Tag Archives: copy-editing

The Black Cat monthly round-up: January 2023

February 9, 2023 By in Monthly round-up Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

I had a fairly quiet and relaxed start to the new year. It was nice to have a little unscheduled time (by which I mean I could have a lie-in more often), but life doesn’t appear to approve of that sort of thing and I soon had a poorly cat to contend with. He gave me a real scare for a while, but he seems much better now. Our new local vet was great and the staff were very kind to Oscar’s panicky human.

What I’ve been working on

I finished off the copy-edit of an epic fantasy/sci-fi novel that I’d started in December. I’ve spent a lot of time with the characters in the series by now and I am becoming very attached to them – I suspect this won’t end happily for me since the author is not afraid to trim the cast list… My next two projects will take me into February. The first is the copy-edit of a business-focused family saga from an experienced author for a publishing services client. The second is the critique of a work of truly epic fantasy, with a narrative voice that is unusual in modern fiction.

Looking ahead

In an attempt to ‘get out there’ and do new things, I have booked a taster session at the local wall-climbing centre. Wish me luck…

The Black Cat monthly round-up: December 2022

January 12, 2023 By in Monthly round-up Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

This is the fifth December round-up for Black Cat Editorial Services, which seems like an achievement in itself. As is tradition, it is time to consult my project-tracking spreadsheet. It tells me that my 2022 projects had a combined word count of 2,873,453. That’s slightly down on 2021, but it takes my career total to more than 15 million words. Some of the drop is explained by my tutoring time increasing to 176 hours for 2022. A good chunk of that was down to the CIEP’s end-of-year discount on courses in 2021 – it was very successful in attracting new students – so I’m not expecting it to be so high in 2023.

What I’ve been working on

I finished the critique I had been working on – contemporary romance (even with elements of fantasy) is a little outside my wheelhouse, but it was enjoyable to work on something a bit different to my usual fare. I moved on to the copy-edit of a manuscript I had critiqued an earlier version of. It’s always a huge compliment when one of my critique clients asks me to take on the copy-edit of their revised work, and I love being able to see how the story and characters have developed in response to the feedback I gave previously.

Book reviews

My latest book review for the CIEP has been published. It was a pleasure to read Louise Willder’s Blurb Your Enthusiasm: An A–Z of literary persuasion. It’s a book that can be read for fun and for a purpose – if you are an independent author who struggles to write cover copy, this would be a great place to look for inspiration.

Book post

I am fortunate to have some absolutely wonderful clients, and one of them is Ashleigh Bello. We first worked together during the first UK lockdown, when she was one of the precious indie clients who kept me going during that difficult period.

I’ve worked on five of her books in total and it has been one of the best experiences of my editing career so far. I think a great editor–author relationship is built on trust, honesty, team work, and humour, and we’ve pretty much got it nailed. It was a lovely Christmas present, then, to receive a copy of the beautiful paperback Ashleigh has produced for the first instalment in her epic fantasy series. I continue to be astonished by the quality of the cover art and I think it does justice to the world and characters she created.

Ashleigh’s very kind words made me a bit teary when I read them. I can’t really express just how much it means when a client takes the time to do something like this. It makes all the tough times worthwhile. I look forward to working together again soon. I know – spoiler alert – there’s a Belvedor prequel coming in 2023 and I can’t wait to find out what happens!

Looking ahead

I didn’t have that much of a Christmas break this year, so I’ll be taking the opportunity to relax a little at the beginning of January.

The Black Cat monthly round-up: November 2021

December 8, 2021 By in Monthly round-up Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

This is my fourth November round-up. In my first one, I talked about joining the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) – it doesn’t feel like it can be that long ago that I was waiting to find out if I would pass their vetting process. I did, and it’s been a worthwhile experience; I am glad I took the step to join. ALLi is a great source of information and support, for indie authors and for the services that help them. I’ve met some great people via the organisation, including some clients I have gone on to work with many times. I see the decision to join ALLi as a bit of a turning point. Along with my achievement of Advanced Professional Member status (July 2019) with the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (then the SfEP), it is a major contributor to the success of Black Cat Editorial Services so far, and I hope that will continue.

What I’ve been working on

I finished the two copy-edits I had been working on in October. I followed these with the copy-edit of an unusual, thought-provoking ghost story and some short stories for one of my long-term indie clients. I also took on the proofread of a political thriller for one of my publisher clients. My BA is in politics, so it was interesting to see my current specialism meet with my academic specialism.

