We All Need Editors!
February 20, 2008 by Anne Wayman
Filed under Jobs
The nature of blogging is it’s off the cuff. This blog, like many others, even most, doesn’t have a copy editor that checks for mistakes and typos before it’s published.
Now, anyone who knows me knows I’m not a copy editor! My spelling is creative at best. Of course, computers catch many errors, but not all of them, not by a long shot. Recently I’ve blown two sets of words the computer things are fine either way. The first was typing your instead of you’re; the second was scrambling lose and loose. And yes, I do know the difference and it’s quite possible I would have spotted either or both errors if I let my blog copy rest a day before I hit the publish button.
It ain’t gonna happen folks, not with this blogger. I blog on the fly. Which doesn’t mean you shouldn’t point out errors… in fact, do so, but in the comments here so others can also benefit.
Meanwhile, read Barbaa Fifer’s excellent article called: The Editorial Process. She knows her stuff and if you need a copy editor, consider her.
Write well and often,
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Ahh, blog editing…so many times I’ve checked my writing, then published…and winced at something that slipped by me. Sometimes we are just too close to our own work to see our errors. Thanks for pointing me to a helpful professional.
Angela, I simply can’t edit or proofread my own work… not copy edit… like you say, I’m too close to it.
I was just curious to find out if there are some like minds who have the same thoughts as mine. I get angry when I see people sending me e-mail or SMS etc. never bothered about what they just typed and sent it to me. People are so care less these days in drafting anything. I will be happy if I could make some money by reading proof or writing copy etc. Please let me know.
George — you are right.
Folks don’t seem to take much care.
Heck, my sister even gives me grief if I send her an e-mail note with typos.
I have gone to typing my blogs, articles, etc. into word and then cutting and pasting. I is my only recourse.
I do make money at editing folks’ manuscripts but not their blogs… not yet.
Anne – we are all guilty of re-reading what we have written and seeing what we meant to write. That’s why this writer welcomes someone looking over my stuff.
Send it to me… I’ll set a new set of eyes on it. :)
Kathleen, what do you charge for editing?
Anne,
I charge $1.75 per page.
Seems reasonable.
Yes, it is.
For that price I give a line-by-line, color coded editing that my clients seem to appreciate.
Do you need, desire to have something looked at?
Not at the moment, but I like to keep a couple of editors on tap as it were.
I am running a Graphic Design/Advt. firm and see these other agencies making typos in their advt. and other contents and I am running a campaign among these “professionals” urging them to look more seriously into their campaigns and do proof reading before publishing. I would love to do some editing / proof reading / copywriting assignments.
Yes, George I agree, that typos are irritating.
I know I am not perfect, I am human and fallible, but I even get irritated at myself for letting some of the typos through.
I remember one of my clients saying, when I noticed a typo that was created by the typesetter of a brochure (a typo I e-mailed her about and requested the change… but she ignored my request)… Back to the client’s comment — he said, “Well, if anyone says anything, at least we will know that people are reading our brochure.” Hence, I wonder if the mistakes in ads etc. are seen in that same light.
I was off this page for a while. I agree to what you are saying. The readers some times needs provocation to reply or speak up. It can be a Typo or a unusual or nasty comment. It is pretty difficult to read the mind of people at times
maybe I should include a deliberate type or two to increase comments? Nah, I make enough without trying ;)