Monthly Archives: December 2013

Copy Editing Commandment #7: Thou Shalt Not Lose Thy Clients’ Files

Not so long ago, editors worked on hard copy, so a manuscript was treated with kid gloves. Can you imagine losing or damaging the only copy of a text? Not a fun conversation to have with your client.

But handling files effectively is important today, too. Save the original file, and back it up. If the file is long or made up of chapters, it’s best to save each part or chapter separately within a folder. When you’re ready to edit, open the file and rename it so that you’re working on a duplicate, not on the original.

I’m sure there are some lost-manuscript horror stories out there. Thankfully, the only thing to worry about losing in this day and age is face. But who wants to look irresponsible and unorganized by asking for files to be re-sent?

Copy Editing Commandment #6: Thou Shalt Not Miss a Critical Deadline

Today’s commandment is again credited to Einsohn’s Copyeditor’s Handbook. Pretty self-explanatory, right? After all, the freelance editor and the client sign a contract at the beginning of their working relationship agreeing to delivery dates. But what if there is a delay? What if the editor has made queries to the author, and the author isContinue Reading

Copy Editing Commandment #5: Thou Shalt Not Change the Author’s Meaning

Today’s commandment comes from Amy Einsohn’s Copyeditor’s Handbook. Copy editors do not develop or rewrite text; they make text clear and coherent. If the copy editor is confused by a text, readers will be, too. But the copy editor doesn’t assume the author’s meaning; the copy editor queries the author about ambiguities. Queries should beContinue Reading

Copy Editing Commandment #4: Thou Shalt Be Consistent

Maintaining consistency throughout a text is a basic editing skill. The list of items to keep consistent is long and varied: capitalized words (Moon or moon, for example) numbers (when to use figures, when to use words, how to treat dates, times, etc.) abbreviations (when to use them, how to punctuate them, what articles toContinue Reading

Copy Editing Commandment #3: Thou Shalt Omit Needless Words

One of J. D.  Salinger’s children once commented in an interview that getting the attention of the reclusive writer was difficult. Salinger apparently would not respond when one of his children said, “Dad?” Rather, he would wait for them to say whatever it was they wanted to say. Of course, thinking that he wasn’t listening,Continue Reading

Typo Trouble

Hydro Ottawa recently sent out a flyer with a pretty serious typo: The peak billing period for electricity use is incorrectly stated. The flyer says 7 am to 11 pm instead of 7 am to 11 am. This error also occurs in the French translation. The director of communications says that one or two employeesContinue Reading