what makes a good copy editor

I really liked . As I suggested in the section on attitude, one of the characteristics of a great copyeditor is humility. "The "five Cs" summarize the copy editor's job: Make the copy clear, correct, concise, complete, and consistent. It's a copy editor's job to make sure this doesn't happen. Beta readers. Use copy editing marks. 2. Copy noun . Likewise, how much does a copy editor make? 'Submit all copy to the appropriate editor.'; Copy noun. Clean copy is what separates the professionals from the amateurs, the go-to writers from the wannabes. Don't make spelling or grammar mistakes. Writing & Translation Talent. I'd love to write a review, especially a good one, and often . Copy editors have a reputation for being first cousins to Marian the Librarian and Arnold the Accountant — meek and timid — and with good reason, because many I've met fit the stereotype. First of all, you receive a built-in terminal and . For example, I first titled this post, I wrote "25 ways to make your copy stronger." When I re-read it, I realized the verb wasn't strong. Without clarity your copy is shot. Do not overwrite. You know all of the . They will substitute weak words, phrases, and sentences with powerful alternatives, often . A good copy editor looks at word choice, sentence structure, stylization and story flow in addition to checking spelling and grammar. Verat Copywriting. Copy editing, or line editing as it is sometimes called in publishing circles, is the painstaking job of going through a manuscript line by line to correct the spelling, grammar and punctuation. Happy people don't often make good copy editors. But what if you don't have a copy editor on your marketing team? Good sales copy is: Engaging: it focuses on reader benefits. But if you're a 'synergy-focussed solutions expert with a . A good copy editor has an expansive skill set, involving strong attention to detail, knowledge about a variety of subject matters, and an ability to . They: 1. Simple language is not flowery, indulgent, pompous, extraneous, or redundant. (Go back in time to an old-school newspaper copy desk, and you'd be reading another story altogether.) 20. A good . This is a very welcome post and a much-needed reminder of the value of good copy-editing, something that alas is all too often overlooked by self-published authors. Computers A file that has the same data as another file: stored on the server a copy of every document. A good copy editor will also know what you mean - and he or she will explain it in a way that makes you look perfectly polished and professional. A good copy editor makes sure that the structure of your plot is solid. A good copy editor gets to know the characters in your book well enough to . As always, some editors may be faster or slower than this. Or if they're a little more sophisticated, they try to harken back to the golden age of advertising and long-form copy. Answer (1 of 9): Introverts make great copywriters, yes. Other people are actively held back from publishing because they aren't good at writing. While humility is a trait that is generally acquired with age, it is not always the case. Writing may be hard, but with just a few quick-fix tips, you can make it easier to write good copy. (Thanks!) Memorize the AP stylebook and a good list of most commonly misspelled words and you'll out-test 90-something percent of the competition, no . After all, the editor does more than correct grammar and spelling (as important as this is). Writing copy for websites requires establishing a bond with your reader. They keep track of multiple writers working on multiple stories for multiple issues without constantly acting like the world's about to end. 'Have you seen the latest copy of "Newsweek" yet?'; 'The library has several copies of the Bible.'; ADVERTISEMENT. Copy editing is a bit cheaper than developmental editing, again because of the differences in time and effort involved. 10 . Nancy Flowers says. Copy editors should make it say what it means, and mean what it says" for as long as I have been aware of this article. A good copy editor will probably have a degree in English or journalism. Find her work in various publications such as Refinery29, Well + Good, Los Angeles Confidential, Haute Living, Dujour, and HelloGiggles. 3. Good resources for all copy editors to have on their reference shelf include: The Chicago Manual of Style; The Associated Press style guide (especially for journalists) A reputable dictionary; An in-house style guides, if your publication agency has one 2. A page is defined as 250 words, which is what a one-inch-margin, double-spaced, twelve-point-font page usually comes out to. It requires connecting on a deep, emotional level that leaves the reader enthusiastic to take action. They're knowledgeable about how consumers skim and read, understand the importance of an attention-grabbing headline, can articulate the sales and marketing objectives, and know a thing or two about SEO and . Whereas in California and Delaware, they would average $59,346 and $55,714, respectively. One of the overall improvements that a copy editor can make to your manuscript is strengthening the prose throughout. You're really good at what you do. 4 / 5. Whether the text is a book, a magazine, a news article, or an advertisement, chances are a copy editor looked at it somewhere along the way. Ah yes - good point. When you compose a piece, you may get an entire train of thought out of your head and onto the page, but usually writers find that on further inspection, we're not as thorough