You might be a copy editor if . . .
Our upcoming Beginning Copyediting for Fiction class will educate anyone wanting to fix the errors seen on a daily basis in the real world!
Over the past week or so, I’ve caught the following typos and grammatical awkwardness in major news media:
USA Today: “publically released”
USA Today: “could cause driver’s to crash”
USA Today: “exasperating the problem” (should be “exacerbating the problem”)
Yahoo Entertainment: “Affleck has three children with whom Lopez has become the stepmother to.”
People: “A college student is dead after falling to his death.”
CNN: “Crossed first paths”
ABC News: “preventing recruiters from meting with students”
If you, like me, have a tendency to spot errors like this, then you, too, are either a copy editor or could be one.
Tips for Editors & Writers
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Give Yourself a Few Kind Words
I often hear from newer editors who are feeling a little doubtful. They experience imposter syndrome and second-guess themselves. This can make it difficult for them to market or to feel confident in raising prices – in short, they struggle to run a successful business because they’re not sure of their skills. It may not…
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Success from Small Wins
One of the challenges of building a small business – like a freelance editing business – is that it builds slowly over time and it requires a lot of consistent, persistent effort over that time. Every quarter, I run a marketing challenge for Club Ed members. The idea is just to do one small marketing…
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Watch Out for Editing Scams
Some people at Club Ed (including me) recently received a scam email about an editing “opportunity” and I thought this was a good time to remind everyone about how to spot these. When you receive an inquiry (usually by email), before responding, always stop to consider whether it’s a true request for services or a…
