Same Old, Same Old: Breaking Out of the Routine
Last week the Big Snow forced millions of us to break from routine. For some, it was a frigid nightmare of inconvenience or worse; for others (not saying who), it was an unexpected opportunity to
Writer, Editor, Helper
(The Subversive Copy Editor)
Writer, Editor, Helper
(The Subversive Copy Editor)
Category Technology and Word-Processing
For Happier Reading Online: Some Browser Tips
If you spend a fair amount of time reading online, and if, like me, you find that browsing and reading is sometimes difficult, uncomfortable, or nearly impossible because of type that’s hard to read, intrusive advertisements, or any number of other annoyances, then take a few minutes to discipline your browser.
The “Iliad” on an e-Reader? Oh, the Humanity!
For the last month I’ve been copyediting a second edition of Richmond Lattimore’s translation of Homer’s Iliad. War and battles and great hulking, stalking gods and heroes . . .
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.
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.
Keeping Up with Upgrades
A couple of weeks ago, like it or not, I was given a new computer with a new operating system. I hate it. So far I haven’t discovered any new features that will make my work easier among the dozens…
Losing, Loss, and Being Lost
From the earliest age, we love and fear being lost. Peek-a-boo, blind man’s bluff, hide and seek—all delicious little moments of panic and relief. For adults, being lost loses appeal—at least for those of us without a sense of direction.…
Spacing Out with Color: Talking Tech with Russell Harper
The last time I talked about using color as a word-processing tool, I learned that I’m not the only one who finds it easier than other methods of achieving the same results—not to mention prettier. But I also heard from…
Advice for Writers: Preparing Your E-Manuscript
When I complained recently about having to clean up writers’ electronic messes before getting down to copyediting, one aspiring writer asked for more specific advice. If you don't mind a somewhat longer post than usual, read on.
Checking for Squirrels
Chicagoans have a tradition of scavenging stuff from curbs and alleys. It’s honorable to set out household debris that you want to disappear, and it’s honorable to cart away an object you find abandoned.