Monday, August 8, 2011

How to Learn Editing Good

Professional editors are still foreign in most of Indonesia's ear, even in the world. Therefore, a reasonable if not many know about this one so that the profession can be understood almost no one who aspires to become an editor. So, why still there are people who later became acting editor? Yes, they were people who happened to be "mired" in the world of book publishing and the autodidact. Not believe?

Facts in the U.S. states that 80% of editors surveyed did not directly have a desire to become an editor. Most editors who menceburi in the book industry by chance or accidental. The results of The Association of American Publishing (1977) found that most of the general editor of books and higher education in the U.S. to pursue other jobs before becoming editor. Most of them entered the publishing field by chance, because family relationships, because they do not know what the appropriate fields, and for the love of books or for wanting to be a writer, but do not know how. Only a few people who actually prepare themselves in the publishing world.

In a study Coser, Kadushin, and Powell (1982) found that job as editor of the most highly regarded position in the publishing world. Ninety percent of editors who investigated by them also do not have the ideal start to the editor. Now you know!

Why on earth should a creature was named editor and to the extent that there are people who ultimately set the course of his life as an editor? Logically if you see the development of book publishing in the world, including in Indonesia so fast, that society will certainly understand that they really should not get the reading material is in shambles. The editors were required to clarify the meaning of a text, making it easy to read, and motivate interest in reading. With millions of books published every month, of opportunities for work of this mysterious wide open so that anyone who intentionally or unintentionally end up working there and not come back again.

About copyeditor: A kind of Editor

Of the several types of editors are actually known in the publishing world, the most popular is the copyeditor-often called the editor or editors passage coffee. Copyeditor copyediting his work has become the easiest model to explain the work of an editor. However, there are also many different publishers who understand what a copyeditor with other editors (such as acquiring right editor or editor). Most professional copyeditor in Indonesia this is called a single course of editors-who do the work of editing the manuscript, looking for manuscripts, negotiate, manage licensing, and other actual number of specific jobs normally done by the editors of certain types.

A copyeditor is actually just doing editorial standards. In the "caste" editor as a career, he was among the lowest level with the editorial staff or any other type. However, he became the vanguard of the editorial task as a reader and evaluator early manuscript. Two major activities undertaken in the copyediting process is the first reading (first editing) and editing mechanical (mechanical editing).

Due to the popularity editologi not taught in Indonesia as well as the profession itself, often copyediting process is not fully understood properly by the editors beginners in Indonesia. There are parts missing, ethics are violated, and a lack of understanding of the profession. For that, through this paper I try to share experiences and views on copyediting is good and right. Thus, the copyeditor can be professional in dealing with a manuscript, technological developments, as well as book publishing trends. I start from two major events before copyediting.

Read First

Read the first done on the manuscript (hardcopy) to assess the strengths or weaknesses of the manuscript. In the first reading, a copyeditor may affix signs of correction or question marks for correcting the manuscript. At this stage also a copyeditor can check the completeness of the manuscript, presentation techniques, and the suitability of the manuscript style selingkung (house style) publishers.

With advances in computer now, many writers / authors to include softcopy manuscript in the form of a file. Copyeditor main mistake was that if he tried to do the first read through the manuscript of this softcopy via computer media. Accuracy of reading on a computer monitor screen is not as good as reading the printed text because the human eye has limitations. This often happens to novice editors who consider working directly with the way "Emon" (edit-term monitoring of new editors) is the most effective and modern. In fact, frequent mistakes are missed reading the manuscript, or loss of concentration due to eyestrain.

The first reading of this important process and should not be missed to be able to measure the quality of the manuscript. That need to be understood that when the first read, a copyeditor should not be too concentrated to find fault with the script (like EYD, sentence, or the truth of the facts). However, this does is make sense of the manuscript. If depicted with a triangle, the process: the first read-understand-interpret. Thus, a copyeditor should be able to find 'common thread' of the manuscript. A piece of "red thread" script can be found if the text can answer the following questions:

1. Is the content of the manuscript in accordance with the vision and mission of the publisher?

2. Is the manuscript qualified physical appearance is set publishing?

3. Does anatomical completeness of the script has a script?

4. Is the script presents a fascinating subject (unique, has never been discussed, more fully, controversy, etc.).?

5. Does the pattern of script writing is in conformity with the style selingkung publishers?

6. Is the language used in the manuscript is in conformity with the standard rules of language?

7. What is the purpose or the message the author / authors will be easily caught by the reader?

These questions can only be added again by the issuer or the copyeditor to detect the feasibility of a manuscript published. So, the first is to assess the core reading text, not to correct him. As for affixing signs of correction is useful to see how big a mistake that was found in the manuscript when it is read. Manuscript that contains a lot of mistakes will certainly get a special note.

