Meet Eden Margol, SipC’s Copywriter and Editor

Meet Eden Margol, copywriter and editor for all things SipC. On our team since day one, Eden helps put our thoughts into (grammatically correct!) words. Check out her inspirations, least favorite grammar errors, and not-so-average pets below.

What made you want to get into copywriting and editing?
I’ve always had a niche for catching grammatical errors, so I knew early on that copyediting was the best career path for me. I changed my major from Journalism to English halfway through college and quickly realized that I’d made the right decision. In my graduation letter, one of my professors commented that I write “with such clarity, intelligence, and elegance (the holy triad, as I’ve stated).” That really stuck with me. Also, my mom was a copywriter, editor, and content strategist, so it’s cool to follow in her footsteps!

Do you prefer one to the other? If so, why?
Since I’m a very slow writer, I prefer editing to writing. Catching and fixing errors is easier, faster, and more enjoyable for me. I’m not perfect, but I love the feeling of “perfecting” someone else’s work. In 2020, I took a year-long copyediting course through the University of California at San Diego to improve my current skills, learn as much as possible, and become a certified copyeditor.

What are your top three grammar-related pet peeves?
It’s hard to narrow it down, but here are three errors that make my blood boil:

Could of, should of, would of

The word could’ve, for example, sounds like could of instead of the correct could have. People incorrectly write could of all the time. Don’t be one of those people.

That vs. Who

This is a trickier one that I often see: accidentally identifying people as objects by saying that instead of who. For example, instead of saying “Alex is the one that started SipC”, you’d say: “Alex is the one who started SipC.”

The infamous your vs. you’re

Not explaining this one.🙂

In a world where written communication is essentially texts, DMs, and tweets, do you have to adjust your editing skills for more casual communication?
In casual, friendly communication such as texts and DMs, I don’t think grammar rules apply. I say “ur” in texts and most of my sentences are run-ons. But a business’s social media account, for example, should follow basic grammar rules such as could’ve vs. could of. Every company has its own writing style, and it’s important for editors to keep the general voice of the writer while still editing for the four Cs: clarity, coherency, consistency, and correctness. SipC’s style is always casual yet professional, and I think that’s a great combination.

Tell us about your cat. And snake.
Louie is my four-year-old Persian cat. I got him when I was 20 and had never had a cat before, and now I’m unhealthily obsessed with him. He spends most of his days either napping or trying to catch lizards on the patio.

Mid-quarantine I got the itch to get a new pet. I’ve always loved reptiles, and after weeks of non-stop researching ball pythons, I “ordered” one from a breeder who shipped him to me through FedEx. I thought I was clever by naming him Monty the Python, but now I regret not naming him William Snakespeare.

There’s a stigma around snakes that they’re evil little critters, but ball pythons are very docile and fairly easy to take care of. To answer your questions: no, he’s never tried to bite me; he’s about 3 ft long and will get up to 5 ft; and no, I’m not afraid of him attacking Louie! He’s just a mouse-strangling noodle.

You have been alcohol-free since August last year. How has that impacted your daily life?
Drinking alcohol has never been my favorite (I was in bed by 10:30 pm on my 21^st birthday). So, I decided to quit drinking altogether. I don’t see a difference in my daily life, but it’s nice not having that feeling of “I have to drink because everyone else.” On the rare occasion that I go out with friends, I’ll order a club soda with lime or bring a case of SipClean with me whenever possible.

How do you get cozy?
Getting cozy is pretty standard for me: wrapping myself in a blanket, lighting a candle (Capri Blue’s Volcano is my ride or die), ordering an absurd amount of sushi, and enjoying some Member Berry while bingeing something on Netflix.

Xo, Team SipC