LookCreative

Editing Skills

Copy Editing. Editing for grammar, usage, spelling, punctuation, and other mechanics of style; checking for consistency of mechanics and for internal consistency of facts; inserting head levels and approximate placement of art; editing tables, figures, and lists; notifying Designer of any unusual production requirements. Does not include the following unless specified:
• Canadianizing
• metrication
• providing or editing art manuscript
• providing or changing system of citations
• editing index
• writing or editing captions or credit lines
• writing running heads
• obtaining or listing permissions needed
• providing front matter (prelims), cover copy, or CIP data
• editing preface or foreword
• negotiating changes with Author
• seeking approvals from clients’ representatives

Developmental/Project Editing. Coordinating and editing a project from proposal or rough manuscript to final manuscript, incorporating input from authors, consultants, or reviewers. Does not include the following unless specified:
• budgeting
• hiring
• design supervision
• production coordination

Proofreading. Checking proofs of formatted, edited material for adherence to design and for minor, mechanical errors in copy (such as spelling mistakes or small deviations from style sheet). Does not include the following unless specified:
• incorporating or exercising discretion on Author’s alterations
• copyfitting
• inserting or checking page numbers to contents and page references
• flagging or checking location of art

Substantive/Structural Editing. Clarifying or reorganizing a manuscript for content and structure. Does not include the following unless specified:
• research
• writing original material
• negotiating changes with Author

Stylistic Editing. Clarifying meaning, eliminating jargon, polishing language, and other non-mechanical line-by-line editing. Does not include the following unless specified:
• checking or correcting reading level
• creating or recasting tables or figures
• negotiating changes with Author

Other Skills Performed by Editors

Fact Checking/Citation Checking/Reference Checking. Checking accuracy of facts and quotes by reference to original sources used by Author or to other reference sources.

Indexing. Producing a key to the contents of a work. Includes reading and analyzing the work; choosing subjects, concepts, and other elements that together form a systematic guide to the information contained in the work; arranging these elements into entries consisting of headings and subheadings and their locators (for example, page numbers); and arranging the entries alphabetically or in some other searchable order.

Permissions. Locating source information and obtaining permission releases for copyrighted material. Does not include the following unless specified:
• reading manuscript and composing list of permissions needed
• setting and maintaining budgets• negotiating usage fees

Picture Research. Locating suitable photos or artwork. Does not include the following unless specified:
• reading manuscript and composing picture list
• setting and maintaining budgets
• searching for artists’ references
• obtaining pictures and permission releases
• arranging for and supervising set-up shots
• editing and choosing pictures
• writing captions, labels, or source lines
• organizing pictures for scanning
• returning pictures
• negotiating usage fees
• sending final usage letters

Production Coordination. Coordinating and supervising design, formatting, and proofreading stages, and ensuring integration of design and content. Does not include the following unless specified:
• preparing printer’s specs or obtaining quotes
• formatting
• proofing
• inputting changes
• checking vandykes/blues or other types of proofs and film

Writing Skills

Original Writing. Creating original material for a new manuscript or parts of a manuscript.

Rewriting. Creating a new manuscript or parts of a manuscript on the basis of content and research supplied by Author. Does not include the following unless specified:
• research
• writing original material

Transcription. Directly transcribing text from an auditory format into a written format. Does not include the following unless specified:
• formatting
• copy editing or proofing
• inputting changes

Translation. Directly translating text from one language to another. Does not include the following unless specified:
• formatting
• copy editing or proofing
• inputting changes

*Some of these definitions are extractions from the Editors' Association of Canada*

Phone / Messages: 416-822-4991
Email: lookcaa@lookcreative.net