If the chances are considered good and worthy manuscript for publication, a copyeditor should be able to imagine how the text will be made. This is where knowledge of production specifications book editor, desktop publishing and graphic communication design is indispensable. Copyeditor should have an idea of ​​packing a book that will be suggested to the writers / authors and also the managing editor or chief editor.

In practice in Indonesia publishers, the latter sometimes copyeditor task is shackled by the assumption that they only ngedit mere artisan. They made only sensitive to error in the script and fix it, but become insensitive how it later became. As a result, editors like these sometimes only use their left brain (logic, truth and fact data, legibility, the truth of the theory) without activating the right brain (empathy, creativity, innovation).

Editing Mechanical

Editing mechanics is the next process after a script declared eligible through the first reading. Called the mechanic because the editing is done manually by the copyeditor way signs put corrections into proofs or proof script (a script that has been set and should dilayout pages). By default this is done with a mechanical editing two to three times the editing proofreaders.

For this work copyeditor is recommended to use a brightly colored pens, paper post-it notes to attach repair sentences or paragraphs, marker dyes (stabillo) to mark specific word or phrase, and the signs that a correction has to be agreed or publisher selingkung style. Copyeditor should not use pencil because it shows insecurity and also difficult to see. Was not advisable to use the signs of correction that is not standard because it can lead to miscommunication with layouter.

Once again in the editing process is often mechanical copyeditor also take a shortcut by editing the monitor. This method is not recommended although it seems to be faster. First, the copyeditor will take over duties that may also layouter even take over the use of his tools. Second, the editing of this type of questionable accuracy because many words or sentences that can be missed, especially if you have to do heavy editing would be very dangerous if not good at writing.

In this mechanical process of editing a true 7 copyeditor maintain the well-known aspects of editing: 1) legibility and clarity; 2) consistency, 3) the language of truth, 4) writing style; 5) accuracy of facts and data; 6) the legality and propriety; 7 ) production details. Indeed, in practice, keeping the 7 aspects were very heavy and require extra capability of a copyeditor. Therefore, it is also feasible if there are editors in the world the term "flying hours" to assess the skill level of an editor.

Later might arrive during a copyeditor should do heavy editing. Herman Holtz in his very inspritatif How to Start and Run Writing and Editing Business stated that it is very thin difference between heavy editing by rewriting (rewriting). In this context a copyeditor should first explore the language style of writing, just do heavy editing or rewriting, in the sense of changing a few sentences or a paragraph of text. Should this change be consulted? Should be informed and consulted by the author / authors are concerned that copyeditor can keep the authority of the writer / author while offering suggestions for improvement.

The results of mechanical editing a corrected proof should be kept well by the copyeditor to proof published a book and has been confirmed safe. Remember, the removal of the script either intentionally or unintentionally by the editors considered a violation of ethics code editing, including removal of editing proof proofreaders. The results are later editing can be used as a subject for investigation, if conducted a search of mistakes in the book. Proofreaders corrected proof and the real facts, if found mistakes in the book that may be caused by the negligence of the editor, negligence layouter / designer, or negligence precast officers and printing.

***

Principles to be adhered to by a copyeditor is 4C, namely clarity (clarity), the association (coherency), ketaatasasan (concistency), and the truth (correctness). So, treat the text as appropriate with the aim of making the text can actually be read, understood, and move the mind readers. As a result, a copyeditor jobs can not be underestimated for reasons of time or a manuscript written by a writer / author famous. A copyeditor must be completely professional by doing the proper preparation in editing the manuscript.

There are times when a copyeditor burdened with the task of editing the two texts at once. How could he respond to that? This is where an editor or copyeditor it demanded the ability to manage time, solve problems and make decisions. Therefore, the editors do not just need smart intellectually, but emotionally intelligent. He should be able to communicate so well that the writers / authors will not be difficult for him, an expert editor would tell him, and layouter happy to follow his suggestions.

This is where the editing or copyediting the assumption that it is actually also an art. A good book of course comes from the copyediting is good and right and added flavor of the art copyeditornya manages to be a book manuscript. Each book was bound to have a history of editing each one. And a good book with a proud history of editing would certainly be something very valuable to the copyeditor though his name is not lifted as high as the name of the author / authors.

So even if the field profession is not known, it is difficult actually be a good copyeditor and masterful true alias. Copyeditor should not miss the opportunity to edit the script as a test of ability for flying hours. Hopefully this bit of enlightenment that many can share.

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