Comments on: Text Wranglers

By: Gyp Oriens

Gyp Oriens — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 04:44:14 +0000

Yes, it does! Thanks a lot! I don’t know anyone who’s publishing anything, but I do have experience proofing–other’s papers, etc. I may apply to my University paper to be a copy editor (I saw a position open on an application) soon as well. I also know most of the marks, but I should learn the rest of them I guess… there’s no good being informal in such a situation.

I’ll copy down this info for future reference, and also look into it more on my own time.

By: Madeleine Robins

Madeleine Robins — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 21:01:02 +0000

Generally it helps to know someone who’s publishing something, and get some experience proofing for free. Make sure you know all the proofing and marking-up marks (they’re usually in the dictionary, and I’m sure they’re all over the web). Then write to a bunch of managing editors at publishing houses and ask if they have a test you could take (most do) and if you could do a manuscript for them on spec (meaning, you don’t get paid unless they like the work you’ve done).

There are doubtless books on how to do it (although I tend to mistrust instructional books on general principal), and I’ve seen scams on the lines of “make big money reading books!”–you’re never going to make big money, but you can make a living at it.

Where you live isn’t much of a deal, as most publishers deal via overnight mail and FedEx a lot of the time.

That help?

By: Gyp Oriens

Gyp Oriens — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 20:02:20 +0000

I have a question:

How does one get to become a copyeditor or proofreader?

I’m pretty good at things like that, at grammar problems and noticing inconsistencies, but all the advice I hear is how to become published or be a writer or an editor, not a copyeditor/proofreader.

By: Val McDermid

Val McDermid — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:19:00 +0000

Thanks for that clear and thoughtful post. I’ve been blessed with a great editor — we’ve been together for 16 years and as many books — and I know how much better she has helped me to become. I’ve never understood authors who consider themselves somehow above the editorial process. Why would you not want to get better?

By: Charles Spurr

Charles Spurr — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 13:41:05 +0000

Some of my favorite books growing up were published by Tor Books. It’s incredible sometimes to consider all of the different minds that contribute to the content we enjoy (be it written, sung, or filmed).

RIP Mr. Legault.

And thanks for that write up; I’ve always been curious as to the path written material takes from the time it leaves an author’s desk to the time it lands on published papers.