as we thought we were. He would edit his first draft four or five times before showing it to a client, who would inevitably change it again. Rather, a good copy-editor is curious and engages the author in a conversation. And copy editing matters too! My experience has been that when . They make sure any factual data in the text is accurate and that any potential legal issues . I'm not an expert on the subject and I did no research or prep. A writer is only as good as the brain trust that surrounds him or her. "Make" is sometimes used in the same way as "start to," in place of what could be a stronger verb. Copy editing is a process that ensures that text is correct in terms of spelling, grammar, jargon, punctuation, terminology, semantics and formatting. Unlike some of the other text editors featured here, though, Sublime Text isn't free. Copy Editors make the most in New Jersey with an average salary of $61,548. They solve problems every hour of every day and plant the flag for good English and clear writing—a worthy goal in the age of emoticons and Twitter shorthand. 6 Traits of Good Copywriting 1) It tilts your perspective. and generally will charge $75 to $85 an hour. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. Creativity and a healthy willingness to think outside the box Sometimes a copy editor is given a piece that's too long. Good copyediting always comes from real, authentic passion and the love for well-written, error-free content. It's harder to convey subtleties of tone in writing than it is when speaking, and it may be better to address any sensitive or thornier questions over the phone or face to face. If you're applying for a job as copywriter, make sure you've checked your application for typos and basic grammar. 37 votes. Good editors share a lot of the same qualities. After reviewing copy -- whether it's on a soda can, in a newspaper story or a commercial script -- the copy editor serves as the arbiter and . How when you are writing keep it simple and to the point. In addition to the in-house guide, reference sources often include the Associated Press Stylebook and the Chicago Manual of Style. For example, I once wrote a good piece of copy about a cat claw clipper completely off the top of my head in about 20 minutes. A good copy editor develops skills at editing over time. By finding the . Copy editors are the grammatical gatekeepers of the media world. Good editing involves being able to reword a passage so that it sounds better, but does not destroy the writer's "voice." A school work pad. Developed a strong understanding of how to make words work together, cutting down articles before publication and editing work on different topics. Jessica Estrada is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer, editor, journalist, copywriter, consultant, and coach with over a decade of experience. The relatability of PayPal's copy makes it feel friendlier and warmer. If you've never written a book before, then employing a copy editor is a good idea as you will have a lot to learn. Copy editors are normally the last people to read something before it goes to publication. Overwriting is a symptom of under thinking. When you're editing copy on paper, there are certain editorial shorthand marks which you'll need to know and . She also works wit Copy editing. A copy editor may also do a rewrite, if necessary, to fix any problems with transitions, wordiness, jargon, and to ensure the style of the piece fits with the publication. If you're not exactly an editorial expert but you are charged with making sure copy is fit to publish, then this article is for . It endears you to the editors you write for, but it also makes you a trusted resource. A good copy editor will also know what you mean - and he or she will explain it in a way that makes you look perfectly polished and professional. We'll show you how . I talked about one of my favorite topics — dictionaries — with members of the Association of Earth Science Editors as they gathered right here . A good copy editor takes on the role of reader, making sure the author's point is understood. Less experienced copy editors will make closer to $25,000-$30,000, while veteran copy editors who have held positions at major publishers can make $60,000 or more. ies 1. a. Second, to do a thorough job of copyediting an academic manuscript, copyeditors edit from 2 to 5 pages an hour. Here are 4 tips to help you get good results from your copy. They save writers and the publications they work for from embarrassment. Good copy is damn hard to write. However, in the advertising industry copywriters who are introverts MUST develop a healthy ability to explain, present, and champion their work - both internally among account teams and externally if they are client-facing. Good editors with lots of experience will charge at least $50 an hour. For example, I first titled this post, I wrote "25 ways to make your copy stronger." When I re-read it, I realized the verb wasn't strong. Editors are aiming for all that enhances clarity within a manuscript: consistency, correctness, conciseness. Passion is what stimulates an editor's growth and development of needed qualities and skills. Be specific use simple words and & quot ; Reverted good faith by. Mac users rave about it, and it & # x27 ; t explain it simply, can. Twelve-Point-Font page usually comes out to grammatical gatekeepers of the letter not hard to see why nothing the. Or five times before showing it to a client, who would inevitably change again... 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