Mechanics—The Details Part 6

The mechanics of copyediting go far beyond the obvious items of spelling, capitalization and punctuation. According to Amy Einsohn in The Copyeditor’s Handbook, the mechanics also encompasses the following:

“hyphenation

treatment of numbers and numerals

treatment of quotations

use of abbreviations and acronyms

use of italics and bold type

treatment of special elements (headings, lists, tables, charts, and graphs)

format of footnotes or endnotes and other documentation.

An editor must ensure consistency in all these elements. Perhaps now my analogy as to how a good copyeditor is like a good mechanic becomes clearer. Let’s look at a few brief example.

I counted twenty chirping cardinals in my backyard this morning. (per the Chicago Manual)

I counted 20 chirping cardinals in my backyard this morning. (per AP)

Chicago’s general rule is to spell out numbers between zero and one hundred. I say “general” because there are specific rules for specific uses (remember, nothing is ever easy). The AP Stylebook’s general rule is to spell out the numbers between zero and ten, and 10 and above get a number.

The first person who catches my deliberate error in today’s post will receive my article “Crafting Memorable Characters” (pdf format). Post your answer in Comments. Happy editing!

Debra L. Butterfield © 2012 

Mechanics—The Standards Part 5

The opening scene of the movie “IQ” with Tim Robbins and Meg Ryan has Robbins and his fellow mechanics tuned to the sounds of an approaching car. Each mechanic is attempting to determine the kind of car it is and what’s wrong with it by what they hear. They know and understand all things car. That’s the kind of mechanic you want fixing your car!

Just as a good mechanic has a great ear, an excellent copyeditor has a finely tuned eye and a solid knowledge of writing standards. The standards to which I am referring are style manuals. Every publishing house establishes a house style. It consists of using one specific style manual and dictionary.

Style manuals are numerous (is anything ever easy?), which is why it is necessary to create a house style. Here are a few of the choices:

The Chicago Manual of Style (often the choice in book publishing)

The Associated Press Stylebook (often the choice in newspapers and magazines)

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association

Words into Type

MLA Style Manual

Many businesses also develop an in-house style guide that addresses issues that either aren’t covered in the style manuals or go against convention, e.g. capitalization of pronouns when referring to deities. The Chicago Manual, 16^th Edition states “Pronouns referring to God or Jesus are not capitalized” (pg. 427), but many Christian organizations go against this convention and capitalize these pronouns. This becomes a part of the in-house style guide their copyeditors must know as well as they know the standard manual.

When hiring a freelance copyeditor, ask what style manual they use. If you want a specific style, find out whether the editor knows that style and can edit accordingly. If you work in one realm more than any other, it behooves you to learn the style most widely used by those publishers and use it yourself.

Next, we’ll look at Mechanics—The Details. Until then…

Debra L. Butterfield © 2012 

Know What You Want, Part 4

Tasks of Copyediting

My purposes in writing this series are to assist you in editing your own work and to help you understand the tasks of editing. Armed with this knowledge you can invest your hard-earned dollars wisely as you prepare your manuscript for submission to an agent or publisher. So let’s dive in to the realities of copyediting. What does a copyeditor do and not do?

The editor’s tasks include:
--Mechanics—spelling, punctuation and such
--Language—grammar
--Correlation of parts—verifying accuracy and placement of footnotes, tables, and more
--Content—inconsistencies, discrepancies
--Permissions

The editor’s tasks don’t include:
--Proofreading
--Rewriting
--Reorganizing your manuscript
--Formatting your manuscript 

In the coming weeks, we’ll unpack all these tasks, exam them, and learn how you can help yourself each item we take out of the suitcase. See you next week!

Know What You Want Part 3

What Do You Expect? 

Writers, chime in. This series is a conversation. That means I'm not the only one doing the talking. I want to hear from you along the way, whether it is a question, disagreement or your experience with the topic at hand.


I'd like to start this dialog by asking. "If you were to send your completed manuscript to a freelance copyeditor today, what would you expect him or her to do?" Please leave your comments below.

Know What You Want Part 2

Proofreading

There was a day when typesetters assembled print plates letter by letter in order to print a book. Today is a digital world. If a spelling error exists in the electronic file, it will exist on the printed page. Who is responsible for finding that kind of error?

Many people think editing and proofreading are one and the same, but they are not. In the scenario described above, it is the work of the proofreader to find those pesky mistakes. Yes, some of the tasks of editing and proofreading can overlap, but in the process of publication, proofreading comes after editing.

A proofreader identifies surface errors of a manuscript such as misspelled words, incorrect punctuation, mistakes in grammar and errors in fact. It is not the proofreader’s job to tell you “use stronger verbs,” “this passage is confusing,” “there’s no take-away value for the reader.” A proofreader does not revise content.

The skills required for proofreading are different than those required to edit. Do not make the assumption that proofreaders are also good editors or that editors are equally adept at proofreading. These differences are why the expense of hiring a proofreader is less than that of a copyeditor. If you’re weak in these areas, invest in a proofreader.  

Later this week, we’ll dive in to the complexities of editing. 

Know What You Want - Part 1

As a writer it is tempting to believe as I revise my work that I can spot any errors I've made. But let me tell you, I'm so close to the words I can only see the letters! There is so much more to a well written manuscript than the mechanics of spelling, grammar, and syntax. Does your story flow smoothly, are there inconsistencies in fact or tone, are you shifting POV in mid-paragraph, is your message clear?

More than once in books on writing I've read that I should have an editor edit my manuscript before I send it to a publisher or agent. Yikes! That means investing money in my book along with all those midnight hours I spent writing it. But that investment could mean the difference between my novel getting accepted or rejected.

Before I make an investment like that, I want to know what I am going to get for my money. (I don't buy a book without first looking at the Table of Contents.) The Know What You Want Series is designed to give you a deeper look at what an editor can do for you. In the coming weeks, we're going to look at what copy editing is and isn't, mechanics, content, levels of editing, and more. My goal is to give you a better understanding of the work of editing so when you send your WIP for correction you'll know exactly what you want from the editor. And you'll feel more comfortable about those hard-earned dollars you are spending for it.

Until next week...

Change is Coming

Okay, friends and fans, I admit it's been way too long since I posted anything here. My apologies.

2012 has brought a new outlook and new opportunities, and I'm excited. Though I haven't been posting, I have been ruminating on topics and improvements. The ideas are flowing and in the coming days I'll begin a series on editing called "Know What You Want." Also ahead are workshop downloads and webinars, some free, some for a minimal fee.

So pull out your WIP and be prepared to whip it into shape for publication.

Until then...