Copyediting: A Practical Guide

by Karen Judd

Book Overview

Filled with sound, practical advice, this book is a must if you wish to become an effective copyeditor. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1560526084
• ISBN13: 9781560526087
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Crisp Learning
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.77 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

The only copyediting review book you'll need

What makes copyediting so complex is that the English language is a knotty monster. And for the most part, the reference books that try to tackle and untangle said language are fairly thick and complex tomes. Let's say you are preparing to interview for an editing job. Chance is good that, if you aren't constantly editing or constantly reviewing, you're going to be a bit rusty in the editorial joints. And chance is very good that, for most editing positions, a copyediting test will be required. So, with only a few days until your interview and test, do you really want to brush up with a book the size of the New York Yellow Pages? I thought not. While the bigger bookshelf hogs (like The Copyeditor's Handbook by Amy Einsohn and Chicago) go into greater depth in both explanations and exceptions, Karen Judd's book is perfectly organized for the purpose of reacquainting yourself quickly and efficiently with the essential rules of copyediting. And unlike those other books (I'm looking at you, Chicago!), Judd's work deals thoroughly with the difference between copyediting and proofreading. It's a good book for your first book, and you might be surprised to find yourself returning to it again and again when you feel your skills could use some refreshing or refining.

Review of Every Page perfect

I recently purchased Every Page Perfect by Mary Lynn. I find the book to be indispensable. I don't know what I did without this book. I have used the book and I find a huge difference in the way I present my writing to the public and to editors. I recommend this book to both seasoned writers and beginners out there. Every Page Perfect is 8 1/2 x 11 and shows how to set pages up exactly as an editor would want them for all genres etc. It should be on everyone's book shelf. It is clear, comprehensive and friendly. Don't write without it! keelia

Nice Reference Guide

This book is simple yet in-depth. Recommended to anyone who works in copyediting. This may even be useful for people who work in more "creative" writing fields, since it talks about the importance of consistency vs. "correctness."

Copyediting: A Practical Guide

This is a comprehensive book; the author covers everything you need to know to copyedit, and more. She discusses the uses of the copyediting and proofreading symbols, and when they should be used as well as spelling, grammar, style; numbers and abbreviations; footnotes and bibliographies, typemarking, and handling artwork. She also explains how (and when!) to write queries, and the differences between copyediting textbooks, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, medical, and science (etc.) texts. She discusses what publishers are looking for in a copyeditor--what to emphasize in your resume, and what to leave out. The author is an experienced copyeditor, so the book tells you how things really work, not just how they are supposed to work. The book is well written. It is not hard to understand or tedious to read; and it is very well organized.

Detailed, hands-on, in a manageable size

This is, indeed, a practical, information-packed guide, with lots of exercises, answer keys, and checklists. It doesn't go over every point of grammar--you can get that from your other reference books--but it does tell you most of what there is to know about pen-and-paper copyediting.The book shows its age whenever computers are mentioned; Judd's comments on these magical machines are amusing and entertaining, but not very useful. I found it worthwhile, but if you edit online or on disk, this may not be the best book for you.