Language is constantly changing, and good editors stay abreast of changes in usage and spelling. But last night, a writer sent me reaching for the dictionary because I was sure he had misused nonplussed, and I was absolutely nonplussed by his incorrect usage. I’m currently reading The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis, who will… Continue Reading
Self-publishing is an exciting development for authors and freelancers. Gone are the days when self-publishing was equated with vanity press publishing. Self-publishing has empowered writers and editors to come together without the need for the big publishing house as middleman. Check out www.writer.ly and authorconnections.com. Award-nominated writer Nina Munteanu spoke to the Toronto Branch of… Continue Reading
I bet you’ve noticed my new pet peeve a lot lately: the overuse of event by marketers. We used to talk about event venues or about sports events. There was some importance attached to an event, or at least some kind of formal program. Not anymore. Yes, it’s been a brutal winter, but do I… Continue Reading
Some books are like comforting, wise old friends. That’s how I feel about Falling Upward by Richard Rohr, the book I’m reading right now. The book is about the further journey some of us take after the survival concerns of the first half of life have been successfully wrestled with — things like earning a… Continue Reading
Many readers love finding mistakes in copy. They think, “How could the powers-that-be let such doozies slip by unnoticed?” Historically, publishers were the gatekeepers of disseminated knowledge, so identifying their errors allowed us plebes to feel like we had the upper hand for a change — or at least to feel like we were just… Continue Reading
When editing copy, sometimes a lot of questions come up — about usage, clarity, consistency, etc. It’s often necessary for the editor to ask the author to clarify something. Sounds like a simple enough process, right? Ask a question, get a response. Wrong. I bet you’ve received an email that rubbed you the wrong way… Continue Reading
Copy editors are not expected to know the ins and outs of the law, but they are expected to recognize when a document may be violating one of the four areas of publishing law: libel, obscenity, invasion of privacy, and copyright infringement. If a problem is suspected, the copy editor should discuss the issue with… Continue Reading
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… Continue Reading
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 is… Continue Reading
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 be… Continue Reading