Copyediting Singapore

Posted by on Jul 19, 2010 in Copyediting | 0 comments

Copyediting Singapore – The Copyeditors’ Quandaries

Professional copyeditors are inclined to perfectionism and meticulousness. These traits, in fact, are the reasons that draw them to the job of manuscript editing. There are times, however, that copyeditors face an issue that not even the manual style guide can resolve. Instances like this call for the copyeditors’ good judgment.

But what if the copyeditor is not really sure on what to do about a quirky detail in the manuscript? Well, a copyeditor needs to think that he is not alone. Fellow editors do experience such dilemmas that giving them a call will not be treated a big deal.

Conducting self research is another way of being optimistic in times where the copyeditor’s discretion is put to test. A handy dictionary with the latest version is necessary. Skimming through the style guide can be of help. Who knows the reason why a copyeditor is stuck on a question is due to an overlooked rule or principle in the manual.

Copyediting Singapore – Resources To Get Help From When Stuck On Quirky Editing Issues

If still the latter does not provide sufficient help, ask the supervising editor for support. Senior editors could provide really practical tips that are not based on manuals but on experiences. In asking, be sure to send the questions in batch since constantly bombarding them with one or two questions can have an impact on the senior editor’s everyday workload.

Remember that copyeditors have to be sensitive. They must know when to call authors for inquiries. This also applies in dealing with fellow editors. So it’s not healthy to constantly ask the most basic editing questions since a copyeditor is expected to conduct homework himself.

Joining an online community of editors can also make situations like that mentioned above easier. On the forum section, editors can post questions and answers which they think could help solve their fellow editor’s problem. Lists of never been encountered editing questions and possible solutions could also be found on this type of social networking site. So spend some time in websites like this for nobody would know how copyeditors get their works done by simply hanging out at the cyber world.