Books
From my bookshelf, here are some of my top editing resources for academic and non-fiction writing.
(Bottom right) OK, it’s rude but so much fun. And I suspect it reflects what many of us think. . .!
A must-own guide is the late Gregory Younging’s Elements of Indigenous Style (2nd ed, 2025). Lead editor for this edition is Warren Cariou, with contributions from Deanna Reder, Lorena Sekwan Fontaine, and Jordan Abel
Photos are mine—battered covers and all.
More
- The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (OALD)—especially helpful for English-as-an-additional-language writers.
- Grammar Girl: Quick & Dirty Tips—one of the best and most user-friendly online resources.
- Standard editing tools: e.g., Editing Canadian English, the Canadian Press Stylebook. While the Canadian Oxford Dictionary (2nd ed.) hasn’t been updated since 2004, a new edition appears to be in progress, in collaboration with Editors Canada.
- Style guides for academic/research-based publications—notably the American Psychological Association (APA), 7th edition, Modern Languages Association Handbook (MLA), 8th edition, and the Chicago Manual of Style, 18th edition.
- Stephen King’s About Writing—not only personal reflections on a writing life but a master class in sculpting your style, no matter what you write or edit.
Mixed feelings . . .
- Struck and White’s The Elements of Style. No substitute for more detailed and accurate guides to grammar and style. Why is it still around?
- Lynn Truss’s Eats, Shoots & Leaves. A delightful read, but is it reliable?
Editors and writers: feel free to comment with your own opinions or favourites!
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