Tools of the trade... Editing...

[nadinbrzezinski]

These days I am in the midst of some heavy duty academic writing. I don't know whether it is because of that, or what... but I rediscovered the joy of using a blue pencil to mark documents. Yep, a simple, blue pencil, that allows me to simply edit... and mark up documents. I have tried over the years many other tools, but a nice blue pencil works very well.

Now my question is... will I be able to find these little blue pencils here? You see, this one I took from mom's oh over seven months ago. It is like oh over thirty years old, since it's lived in a drawer for that long. But if you can, find a nice simple PENCIL, with a colored lead. It is... a joy.

[nuxvomica]

1. In my proofreading days, we always used red pens

But I've heard of the blue pencil before and I think I'll try it. Is just any blue pencil okay or is there a special kind for editing?

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. If you can find Verithin

they have thin hard cores... that means they don't break and have a nice blue line.

I might ask sis to get me some or go check the local art store tomorrow. No, not Aaron brothers though... I found them online, and if locally I cannot find them, I will order a cool dozen. Should be enough for a life time.

LOL

Oh and go for indigo blue

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Just ordered from Amazon

Verithin 2443, that is blue indigo...

It will be a box of 12... and that should last me a while.

[Orrex]

4. Any art supply store will sell individual colored pencils

You might even get lucky and find them at a hobby or craft store.

Heck, go whole-hog and invest a buck at the local "dollar store," and you'll get a dozen pencils including blue!



I've always made do with black or blue pens, for the most part. I'm an aggressive editor of my own work, so that the aftermath of revision looks like a madman's scribblings over whatever I'd written in the first place.



And I'd also like to give a shout-out to any cavedwellers who might be joining us. Hi, voyeuristic knuckleheads!

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. The very hard core of this one makes a difference though

I actually splurged and got a box of 12... should last me a while...

And I am tempted to give kids photocopies of early drafts so they can see what I mean about editing.... or not. I mean professors are supposed to be perfect...

Still I will be requiring essay exams so I may give them examples of draft zeros and further down the line. So they can see what I mean about editing.

[Orrex]

6. I wonder if Staples of Office Depot would have such pencils?

Seems like they might sell them by the box for teachers, etc.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Went looking and no cigar

I know that I could ask sis to get them in Mexico, where they do indeed sell them at the local store. Hell, the bicolor, blue and red, is required for kids up to these days. But they are going to be busy.

[Ineeda]

8. I think blue pencil was traditionally used

(long, long ago) because it wouldn't show up in photocopies. That was when photocopy machines were all B&W. I don't know if you have to get color copies nowadays to have the blue editorial markings display.