Comments on: Proofreading vs. Copyediting http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/ SF/F Copyeditor Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:26:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Chad Judkins http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-66316 Chad Judkins Wed, 30 May 2007 22:18:17 +0000 http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-66316 It seems a bit belated, but I just came across this. I hadn't realized that copyeditors and proofreaders checked by hand. I worked in textual editing this last year on academic texts, and the pages to be proofed were scanned into a computer, automatically collated with the copy text, and any differences were printed off on a separate sheet of paper with the variations marked. The variations were then the bits of proof that needed to be checked. Each proof sheet was checked by two proofreaders against the copy text, and the final version was corrected. There were also multiple manuscript versions that all needed to be checked against each other, twice. Is this a common method in proofreading, or is it very particular? It was on the critical edition of one of Joseph Conrad's works for Cambridge. Perhaps it would be too time-intensive for most publishers? I was assigned the position as part of a research assistantship while working on my master's in English literature, so I'm not sure how common this is. Any thoughts or comparisons would be very helpful, since I'm looking at working in the area once I finish my degree. It seems a bit belated, but I just came across this. I hadn’t realized that copyeditors and proofreaders checked by hand. I worked in textual editing this last year on academic texts, and the pages to be proofed were scanned into a computer, automatically collated with the copy text, and any differences were printed off on a separate sheet of paper with the variations marked. The variations were then the bits of proof that needed to be checked. Each proof sheet was checked by two proofreaders against the copy text, and the final version was corrected. There were also multiple manuscript versions that all needed to be checked against each other, twice.

Is this a common method in proofreading, or is it very particular? It was on the critical edition of one of Joseph Conrad’s works for Cambridge. Perhaps it would be too time-intensive for most publishers? I was assigned the position as part of a research assistantship while working on my master’s in English literature, so I’m not sure how common this is. Any thoughts or comparisons would be very helpful, since I’m looking at working in the area once I finish my degree.

]]> By: Deanna Hoak http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-29935 Deanna Hoak Tue, 27 Feb 2007 18:02:03 +0000 http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-29935 I understand "dedicated pass" to be a pass where you're looking for only one thing: an inconsistency you've come across, for instance. That would vary by book, though, so I'm not sure that's the meaning they intend. In proofreading, you would do at least one pass to compare the manuscript with the galley proof. I like to do another pass as a "cold read"--for the sense of the book. Hope that helps at all! I understand “dedicated pass” to be a pass where you’re looking for only one thing: an inconsistency you’ve come across, for instance. That would vary by book, though, so I’m not sure that’s the meaning they intend. In proofreading, you would do at least one pass to compare the manuscript with the galley proof. I like to do another pass as a “cold read”–for the sense of the book.

Hope that helps at all!

]]> By: mindy trotta http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-29934 mindy trotta Tue, 27 Feb 2007 17:55:23 +0000 http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-29934 Could you decipher this question I received on a copyediting test PLEASE!!!!! What kind of dedicated passes might you perform on a typeset book in galleys? I cannot figure out what this person is saying--hopefully someone out there can help. THANK YOU! Could you decipher this question I received on a copyediting test PLEASE!!!!!

What kind of dedicated passes might you perform on a typeset book in galleys?

I cannot figure out what this person is saying–hopefully someone out there can help.

THANK YOU!

]]> By: Deanna Hoak - Required reading « Web Writer http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-3061 Deanna Hoak - Required reading « Web Writer Wed, 20 Sep 2006 19:45:11 +0000 http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-3061 [...] I discovered today that one of my posts–“Proofreading vs. Copyediting”–is required reading for a Michigan State University course on Professional Writing. Posted by Web editor Filed in writing [...] [...] I discovered today that one of my posts–“Proofreading vs. Copyediting”–is required reading for a Michigan State University course on Professional Writing. Posted by Web editor Filed in writing [...]

]]> By: Required reading at Deanna Hoak http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-2967 Required reading at Deanna Hoak Tue, 19 Sep 2006 15:51:43 +0000 http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-2967 [...] I discovered today that one of my posts–“Proofreading vs. Copyediting”–is required reading for a Michigan State University course on Professional Writing. [...] [...] I discovered today that one of my posts–“Proofreading vs. Copyediting”–is required reading for a Michigan State University course on Professional Writing. [...]

]]> By: deannahoak http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-1433 deannahoak Mon, 19 Sep 2005 09:44:11 +0000 http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-1433 No, not really--I know at least one copyeditor who doesn't have a bachelor's. Some publishers base your hiring only on completion of a test. In-house experience really is a gigantic help, though. No, not really–I know at least one copyeditor who doesn’t have a bachelor’s. Some publishers base your hiring only on completion of a test. In-house experience really is a gigantic help, though.

]]> By: deannahoak http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-1432 deannahoak Mon, 19 Sep 2005 09:42:26 +0000 http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-1432 I started out working on textbooks, too--at Harcourt College. I've been specializing in SF/F for more than a decade now, though. Copyediting does help with writing. Conversely, writing has made me a much stronger copyeditor. :-) I started out working on textbooks, too–at Harcourt College. I’ve been specializing in SF/F for more than a decade now, though.

Copyediting does help with writing. Conversely, writing has made me a much stronger copyeditor. :-)

]]> By: goblinmerc http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-1431 goblinmerc Mon, 19 Sep 2005 09:33:19 +0000 http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-1431 I'm a proofreader/copyeditor at a large advertising agency, and I used to do textbooks before that. A lot of times in my current job proofreading is like diffusing bombs; not only do you have to watch against copy errors (from the writer) but also from the technical side of things. If there's an error in an ad that appears in, say, The New Yorker, it's the proofreader that the hammer is going to come down upon. It also helps to know a little about the printing process too (how works are physically printed). As a fiction writer, I definitely think my profession has helped me with my writing too. Anyway, just some random thoughts. I’m a proofreader/copyeditor at a large advertising agency, and I used to do textbooks before that. A lot of times in my current job proofreading is like diffusing bombs; not only do you have to watch against copy errors (from the writer) but also from the technical side of things. If there’s an error in an ad that appears in, say, The New Yorker, it’s the proofreader that the hammer is going to come down upon. It also helps to know a little about the printing process too (how works are physically printed).

As a fiction writer, I definitely think my profession has helped me with my writing too.

Anyway, just some random thoughts.

]]> By: almeda http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-1430 almeda Wed, 07 Sep 2005 20:52:57 +0000 http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-1430 I'd settle for proofreading, honestly. Is a bachelor's in English (or at all) assumed to be required? I’d settle for proofreading, honestly.

Is a bachelor’s in English (or at all) assumed to be required?

]]> By: deannahoak http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-1429 deannahoak Fri, 02 Sep 2005 10:18:34 +0000 http://deannahoak.com/2005/08/31/p188/#comment-1429 Well, it isn't anyone who's there now. It was a previous production manager, years ago. Well, it isn’t anyone who’s there now. It was a previous production manager, years ago.

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