Kitaboshi editor's pencils + printing out a hard copy for edits

Sage advice — and while this is a pencil, not a pen, it's tried-and-true tool in an editor's arsenal.

A format change is an underrated editorial tool: seeing something on paper vs. a screen opens up a whole new perspective, which is why I print out hard copies of work I edit. You can use any old pen or highlighter for your notes, but I love using a true editor's pencil, because it makes me think of all the people throughout history reading carefully and quietly behind the scenes to help make something the best it can be. The blue side was for printer instructions and the red for text changes.