Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with copyediting

Mold me into a copy editor!

Baethan — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:29:36 -0800

What sort of courses, experiences, certifications, degrees, etc. should I pursue to tailor me for a career in editorial publishing? When I return to college in the spring, I'll be a sophomore. I want to use the next three years to make me into a dream applicant for a job in editorial publishing- proofreading or copy editing. Random House's example of an entry-level job, "Editorial Assistant", sounds like what I plan to apply for.

I'd like to work in fiction, preferably fantasy, but I'm not too picky. I also have an interest in art history and some knowledge of music. I really like learning and I know from a high school chemistry class that working my way through technical papers is a lot of fun, so I probably wouldn't mind a nonfiction editorial job. I don't think I'd like to work for a magazine. I want to stay the heck away from newspaper jobs. Oh, freelancing is also something I'd rather not do for a living (though I suppose it would be good while I'm in college). I love cubicles.

What sort of resume would make me attractive to a publishing company? I'll be attending one of Connecticut's state schools (not UConn, probably) so any ideas on majors and classes would be welcome. (SCSU has Journalism and English as majors, so I'm thinking a combination of the two would suit.) I've also been looking for relevant distance learning courses, but haven't had any luck. Money is not abundant, so I don't want to end up going to grad school.

Finally, what can I learn at home that will be valuable in an editing job? I know my vocabulary could use improving. My knowledge of grammar is lacking- I never learned grammar, I just got a feel for what's correct and incorrect through reading. Any good websites or books for this?

In short, I'm looking for all your knowledge regarding copy editing. I believe I've read all the pertinent MeFi questions, but please point me to any you feel I should pay particular attention to. (Er, to which I should pay particular attention?) Thanks!

copyeditors: how many hours?

oigocosas — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:25:10 -0800

hey copywriters/editors: about how long might it take you to edit a 20-page product brochure averaging 10 items/page? thanks!

Searching for the copy editing bible

dead_ — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 06:46:11 -0800

What are the best books I can buy to learn how to become a proficient newspaper copy editor?

When to submit a style sheet?

The corpse in the library — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 08:03:28 -0800

Question about style sheets for editors, copy editors, tech editors, proofreaders, and factcheckers... I've been doing editorial odd jobs for years, mostly NF tech editing / factchecking. Recently -- for the first time -- a client asked me to submit a style sheet along with the finished project. I don't mind doing it, of course, and I've always kept informal notes for myself to keep track of things.

Have I been being unprofessional by not submitting a style sheet each time? Is it the expected thing for one to do? Should I start doing it by default?

How much is my Master's worth?

fiercecupcake — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 07:59:31 -0800

WannabeEditorFilter: I hated my first year of grad school, with its accompanying anxiety attacks, no free time, surly students, and pages of really boring reading. I'm halfway through my Master's and I am dreading going back. After my first year of grad school studying English literature, I took a year's leave of absence. I'm nearing the end of that and it's time to decide if I really want to go back. I am working in a job that I love -- but it's temporary.

Pros:
- I would be fully funded (TA position includes tuition, stipend, benefits)
- My Master's might allow me a higher earning potential over the rest of my life (?)

Cons:
- The aforementioned anxiety attacks, which I am starting to fear more than that which causes them (teaching and writing stress)
- I am really enjoying having weekends off for the first time in forever, and the new freedom of having no homework to worry about when my day work is done

My eventual goal is to have a full time proofreading, copy editing, or content editing position -- a stable office job with benefits and weekends off. I love to proofread, and I am very good at it; I have many references and a decent amount of experience.

How important is the Master's?

Testy Copyeditors (yes, one word)

vers — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 16:41:03 -0800

Very straightforward: would a testy copyeditor say "take out our grammar frustrations" or "take out our grammatical frustrations" and why?

I want to be a temp slave.

brina — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 08:25:41 -0800

JobFilter: What temp agencies are best for copy editing work in New York? I'm a freelance journalist with eight years of experience in reporting and editing. I'd like to find some temporary jobs that will keep me in the black while I pursue my dream of writing a book, but I'm having a hard time finding decent, reliable temp agencies that specialize in copy editing, proofreading, copy writing, etc. I'm also interested in book packagers. I know these places exist.

Have any of you done temp work in New York for agencies that specialize in publishing work? And if so, how should I approach them? (Are they like regular temp agencies in that you need to send your resume, then badger them by telephone?) Are there ways in which I should play up my resume/cover letter to show flexibility in the types of work I can do?

How much do I charge for copy editing?

limeonaire — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 07:36:10 -0800

Freelance copy editing: what's the going rate, and how much should I charge? I'm currently a copy editor for a local magazine, which pays me $15 an hour for my freelance (not technically on staff) copy editing each month. The magazine's editor recommended me to a friend of hers who's writing her dissertation and needs a skilled copy editor to put it through the wringer. If this works out, the friend is going to recommend me to her other Ph.D.-candidate friends as well.

It sounds very promising, and I'm looking forward to the work. I love copy editing. But since I'm just starting out with this, I'm really not sure what hourly rate I should charge. Here are my current thoughts:

-I get the sense that the price the magazine is paying me is a steal, but since it's my first professional copy editing gig and I have a day job, I'm okay with that. It's worth it to me to gain the experience. What I'd like to know is this: what's the industry standard hourly rate for copy editing? (Or yearly salary, broken down.)

-Should I give this woman a discount from my current "corporate" hourly rate, so to speak, because she's an individual (and a friend of my editor, who knows how much they're paying me at the magazine and might call foul if I charge this woman more)? Or should I charge her the same?

-A factor: I don't yet know how long the dissertation is, nor how dense it is, nor how tight the writing is, so it's tough to estimate how many hours this will take. This site says the rate is much higher for academic copy editors for exactly these reasons. This mediabistro thread talks about going rates, as well—$30 seems to be about average for book copy editing, but that's not academic copy editing. Should these references be a factor in my decision?

-Would it be better to charge a flat fee, plus a slightly lower hourly rate? That seems more complicated, but it could be an option.

Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on this!

Editing tests!

kenko — Wed, 18 May 2005 14:34:37 -0800

My girlfriend's applied to editorial positions, and is uncertain what to expect on editing tests. She's taken some professional editing classes (using the CMS, which the positions will also use), so the concern isn't at the level of how to edit. Any tips or insight into what such tests generally consist of would be appreciated.

Question number 12753

different — Fri, 10 Dec 2004 01:53:39 -0800

Friends who write books: My question is simple. If a friend has had a book published (not their first by any means) by a well-known publisher and one notices several typos in the text, is it best not to mention them? Or is it polite to commiserate with said friend over the lack of thoroughness on the part of the publisher? I don't want to be rude, but I want to show that I really have read the book.

Question number 6445

MiguelCardoso — Sat, 10 Apr 2004 19:25:16 -0800

Why do the most professional news web sites so often - and increasingly often - include bad or wrong links? I'm talking NYT, WP, Daily Telegraph and Google News et al. (For a recent example, click on the Researching the New Joy of Sex highlight in today's Observer and you get this.)