You fancy yourself a word wizard; a spelling and grammar guru. Yes! Now, you have to prove it. The staff writer just poured their soul into the carefully-constructed, clever copy and now it’s time to chop it to bits. Get in there and annihilate it; eradicate any signs of oversight. You get the picture.
Like a meticulously calculated algorithm, the English language has many oddities and rules to follow for the proper outcome. Let’s take a moment and review that statement for the ‘too cool for school’ kids: Just like in math, accuracy and being able to prove your work in English is a must. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=too+cool+for+school
Like it or not, you will be judged on your ability to communicate effectively and accurately throughout your work life. More and more, work today is done via email, text and intranet sites. Many times you will never see or speak to the person on the other end of the chain, so your best bet at communicating effectively is to be able to convey your message in a professional and understandable format. This is where correct grammar, sentence structure and spelling come into play.
Whether you are a new copy editor, the English whiz-bang in your office or have been writing professionally for years, here are a few gems to keep in your back pocket when editing copy:
Copy Editing is a Science
The first-read through should be for technical errors. Alright, now raise your hands and tell me: Who likes pointing out flaws? Do you feel like that kid in math class who knows he or she has the exact answer and is waving their arms frantically so the teacher will call their name? It is easy to criticize other people’s work, but what’s even harder is to make suggestions and give constructive feedback. It’s best to give suggestions that will keep the messaging in-line with the client’s wishes, as well as help the writer look at the topic from a different angle.
So where do you find these exact and scientific answers you say?
Number One: The AP Stylebook is the Holy Grail
I distinctly remember my first assignment in “Writing for Media” in my Junior year of college. Here, I was introduced to “The Associated Press Stylebook.” Wait! Do I use quotes or italics? Is it Street or St.? Do I need to spell out ten or is it 10? These are the questions you will be faced with and they are very important questions to be asking yourself. As a writer and editor for the media, you must become familiar with “The AP Stylebook” and be the expert. Look up every instance that is a question mark in your head.
Make Note of the Rules
If you find yourself checking the same data repeatedly, place a bookmark in your browser, book page or, better yet, memorize the rules that are most often referenced. I have noticed that the hardest rules for me to remember are numbers, addresses and titles. There are so many instances where the rules only apply to a certain situation and then not at all in the next. It all depends on the context in which the writer is using the words, so it’s a good practice to look up any questionable items.
In our society today, the rules of communication are ever-changing. It wasn’t long ago that we started using lower-case letters for proper names and titles. As wrong as this may seem, you as the copy editor will need to understand when this is a branding and style choice or a true error.
Number Two: Brand Standards Guide and More
Ensure that you are given all the client information in order to be an effective copy editor.
The first source you should check is the client’s Brand Standards Guide. This document helps all parties involved. They allow for unwavering communication details and more effective brand management. We encourage each of our clients to develop a Brand Standards Guide or, better yet, have us design one for them.
A Brand Standards Guide basically sets up how to and how not to utilize a company’s logo, typography, colors and layout for brand consistency. All companies should have one, and all of your staff should have access to it. As a copy editor, double-check that your team members’ work follows the rules set forth in any Brand Standards Guide before the proofs are sent to the client.
The next place you want to check is the client project request form, as well as any client correspondence related to the specific project. Review your client’s wishes and the project scope to guarantee that the text, graphics and layout work together to achieve the desired outcome.
Number Three: Verify the Facts
The Dictionary, Thesaurus and Wikipedia are Your Friends
Since I was a kid, I’ve had a passion for words, their definition and synonyms. NERD ALERT! I couldn’t sit down to read without my Franklin Electronic Dictionary & Thesaurus device by my side. (Today, I use http://dictionary.reference.com/ ) It literally pains me to read a story or an advertisement, see a commercial or hear a word and not know its meaning or fear its misspelling. If that makes me weird, I will take it. But remember, ‘i’ before ‘e’, except after ‘c,’ but weird is spelled weirdly. That’s with an ‘-ly’ so it makes it an adverb. Wow! This is fun! But I digress.
Commonly Misspelled Words
For Absolute’s purposes, I have found it easiest to start a list of “Commonly Misspelled Words” and keep it updated. This would be a list of the same set of words that tend to stump you or your cohorts. For example, is it Smart phone or smartphone? Is it Web site or website? A good copy editor will just know or have the tenacity to check it out.
