For Writers: When Help Is Hard to Take
A writer should feel elated and grateful for help, but it’s not always that easy.
Writer, Editor, Helper
(The Subversive Copy Editor)
Writer, Editor, Helper
(The Subversive Copy Editor)
Carol Saller
Misunderstood
Do you ever wake up peppy and bounce out of bed Tiggerlike, no need for coffee, dig in the back of the closet for that kicky little skirt, brush your teeth a bit too enthusiastically and splat a glop of toothpaste down the front of the kicky skirt . . .
Tech Tip #16: Combining Documents for Efficient Copyediting
I have never understood why anyone would choose not to combine all the files for a single project rather than copyedit each one separately.
True Crime in Copyediting
In a lather recently over copyeditors who waste time searching for rules that don’t exist, I failed to acknowledge something important in defense of the offenders . . .
How to Talk to a Copyeditor
Do you often find yourself at a party where the person making introductions is unaware of the etiquette whereby you mention a likely mutual interest such as “Carol also has a garden,” or “Carol also has a rotator cuff injury,”…
Taming MS Word’s Infuriating Features
The folks who put together Microsoft Word have my thanks for this excellent product, but I hear regularly from writers and copyeditors who struggle with making it work for them. Many don’t know there’s a quick and easy way to turn off the most infuriating features.
We Can’t Believe We Said That! CMOS 16 Outtakes
Never let it be said that we can’t take some ribbing . . .
Copyediting Quiz, Part 2: First Do No Harm
Yesterday I posted these sentences for your scrutiny, challenging you to find errors in style and usage. Today I’ll tell you why some popular answers are wrong.* 1. If you want to lager beer, you’ll need a reliable refrigerator. Lager…
Copyediting Quiz, Part 1
I’ve been reviewing copyediting tests lately, and I’m feeling mentorly. So just for fun, I have a little quiz for you. The sentences below are snippets from texts. How many errors in style or usage can you find in them?…
Loose the Chains! The Rules Don’t Always Bind
At the online Q&A, the Chicago Manual of Style often hears from writers and editors who are frustrated that they can’t find a rule about something. “I’ve searched everywhere!” they say, like kids looking for their shoes. Never mind that…