Editing rant

[eurydicebound]

1) Argh! Why can't you tell a semicolon from a colon? Why?!? Did your mother drop you as a child? What the hell?

2) I don't care if George Orwell started off every sentence with a conjunction. You are not Orwell. But you think you are. But you're not. And you need to stop. Before I kill you.

3) Sometimes even the most clever turn of phrase just does not have a point and should be cut. Like, say, this one. *snip* See how much better that is?

4) Don't italicize Wal-Mart. In fact, don't use Wal-Mart unless you're staging a major adventure scene there, somewhere between Electronics and Housewares. Oh wait, you're not? Okay. *snip* There. All better.

5) You know that saying, "a bridge too far?" Well, your version is "a phrase/clause too far." Please, for the love of Gertrude, just... stop.

Comments

[wooz71.livejournal.com]

But what could possibly be wrong with starting sentences with conjuntions. I like to do that. And you know what, it looks cool.

:)

I miss Tangency. :(

[http://users.livejournal.com/_grimtales_/]

Editors have no soul. :P
I also think UK/US English divergence is speeding up.

[mercuryeric.livejournal.com]

Courage, Camille.

[xomec.livejournal.com]

So I guess it's going well, huh?

[exilesletter.livejournal.com]

You know, not three days ago I was typing up a massive rant titled "Semicolons: they're Not That Hard" for Tangency. When it reached a length that I realized no one would read, I gave it up in disgust.

My favorite subheading was "The Semicolon is Not A 'Fancy Comma'."

[(Anonymous)]

I am *soooo* glad to be on your editor good side.
:)

--Christopher McG.
Ever grateful to have Michelle as his editor.

My Prose! I must savzor it!

[cazmonster.livejournal.com]

Cazmonster hides his prose from the Raging Editor.

It's fine, see! It's all these 200 word vignettes! No edit! No edit!

[anaka.livejournal.com]

I can't tell if you really want me to answer this question or not. In my current mood, however, I would say the safe answer is "no." If you want a real answer, let me know and I'll take a valium and get to it later. :)

[anaka.livejournal.com]

Feh. You only say that because you don't know the horrors that unsuspecting authors can perpetrate. I'm trying to beat back the grammar apocalypse with a broom and a whiffle ball. Trust me.

As to the divergence.... hmm. I don't think it is, really. Unless by "speeding up" you mean during the last few decades as opposed to earlier.

[anaka.livejournal.com]

Tolerably. At least you can tell I'm working. :) I should have something concrete to report back to you this afternoon. Just don't send the flying monkeys after me yet.

[anaka.livejournal.com]

*grin*

[anaka.livejournal.com]

*grin* You are the sister of my soul.

[anaka.livejournal.com]

Heh. See, you worry too much.

Re: My Prose! I must savzor it!

[anaka.livejournal.com]

Murder your darlings, hon. Or, to put it another way:

"Editor! What is best in life!"

"To crush the words, to see the letters driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of the authors."

"That is good."

Re: My Prose! I must savzor it!

[cazmonster.livejournal.com]

EEP!

Cazmonster hides.

Re: My Prose! I must savzor it!

[anaka.livejournal.com]

If I can scare Caz, I must be doing something right. :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_grimtales_/]

I find I run into a lot more trouble when edited )or reviewed) by yanks than I do with fellow brits. Grammar's one thing but often you lose the poetry and cadence of language by adhering strictly to 'da rules'.

[anaka.livejournal.com]

True, and poetry and cadence can be important, especially when you're dealing with fiction or essay-style work. There are times when a conversational, casual tone is what's needed, and there you can relax the rules -- on a blog, for example. :) But when you're aiming for a professional publication on a technical subject and you need the text to be clear, accessible by a wide audience, and to the point, that's when the rules are more often your friend than not.

There's also the take, of course, that you have to know the rules to know when to break them. Not everyone does.

As for British English vs. American style, there are definitely common usage differences, many of which American editors in particular aren't aware of. Unless you've had to edit for both or you read a lot of UK authors, it's easy to miss. Part of that whole US insular culture thing. If your book's primarily seeing a US release, though, it does make sense to skew your editing toward a style that's more familiar with the larger intended market. It's basically just a question of finding the right balance.

[tsob.livejournal.com]

But on the plus side; you're working.

:)

Re: My Prose! I must savzor it!

[elissa-carey.livejournal.com]

Conan the Grammarian! AKA The Termin-editor. :D

[wooz71.livejournal.com]

No answer is needed. I was just 'poking the bear'. :D

I actually know better.