This list will help cut down on the time it takes to repeatedly go to dictionary.com to verify the spellings. The “Commonly Misspelled Words” would be different than AP Style checks. As each industry is different, it would follow that you would add terms related to specific industries. For me, the biggest problem arises in Web development jargon and social media terms. New words and acceptable spellings are cropping up daily and it’s good to be aware of what is current.
Every advertising business or media company has an astute accountant in place to catch the math mistakes. The same can be said for writing. What I’ve noticed in my copy editing days is that the same groups of adjectives are overused. How many times a day do you hear the word ‘awesome’ or ‘great?’ The next time you’re tempted to let those describers slide, punch them into http://thesaurus.com/ and explore the lingo that lingers. The world of words is awaiting your imagination. As a copy editor, it is your job to provide alternate options.
Commonly Used Phrases
As a copy editor, it’s good to have an uncanny grasp of the English language, sentence structure and punctuation. If you find that your company uses the same standardized phrases in every proposal, order form or price sheet, create a list of “Commonly Used Phrases” and keep them categorized and updated. An easy copy and paste can save you hours of rewriting from scratch.
Today, grammar and spelling is an afterthought. Would we treat math in the same fashion? Absolutely not! If there is a mistake on your paycheck, you rush right to the Accounting office and make your assessment known, but proper grammar and spelling is falling by the wayside.
Wht do u wnt 2 do 2nt? Im OMW. C u l8er. I’m all for texting and using abbreviated words to make our social interactions easier, but these bad habits are slowly creeping into our professional and business communications. Spell check just doesn’t cut it anymore. That’s where I come in. Having a detail-oriented copy editor who knows sentence structure, AP Style and can spot a mistake a mile away can save you from a wrong phone number or an embarrassing printing mistake.
Fact Checking
As a final step, analyze the statements that the writer is making. If a good writer did their research, this should be as simple as copying and pasting the quote, web address or fact into a Google search. Wikipedia is the best source I have found and is very timely. If you can’t find the claim – or the statement isn’t properly quoted – then fix it, or find a better quote to replace the inaccurate one, along with the author and Web link.
Other resources I use for quick tips and examples are:
- Grammar Book at http://www.grammarbook.com/
- Grammar Girl at http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/
- Webopedia: For the most current Web terms and definitions http://www.webopedia.com/
- Urban Dictionary: Check the origin and spelling of pop culture words and phrases like ‘bootylicious’ and ‘dental swag’ http://www.urbandictionary.com/
Number Four: Copy Editing for Content
Keep it Real. Destination: Planet Earth
You want to keep the heartbeat of the piece, whatever it happens to be. We are humans and have a need to connect and be entertained, as well as be informed. Don’t take out the stuff that keeps it real and down-to-earth. You can write a technical handbook like a robot, or you could write it as if you are the user. Remember not to skip any steps, but to also understand this is the first time the person has had this experience or is potentially very confused. Why else would they resort to reading a handbook? The way you construct sentences are just as important as the words you choose. Ask yourself: “Am I confusing the reader?”
The most current “Report on American Consumers” from the Global Information Industry Center at the University of California, San Diego suggests that “the average American consumes 34 gigabytes of content and 100,000 words of information in a single day. This doesn’t mean we read 100,000 words a day — it means that 100,000 words cross our eyes and ears in a single 24-hour period,” as quoted by New York Times blogger, Nick Bilton. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/author/nick-bilton/
Yes, as the editor you have to do the work for the reader and help them get through the every-day clutter.
Spell it out.
Break it down.
Make it simple.
Use bullets or numbered steps to make your points easier to understand.
Use white space. It helps the eye break down the story.
Final Thoughts: Value the Copy Editor
I was once told by an inspiring English professor, “To become a better writer, you have to become a better reader.” Reading a novel or a newspaper on a regular basis will improve your understanding of how sentences are formed and to understand the context of the words the author is using. Take the time to slow down and proof the messages you are sending each day. Read them out loud. It really does help. Read your words to someone else and see if they understand what you’re trying to convey. Are they confused?
You will save yourself and your brand more time and money in the future if you incorporate a solid copy editor to catch the mistakes. This job is for the right brained, creative thinker with left brained, fact checking skills.
Catch the mistakes, correct them and save your client’s reputation and your own in the process.
Now lit me now if you think grammer aint’ so impotant….