Is it really that surprising that our generation is cynical about any analogue workflows when we’ve seen several outmoded in our lifetimes? Unfortunately, it is that exact disillusionment that causes some genuinely useful pre-Y2K skills to be overlooked. Case in point: hand-marked editing.
copyediting
The Benefits of Working Directly with an Editor
By Kimberley Scofield @kmscofie
Knowing how to choose an editor can be difficult, and it is important to find a good match. Online editing sites offer an accessible option for quickly getting a book edited, which can be an alluring prospect. Why shouldn’t you pick online editing?
Macros for Editors: A Beginner’s Guide
By Emma Hovley
In today’s increasingly digital world, there is no shortage of tips and tricks for writers (think of online grammar checkers like Grammarly). But what about digital tools for editors? In addition to the obvious editing and query tools found in Microsoft Word, it turns out that macros can be incredibly useful tools for editors.
An Ode to Proofreading, Part II
By Madison Schultz
For many aspiring freelance editors, proofreading is the best (and in some cases, the only) way to get a foot in the door. But what are proofreaders actually looking for?
Why Ooligan Editors Should Read Out Loud
By Emma Hovley
While I’ve read and continue to read numerous books on the art of editing and writing, I find myself most frequently leaning on an editing tip that was thrown at me way back in high school. Read it out loud.
An Ode to Proofreading
By Madison Schultz
Unlike copyediting, which focuses purely on the text, proofreaders engage with the book after the interior has been designed and laid out. That means that in addition to keeping an eye out for egregious grammar errors and typos, the proofreader is focused on aesthetics: eliminating typographic gaffes such as widows, orphans, and runts; marking bad breaks and word stacks; and ensuring design elements such as subheads and running heads are handled consistently.