gettin’ there

[mizkit]

I’m down to the last 130 pages or so of copy edits. I’m also in the stage that I suspect most writers find themselves at when they’re going over a manuscript for the zillionth time: there are moments when I think, God, this is really good!, and others when I think, Oh, God, what was I thinking, this is awful. I’ve just finished going over one of

Comments

[la_marquise_de_]

I am smiling here, because I am doing the same thing right now, but in reverse. My proofs are in front of me: I had to go forth and buy myself an American English dictionary to stop myself correcting 'color' back to 'colour' and 'traveled' back to 'travelled'. It's very strange to read myself spelled in US English.
I loved QB and I'm looking forward eagerly to PC, but it's reassuring to learn that you have your moments of doubt. I was talking about this process with desperance at the weekend and he assures me that it's common to all writers and not jsut the newbies like myself.
Best wishes!

[mizkit]

Oh, it absolutely is. We all suffer from it.

*laughs* Ok, we need to trade manuscripts and do each other's proof reading, apparently. That's funny. :)

[la_marquise_de_]

It's not just the spelling. You guys use Weird Proof Mark Ups...

[jeditigger]

GO GIRL. You fight for the proper use of punctuation.

I loathe the laziness that is the use of modern English. And while I respect wholly the role of a copyeditor, I know that some of us CAN use hyphens and semicolons properly. :)

I lust for the concise OED. The English geek in me wants it, precious.

Are you marking Thanksgiving at all over there in Ireland?

[mizkit]

Well, in the CE's defense, probably in many of these cases a comma *would* do, except I want the slightly greater pause indicated by a semi-colon. These are stylistic choices, and I've made them deliberately. And I use them *liberally*, but that's also a stylistic choice for these books. Long, complex sentences with lots of supporting clauses. She has not, bless her, seen fit to change them all into shorter sentences, at least. :)

The Concise OED is in fact a thing of beauty. I've told Ted about eight times how splendid he is. :)

We're having a small Thanksgiving (which is to say, not many people, though probably a great deal of food) on Saturday, when at least one of our Irish friends likes us enough to come visit and eat. :)

That is an awesome icon. :)

[jeditigger]

I have to make sure I don't overuse semicolons, but then, I'm not writing the way you are, stylistically, and I understand completely what you mean about a period choice. They are everywhere in 18th and 19th century prose.

And like I said, I respect wholly a CE because it's a job I KNOW I could not do. I lack the attention to detail.

Ted seems to be made of awesome. He buys you an OED and he can make chocolate raspberry truffle brownies. Honestly, he should be cloned.

Thank you about the icon. It's so me. BUNNY!

EDIT: I meant to say that I have to make sure I don't overuse semicolons because I am so enamored of them. I always have been. :)

[mizkit]

Ted is, in fact, made of awesome, and you are by far from the first to suggest he should be cloned. :)

[wedschilde]

heh. the hyphen is a tricky and wily beast.

[jemck]

I also commend, for your cooing, The Oxford Manual of Style. This is the current successor to the Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors. That was recommended to me by my first desk editor, now my non-negotiable copy editor and a woman totally made of awesome as far as this book biz is concerned.

[mizkit]

How does one obtain a non-negotiable copy editor? I need one of those. o.o

Also I suspect I need an Oxford Manual of Style. On general principle. :)

[jemck]

Well, I am extremely fortunate in that aforesaid awesome editor worked at my original publisher before she morphed into a freelance copyeditor on account of a husband's-job-related house move.

So when the question of copy-edits on the next book came up, I promptly said, can Lisa do that, please? Coz she knows my style/world better than anyone else and also, never, ever lets me get away with anything substandard. Then-Editor-who-knew-her-work, said, sure, fine.

Subsequently, in every book-related conversation, up to and including change of publisher, when the copy-editing question has arisen, I've said (nicely) unless you have a very convincing argument why not, I want Lisa (backed up by the you-are-going-to-lose-this-discussion-so-save-us-all-time-by-capitulating-now look I have perfected on my teenage sons).

Ta-dah, job done.

If you want to discuss this further, email me direct.

[gows]

Can you tell I’m smug? Because I’m smug. :))

*chuckle* Yes, but deservedly so.