Track Changes Makes Me Crazy
A client asked me to do some copywriting/copyediting on several web pages and he asked me to use Word’s track changes (under tools) so he could see what I am suggesting.
The theory is good, but I’m never sure the results are worth it. The manuscript is now all cluttered up with red lines and boxes showing what I’ve changed. (Yes, I know I can change the colors, but I don’t think that’s the problem.)
The way I handle this is to save a second copy and go in and accept all changes. This way I can actually proof what I’ve written. Of course, this means going back into the original and making corrections upon corrections. In truth, sometimes I accept a correction or deletion without the client’s approval – it’s the only way either of us will be able to tell where we are.
I’m grateful we don’t have multiple authors on this one – I’d never get that sorted out!
Write well and often,
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8 opinions for Track Changes Makes Me Crazy
Tammy Takahashi
Oct 29, 2006 at 6:55 pm
I have a love/hate relationship with track changes. And it seems that every version of Word does it a bit differently.
I’m the editor for a non-profit’s membership magazine. I use track changes with my copyeditor, but I don’t use it when I’m sending proofs to my writers (except for a select few who have asked for that kind of feedback).
And when I ask people to edit my stuff, unless I know them really well, I ask them to use track changes. I like to see their editing style. And that way I can pick and choose which changes to keep.
But when I submit an article to a magazine or other publication, I prefer they don’t use it, and just send me the final version (if they send final versions to their writers).
Anyway, all this to say that I find it to be a useful tool, but sometimes it’s annoying. :)
Sandy Sampson
Oct 30, 2006 at 7:45 am
Anne, You don’t need to create a separate file. On the reviewing toolbar, in the Display for Review Box, instead of Final Showing Markup, choose Final. That will hide the revision marks and give you an opportunity to see what you’ve wrought ;o)
Anne Wayman
Oct 30, 2006 at 11:10 am
Sandy, thanks for the tip… I never knew that. And I’ll bet I’m not the only one.
Karen
Nov 2, 2006 at 11:06 am
Unless forced to, lol, I don’t use Track Changes when editing for clients. I can’t stand all the lines and balloons, etc. And I couldn’t figure out how to use different colors for different editing marks.
Instead, I developed my own color-coding system: red for additions; green strikethrough for deletions; and blue inside brackets for comments. I set up keystrokes for the colors.
For anything other than a simple line edit (where I only do one pass), I send the marked file to my clients. They add their own comments in another color and send the file back. I then go line by line, accepting the changes they’ve okayed and making any necessary adjustments. We go back and forth once or twice before I do the final cleanup.
Maybe Track Changes is easier than I think, but so far it’s given me nothing but frustration.
Anne Wayman
Nov 4, 2006 at 9:41 am
Sometimes I wish we were back to paper and the old proof marks… I’m working with a blind client right now and I’m not sure how we’ll do the changes… the very first round he had a secretary do it and she did what you did… stuff in red.
The client knows he’s got to do it himself and has gotten his computer at home to read to him… so far he’s just talking to me by phone, but someone’s going to have to read the manuscript.
A
Karen
Nov 4, 2006 at 11:32 am
That’s interesting, Anne. Are you using Track Changes or your own marking system? I’d think it’d need to be as clean as possible, if your client’s going to “see” the changes via a reader.
Anne Wayman
Nov 6, 2006 at 8:39 am
Right now I’m not sure how it’s going to work… neither is the client… we’re experimenting… when we get it figured out I’ll blog it.
Daniel McElreavy
Oct 12, 2007 at 1:45 pm
In spite of clicking on “Final,” and apparently getting rid of all the markup, like I wish I really could–it all just reappears when I send my manuscripts via email. Any solutions? Will saving it as a read only solve this conundrum?
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