We're at the halfway point of the month, and that means we need to solidify our partners for this challenge. Because of the amount of planning and work that goes into this challenge, everyone who wants to participate needs to find a partner ASAP. If you don't have one yet, please say so in the comments so you can find someone.
Once again, here are the rules:
1. Find a partner for this exercise and get their contact information. Those nifty new profiles we got recently on Bitmob include several ways for you to get in contact with your partner, so make sure your Twitter and/or Facebook fields are filled out. If you don’t have anyone in mind that you want to partner up with, speak up in the comments so you can hook up with someone. If there is an odd number of people, I will partner with whomever is left.
2. Write a 400- to 800-word article about any subject you like, but don’t proofread it. (Note that this is never a good idea in ordinary circumstances. This is only for the purposes of the prompt.)
3. Send your article to your partner for editing.
4. Edit your partner’s work. Remember to check for grammar, clarity, and proper formatting. However, don’t change the text itself. Instead make a parenthetical note in highlighted text next to any sentences you think should be changed. (Like this.) Explain why where necessary. If it is a grammar issue, identify what the issue is. If it is an awkward sentence, say that it is awkward and indicate what should be changed. Issues with whole paragraphs should go at the end of the problem paragraph and issues with the structure of the entire piece should go at the end of the piece. Be as brief as possible.
A good starting resource for editing is this Bitmob article about helpful writing tips, but there are a number of good grammar and style guides you can use. [Bitmob generally uses AP style. -Ed.] For formatting tips, check out this post. When you’re done, send the edits back to your partner.
5. When you get your own edited piece back, make all changes, indicate who edited it at the top of the article, and post the complete article to the Mobfeed with the tag Editor’s Choice. Also, post the edit sheet you received intact and unchanged as Page 2 of the article, highlighted notes and all.
There are two finished entries here and here, so look at those articles if you need an example of what you're supposed to do. Entries are due November 1, 2010. I’ll collect them and post a roundup of all the articles soon after that.
