make the reading tougher. Make it easy for your readers to find the subject and verb of each sentence, so they get the point fast.

5. Cut redundancies. Too much repetition in your texts speaks boring or «talking down» to your readers

6. Don’t use pompous words to try to impress your reader.

7. Use the shortest, simplest, most well-know word.

8. Make your texts sculptured and painted like a fine work of art. Your word choices do make a difference – both in commercial acceptance as well as audience understanding.

5. Give the English equivalents from the text given above:

Статьи привлекут читателя на веб-сайт; коллеги по бизнесу; временами; находящийся под рукой, чтобы отредактировать статью; с небольшой помощью; уловить суть статьи; проверить количество слогов; избегать использование страдательного залога; заставить зевать; затруднить чтение (сделать его труднее); легкие для чтения намеки; быстро понять суть статьи; зрение, слух, чувства; деньги сами по себе не мотивируют; сократить повторы; хорошо известные слова; произвести впечатление на читателя; использовать самые короткие слова, в коммерческом отношении; произведение изящного искусства; понимание аудитории, редактирование самого себя.

6. Fill in the gaps with the words from the text:

1) Knowing these __________, you want to create and submit as many excellent texts as you can.

2) __________ of adjectives. Instead of saying, She is a super-intelligent person,» you could say, «She’s a genius».

3) Keep the __________ and verb as __________ together as possible.

4) Put your point at the end of a sentence, a paragraph, or chapter for __________.

5) Make your texts __________ and painted like a __________ of art.

7. Translate into English:

1. Статьи привлекут читателей на ваш сайт, если вы последуете ряду советов.

2. Не используйте сложные предложения, чтобы не заставлять читателей зевать.

3. Сократите повторы, которые затрудняют чтение статей.

4. Облегчите структуру предложения, чтобы читатель мог быстро найти подлежащее и сказуемое и сразу же понять основную мысль.

5. Можно привлечь ваших коллег к редактированию, но проще редактировать самому, если следовать определенным советам.

6. Следует использовать самые короткие, простые и общеизвестные слова.

7. Выбор слов будет содействовать наилучшему пониманию и коммерческому успеху статей.

8. Compose the dialogues on the topics:

1. How do you understand the statement: «Make your texts sculptured and painted like a fine work of art»

2. What is the main advice on the self-editing which you have found in the text.

1. Read and learn the following words and expressions:

1. to step through – пройти через

2. account – отчет

3. to illuminate – проливать свет, освещать

4. creativity – творческие способности, творческий потенциал

5. mortality – смертность

6. transience- быстротечность, мимолетность