How I Copyedit

Given the tenor of my last several days’ tweeting (and the likely tenor of the next several days) and the sheer number of “WTF are you doing!?” questions I’m getting, let me ‘splain.

I am copyediting a freelance job. What is copyediting, you might ask?  In its simplest sense, copyediting is making sure that things are spelled right, that the word used is the word intended, and that things fit together in a nice, non-broken mirror sort of way.

Are you OCD? Then this is the job for you.

I am not OCD. I have OCD tendencies, but I can let things go. I don’t particularly enjoying copyediting, but work is work and I’ve got bills to pay.

So. What’s giving me headaches? Let me go through the general idea of how I work this stuff:

1. I read a sentence. Did I read from beginning to end without stopping? Check yes/no (mentally, of course).

2. If no, go to 5.

3. If yes, determine why. Likely causes are a) misspelled word, b) incoherent punctuation, c) “I don’t think that’s what they meant to say,” or d) plain old-fashing WTF?

4. Correct (or, depending on scale of WTFery, suggest correction) and proceed to 5. In some cases, the sentence is so snarled that there are too many possible meanings to choose the likely one. Tag for later review by supervisor.

5. Go to next sentence. Repeat ad nauseum.

That’s easy, you might be thinking. And you’d be right–it is easy, technically. But it’s tedious. It’s mind-numbing. And after four pages or so (at 9-pt font) you get really frustrated correcting plural possessive “s” over and over again. Or correcting “since” to “sense.” Or than/then and they’re/their/there confusion. Or sentence structure that contradicts the likely meaning of the sentence.  Plural and singular confusion amongst clauses. That sort of thing.

And then there’s the fun stuff. Let’s say on page 2 you say “the mouse has red hair.” You cannot then, on page 4, claim said mouse has orange hair. That’s called being inconsistent.

Since this is work-for-hire, for someone else’s universe, I also have to ensure continuity with their internal style guide. So, for instance, if they spell (for whatever reason) coffee as coFFee, it must have those two capital F’s in it every time. Such companies tend to frown on people changing their stuff without permission.

The value of copyediting, for the writer, is that it (hopefully) catches your mistakes. I worship my copyeditors, because I make lots of mistakes and I sometimes miss them.  Another benefit, this time for the company I’m contracted with for this, is that this reveals chronic mistakes for training purposes.

I like copyeditors, as people. And I like those that work on my projects. But I don’t particularly enjoy it, and I’m glad when each one is over.

As proof that copyeditors are necessary, I’ll not proofread this post before I publish it. There should be plenty-enough mistakes in here from my ten minutes’ effort for  you all to pick apart.

November 17, 2011 | Categories: Contract Writing, Rants, Writing | 3 Comments »

Deadlines for Dummies

I don’t miss my deadlines.

Okay, sometimes I do. But always for very good reasons that aren’t “I’m just a lazy sack.”  And not often.  I can think of three in the last four years.

I don’t miss my deadlines because I don’t like wasted time. I don’t like my time wasted, and I don’t like to waste other peoples’ time.  Do you know what happens when a writer misses his or her deadline?  Time is wasted.  Also, if I’m involved and it’s my time being wasted, my blood pressure approaches diamond-forming pressures.

Any writing project involves many people and a schedule.  Let’s say I’m the writer for a story called “Yes, I Really Will Hit You With This Mallet.” We’ll call it “Ouch,” for short.  “Ouch” is supposed to publish on Date Z.  Which means it must be on the layout person’s desk by Date Y.  On the copyeditor’s desk by Date X.  On the content editor’s desk by Date W.  And completed by the writer (me) on Date V.  So Date V is my writing deadline, and so four separate people can know schedule work for the story “Ouch” on their calendars.

Just like the rest of the world, it’s important to remember that each of those four people are not working in a vacuum.  The writer (me) may have other projects lined up, that have due dates like Date V minus ten days (the job before) and Date V plus ten days (the job after).  The content editor, the copyeditor, and the layout person also have other plus-and-minus duties.  The printer, if necessary, is ALWAYS booked before and after.  Trust me. No one with a printing press has it sitting idle, just waiting for you to call with the print-ready file.

Now, look at those dates and the number of people involved.  Do you get it yet?  Let’s say I blow my deadline by five days.  Instead of turning in “Ouch” on Date V, I’m turning it in on Date V plus five.  Which means I now have half the necessary time to deliver the next project, the one that was originally due on Date V plus ten days.  The content editor is now off his schedule; the copyeditor is now off her schedule; the layout person is now off his schedule.  My failure to do my job in the time I said I would is now affecting not only my own work, but the work of five other people, AND their work on whatever their next project is.  Which means it’s entirely possible I’ve  just added unnecessary stress to another writer’s project.

What if I’d missed my date by ten days?  Twenty days?  I could be ruining the carefully scheduled time of a full dozen very busy schedule, who all approach, promise, and contract work based on deadlines that I’ve now made them risk missing.  Which means my failure to do my job threatens their jobs.

I don’t miss my deadlines.  I prefer not to have a dozen people all looking at me angrily because I’ve just threatened the schedules that put food on their tables, pay for their children’s medical bills, and let them take vacations in Tahiti.

So, no, writer-who-just-emailed-me.  Saying “I’m going to be a week late on that project you needed,” is not okay.  Nor does adding a “:(” to the end make it better.  Do your fucking job.

You can be assured, next time I’ll offer the work to someone who can read a calendar.

February 11, 2011 | Categories: Contract Writing, Rants, Writing | Leave A Comment »