Editorial Triage

Today, I saw this editor’s oath on the website of Copyediting. The oath is a list—similar to my ten commandments of copy editing—of 10 things every copy editor should do—or not do.

Number 9 caught my eye: “Don’t ignore errors; triage them.” When time is tight, editorial triage is important because a text should present as a cohesive whole. Readers will be jarred and confused by a text with a carefully edited first half followed by a barely edited second half. Triage allows the editor to ascertain what level of edit can be applied to the whole text in the allotted time. But how does an editor decide which editorial changes are most important?

She should ask the publisher, of course. The publisher’s priorities always come first. Typically, the publisher wants to avoid embarrassment and potential lawsuits. To avoid the former, the editor ensures internal consistency of facts, cleans up spelling, and corrects serious errors in grammar and punctuation. To avoid the latter, the editor identifies items that require permissions.

Also of top priority are items that orient readers, such as the table of contents and the numbering of footnotes, tables, figures, and so on. You can imagine the frustration of trying to locate information with an incorrect page number!

Another item that often gets ignored is the title page. Ensuring this page is correct is quick and easy, and doing so will prevent unnecessary embarrassment.

Interestingly, business writing calls for a different editorial triage, according to Amy Einsohn in The Copyeditor’s Handbook. Citing business writer Gary Blake, Einsohn explains that businesses don’t lose customers because of spelling and grammar errors. Businesses aspire to inform and persuade readers and convey authority and expertise. Thus the editorial priorities in business documents are organization, tone, and clarity (no vague sentences).

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