Two Quick Questions - line edit vs. critique / SASE vs. S.A.S.E.

DonnaDuck · May 16, 2008

One that I feel a little embarassed about.

What, exactly, is a line edit and how does it differ from a critique? I'm under the impression that a line is, essentially, a line by line edit of the work looking for basic issues with the writing's spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. Is that relatively close?

Another and pretty irrelevant, why is is "an" SASE instead of "a" SASE? I came across a blog post on Miss Snark's blog and she says "it just makes sense." Well, I'm not seeing the logic there. SASE is short for "self-addessed stamped envelope." You don't ask for an self-addressed stamped envelope. You ask for a self-addressed stamped envelope. So why is it "an" in its acronym form? Every time I say it, it sounds forced. Anyone?

dpaterso · May 16, 2008

Your line edit definition sounds right.

Although SASE looks like an acronym and by golly ought to be, it's still pronounced letter by letter, S.A.S.E. (by everyone I talk to, anyway) hence "an" before the "ess"

-Derek

alleycat · May 16, 2008

I've seen the SASE question debated before. The thing is that some people pronounce it as "say-ze" (mentally, even if they're just reading it) and some people think of it as individual letters.

Which is "officially" right? I don't know.

IceCreamEmpress · May 16, 2008

If you think of it as "an ess-ay-ess-ee" then use "an". If you think of it as "a say-zee" then use "a".

Georganna Hancock · May 16, 2008

You asked how line editing differs from a critique. Obviously you do know what line editing is. A critique is not editing. It is a reading of the work and providing feedback about it. A professional critique should let you know about the strengths and weaknesses of a piece of writing and an estimation (opinion) of its market potential. It can provide suggestions for improvement, and one of these might be, "This piece needs editing."

The critique and the edit are two different ways of looking at your writing. One takes a global view of the story, while the other is a nit-picking perusal of the writing.

I hope this helps.

DonnaDuck · May 16, 2008

Thanks everyone. I was pretty sure I knew what line editing was but just needed some clarification. And perhaps I should have just used "edit" instead of critique since I've done critiques before and I know what they are.

I've always pronounces SASE as "sassy" but I can see how it would be an if you actually say out the letters but how cumbersome is that?

HeronW · May 16, 2008

Not nearly as long as the old WYSIWYG for screens
wisseewig :}

Two Quick Questions - line edit vs. critique / SASE vs. S.A.S.E.

DonnaDuck

My Worlds Are Building

dpaterso

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels

alleycat

Still around

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago

Georganna Hancock

she's back!

DonnaDuck

My Worlds Are Building

HeronW

Down Under Fan