I’m Not A Copy Editor!
One of the secrets to a successful freelance writing business is knowing what you do well and what you do poorly. One of the things I know for sure is I am not a copy editor. Here’s one definition of copy editor:
An expert in spelling, grammar, punctuation, word usage and style who gives writing its final review before production (lay-out and printing).
I’m good at word use, punctuation, style and the ability to whole a book length manuscript in my head so I know the whole thing hangs together. I’m not good at spelling, or knowing the finicky rules of grammar. I also know that if I’ve been working on a manuscript errors will creep in that I will never ever see. I’m just too close to it.
That said, I’m often astounded at the things I do catch when I switch to final or close to final editing. Everything from missing periods to whole sentences that don’t make sense often come to the surface.
I work to give my client’s as clean a manuscript as I can, but I also warn them, both before we sign, and along the way, that I am not a copy editor. I urge them to hire a pro. Rarely they do… usually they let their wife or secretary handle this. The result is less than it could be. I wish I knew how to make them understand how important that last, final, nit picking copy edit before print is.
Write well and often,
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POSTED IN: Business of Freelance Writing, General Freelance Writing, Notes from a Writing Coach, The Kitchen Sink
8 opinions for I’m Not A Copy Editor!
Lori
Feb 25, 2007 at 4:05 pm
Anne, bless you for being honest! I tell them I write press releases, but I don’t guarantee they’ll be read. I’m not a PR geek, even though a few have tried to make me into one. :)
Devon Ellington
Feb 26, 2007 at 8:38 am
It’s because they don’t know what a copy editor does. And they won’t, until something goes out to a client with errors.
Anne Wayman
Feb 26, 2007 at 10:30 am
much to my utter amazement I have an email from the client I was actually thinking about when I wrote that asking who we’re going to hire as a copy editor… he’s changed his mind and I didn’t even talk to him about it again… clients are so strange ;)
Irreverent Freelancer
Feb 26, 2007 at 1:06 pm
Well Anne, if you ever have a client who needs someone who *is* a copyeditor, I’d love to speak with him/her! It’s funny how authors tend to think we can do *everything* book related. I’m currently entertaining a potential client who thinks book formatting, layout and indexing are included in my copyediting price. I think not. These are all separate jobs, with different people who specialize in each of them.
Anne Wayman
Feb 26, 2007 at 2:58 pm
amen to that… I’ve gotten trapped in some formatting… are you a copyeditor?
Irreverent Freelancer
Feb 27, 2007 at 5:21 pm
Hi Anne, yes, I am a copyeditor…some of the time. I’m a copywriter too. I just haven’t had a book-length manuscript in quite some time and I’m really itching for one. I’m not sure why since I have plenty of other work to keep me busy. Oh well, I suppose there’s no accounting for work cravings!
Anne Wayman
Feb 28, 2007 at 10:04 am
no accounting at all…
Apple Rosales
Dec 15, 2007 at 9:03 am
Nice of you, Anne, to specify the importance of a copyeditor. I am a professional copyeditor, it’s what I do every hour of the day. Most often, writers and publishers don’t see the importance of having one who will see through a manuscript. It’s really more than spelling and grammar, but also contextual and substantive, and putting words in the right place. ;)
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