I get a lot of incorrect assumptions about my job. I also get a lot of people pointing out typos in my blog posts and emails. So in an effort to clear up all this confusion as well as prevent future pointings-out, let me explain a few things about editors:
1. Just because we know the right thing to do, doesn’t mean we actually do it. It’s like a doctor who smokes. I hate typing, so when I’m writing a quick email, the last I’m caring about is proper grammar.
2. We don’t know everything about grammar, we just know when and where to look something up. The dictionary is my best friend.
3. Whether you’re an editor or not it is nearly impossible to perfect your own work (and the reason why we need editors in the first place). Our minds play fill-in-the-blank when we read are own writing. So my emails and posts, even if I reread them, are bound to have mistakes.
4. An editor’s job is not to check spelling. In fact, I rarely pay attention to spelling. A proofreader’s job is to check the spelling, along with grammar, punctuation and adherence to style manuals. An editor’s job is typically much more. My job consists of working with an author to take their manuscript from first draft to prepress. I mentor and guide authors through the book process, I rework and rewrite their manuscripts so that they are comprehensible and appropriate for the topic of the book. I do photo shoots, I work with designers who design the book, I track budgets, and attend title brainstorming sessions. I love this description: “The job of an editor is, among other things, to prod, shape, wheedle, cajole, mediate, challenge, anticipate, nit-pick, chastise, inspire, support, confront, defend, harangue, and, as required, suggest different words, phrases, or grammar.” That pretty much sums it up.
5. For the record, although everyone thinks think they can proofread, few are really good at it. In fact, most of the proofreaders that I work with at my job are pretty poor proofreaders. Proofreading doesn’t just require an interest in reading or an ability to spell, a proofreader has to recognize when wording, grammar, or spelling might be amiss. They must be very detailed, paying attention to every word. They must pay attention to consistency, remembering if the details on page 99 matched those on page 1.
6. Contrary to popular belief, editors are not perfect. Just like every other person, we make mistakes. Only unlike doctors, our mistakes won’t kill you, so give us a break!
1. Just because we know the right thing to do, doesn’t mean we actually do it. It’s like a doctor who smokes. I hate typing, so when I’m writing a quick email, the last I’m caring about is proper grammar.
2. We don’t know everything about grammar, we just know when and where to look something up. The dictionary is my best friend.
3. Whether you’re an editor or not it is nearly impossible to perfect your own work (and the reason why we need editors in the first place). Our minds play fill-in-the-blank when we read are own writing. So my emails and posts, even if I reread them, are bound to have mistakes.
4. An editor’s job is not to check spelling. In fact, I rarely pay attention to spelling. A proofreader’s job is to check the spelling, along with grammar, punctuation and adherence to style manuals. An editor’s job is typically much more. My job consists of working with an author to take their manuscript from first draft to prepress. I mentor and guide authors through the book process, I rework and rewrite their manuscripts so that they are comprehensible and appropriate for the topic of the book. I do photo shoots, I work with designers who design the book, I track budgets, and attend title brainstorming sessions. I love this description: “The job of an editor is, among other things, to prod, shape, wheedle, cajole, mediate, challenge, anticipate, nit-pick, chastise, inspire, support, confront, defend, harangue, and, as required, suggest different words, phrases, or grammar.” That pretty much sums it up.
5. For the record, although everyone thinks think they can proofread, few are really good at it. In fact, most of the proofreaders that I work with at my job are pretty poor proofreaders. Proofreading doesn’t just require an interest in reading or an ability to spell, a proofreader has to recognize when wording, grammar, or spelling might be amiss. They must be very detailed, paying attention to every word. They must pay attention to consistency, remembering if the details on page 99 matched those on page 1.
6. Contrary to popular belief, editors are not perfect. Just like every other person, we make mistakes. Only unlike doctors, our mistakes won’t kill you, so give us a break!
1 comment:
Hi Kristin! My sister told me about your blog a while back (I think she found out about it after talking to Palak) and since it's Friday afternoon and I'm avoiding work, I decided to swing by!
Anyway, I just wanted to say that I love this post and completely agree with it. I'm an editor for a company that creates online courses for college continuing education programs (I also worked at a magazine as a copy editor/copy chief for several years before this). People do expect editors to be perfect, and it's not fair! Hehe. Just wanted to say hi and let you know that I feel your pain! :o)
~Ali Helwich
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