Why a Copy Editor?

The value of a great copy editor is really beyond my comprehension.  There is just about nothing worse, as a publisher, than having final copies of a book arrive and as I begin to look through it BAM up jumps a typo.  If one is there, it usually leaps off the page and begs my attention approximately 2.4 seconds after I open the book up.  (It's even worse when reading my blog posts)  Seriously?  How the hell did that get there.  I read that page, it seemed, 4000 times before okaying the files going to the printer.  So did the author.  So did his/her agent if there is one in play.  So did, well the list just goes on.  The only thing that I can think of that is worse is when the author in question is the one that notices said typo in his/her final copies and brings it to my attention.  Fortunately, at Dzanc, we're seeing less and less of these incidents these days.  There is no question as to why that's the case.

 

As I’m putting away some files for a couple of manuscripts, it simply amazes me what a great copy editor does, above and beyond catching the typos that most of think we’ll notice on our own.  One of these manuscripts that  I am filing away includes the page printouts of Best of the Web 2009.  This book has about 60 pieces, plus two introductions, and a big index of online journals.  The 60 pieces come from around 50 different journals, all of whom I’m sure employ the best techniques they have at their own disposal to get things right.  As I file these away I see the marking of one Mary Gillis, yes the name rings a bell for those of you familiar with the site, she’s the wife of Steven Gillis, my partner in crime at Dzanc.  In one of those ridiculously nice coincidences, Mary used to copy edit for a living.  The amazing thing to me is that whoever she worked for last in this capacity didn't do everything in their power to make sure she was happy.  That they didn't do everything they could to make her want to continue on with them (she's since received a graduate degree in Psychology and is helping students on the college level out).

 

While we obviously work a lot with fiction, and in the case of the Best of the Web series, poetry as well, which lends towards artistic expression at times and doesn’t always follow the rules of grammar, Mary still scribbles notes next to every single word, sentence, or idea that doesn’t work in a proper manner.  We then send her notes on to the author, and occasionally they point out that they know this is the case, but it fits the mood, or style, etc. Great, we understand, but everybody knows up front that this is the case.  There weren’t marks on every single work that is included in this anthology, but close to 75% of them needed some attention.  I know of two mistakes in this anthology, and both come in the Notable Work section, the ONLY section we didn’t have Mary look at.  Lesson learned.

 

Another book that shows how far a great copy editor will go is the forthcoming Dzanc Books novel, The Iron Will of Shoeshine Cats by Hesh Kestin.  Beyond typos, and suggested changes to grammar, there are notes about a character described at one height on one page and a hundred pages later noted at an inch different.  She also had questions about whether or not a certain style of vehicle was around during the year the novel takes place, and did detailed research into what types of answering machines were available and what type of population might own them, as well as delving into nautilus equipment and the various styles and makes around during the novel’s setting.

 

Mary has done this for each and every book that she’s copy edited for Dzanc, and has undoubtedly made each book she’s worked on a better final product.  If there’s one thing I’d suggest to a publisher, be it of a journal or books, it’s find a great copy editor. 

Comments

[steven gillis]

and marry them!

[Andrew Roe]

Nice post, Dan. It's great to see copy editors get some love. They tend to get forgotten.

[Georganna Hancock]

I seem to notice at least one typo in every new book I read for reviewing. Sometimes too many errors skew my feelings about the book, an attitude the writer doesn't deserve.

Writers could also use copyeditors. Usually the author is waaaaaay too close to the text to be able to see mistakes. My problem in copyediting others' books is not knowing how far to go in suggesting corrections and changes. I try to just stick to the fix for grammar, spelling, etc., but I see errors in logic and fact. Pointing them out is not always appreciated, especially by academics.

It sounds like you have a great relationship with your copyeditor. Thanks for telling everyone about it.

[Cassie Tuttle]

I love the way you think, Dan!

Thanks for showing some love to us copyeditors.

You know the saying, "behind every great man ...."? Well, behind every great book is a great copyeditor."

[Mary Gillis]

Aw shucks! I'm actually a little superstitious abot copy-editing. I've never written about it without including a typo!

I feel privileged to be part of Dzanc.

[Shya]

In this post, the first sentence of the second paragraph is missing the word "us." I apologize if this was intentionally left out as a joke. I'm not a very funny person.

[Shya]

Oops, reading Mary's comment above (which I should have done in the first place), I see that there might very well be a "reason" for having omitted the word "us." Very well.

[Dan Wickett]

Sadly, Shya, it wasn't. Much as I think it's great we have a fantastic copy editor for the books, I KNOW I need one for this blog and for my emails. It amazes me that I can type something, print it out, read it four or five times, do one more double-check on screen, hit send or return, and then notice (or in this case, not notice until it's pointed out) an error.

Thanks.

[Cliff Garstang]

Check out a recent book, The Subversive Copy Editor, by Carol Fisher Saller: http://www.subversivecopyeditor.com/

It sheds light on the life of the copy editor--a must read for writers.

[danial]

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