Looking ahead

I will be slowing down for a break over Christmas. However, I do need to get my formal CPD for 2021 done, so that will be something to focus on in December.

The Black Cat monthly round-up: October 2021

November 6, 2021 By in Monthly round-up Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

I’m not really into puzzles or adventure games, so it is probably not a surprise that I had never taken part in an escape room challenge before. I have to confess that I wasn’t feeling very enthusiastic about it – it seemed a bit like paying for an hour of concentrated anxiety – but my friend wanted to do one for his birthday and let no one say I won’t make sacrifices for my loved ones. It turns out my entire group was a bit rubbish at it, and my only real contribution was being able to repeat an eight-note tune on a keyboard (my only instrument-playing experience is playing the recorder at primary school for a few weeks before I got too nervous to perform in front of people and never did it again, which is an on-brand origin story). But we did complete it, in the grand time of 53 minutes and 47 seconds. It’s not about the time, though, really, is it? It was an hour of laughter and comradeship, and the experience of doing something new.

What I’ve been working on

I feel like I had a fairly balanced month in terms of work – not too much and not too little. My workload as a tutor has been steadily increasing, so I’ve had to take that into account when I schedule in proofreading and copy-editing projects. I started the month with the critique of the second part of a saga I have been involved with for a while. The author completed their revisions by the end of the month, so it’s now back with me for editing when I can fit it in around my other work. My first copy-edit of the month was of a novel by one of my long-standing clients. Their work is always tightly plotted and beautifully written, and it is a privilege to be their go-to editor. The second copy-edit will finish in the beginning of November – this is for a new client whose voice and characterisation is impressive. I feel very lucky to work on such wonderful manuscripts.

Book reviews

My latest book review for CIEP has been published: Strange to Say: Etymology as serious entertainment. I usually enjoy reading the books they send me, and I tend to look for the positive aspects even if I am not, perhaps, the primary target audience for the text. It’s hard when that is difficult to do, especially as I know how much hard work and emotional energy goes into writing and publishing a book. But I also have to be honest – it is, after all, a review.

Looking ahead

I had hoped that there might be a chance for the West Surrey & North Hampshire CIEP local group to have an in-person meeting this year, but I think that is looking increasingly unlikely. As that is the case, we will be having our last Zoom meeting of the year in late November.

The Black Cat monthly round-up: July 2021

August 3, 2021 By in Monthly round-up Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

July brought us a brief heatwave in the UK, and I can’t say that I enjoyed it. It’s one of very few things that make me miss working in an office – at least there was air-conditioning and I wasn’t constantly worried my computer was going to overheat/explode. I bought my own air-conditioning unit last year, and while it is a bit noisy and it takes up a bit of room, it was money well spent (even if it only sees use for a week every 12 months).

What I’ve been working on

I was back to a full-on schedule in July. I finished the critique I’d started in June and moved on to the critique of the second book in a fantasy series. I critiqued the first book in the series, so it’s wonderful to see how the story is going to progress and to see that the writing has taken such a huge step forward. I’ll be working on this one until mid-August. There was only one proofread for this month – a new novel from a client I work with a lot. It was an absolute pleasure, as usual. My two copy-edits were also for long-standing clients. I’m currently editing (it’s a beast of a book, so I will be working on it in August too) the last book in an epic fantasy series, and I will be very sad to see our collaboration come to an end. There are also some character deaths I’m trying not to take personally… The other copy-edit is a psychological thriller set in the 1980s, and once I have finished that edit, I’ll move on to the edit of a much longer novel by the same author.

What I read for fun

I finally managed to dedicate some time to reading The Kingdoms, and I absolutely loved it. Natasha Pulley is one of my favourite authors, and I admire her writing so much. It’s always so beautiful. I’ve seen some criticisms of The Kingdoms for being confusing, but I didn’t find it to be so. If you’ve read the author’s other works (The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, for example) it won’t be anything you aren’t prepared for. It’s a historical adventure novel with wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey elements. Enjoy the ride.

Looking ahead

I’ve been allowed to bring forward my appointment for the second dose of my COVID vaccine, which is very welcome. It means I will be fully vaccinated before I – and this is not a joke – go ghost hunting. My friend was owed a birthday outing and this is what he has decided he would like to do. I will be going to Oxford Castle for an overnight ghost-hunting adventure – a sentence I never thought I would write. My sister has already drawn the line at using a Ouija board; I’m wondering what the included snacks will be.

The Black Cat monthly round-up: December 2020

December 30, 2020 By in Monthly round-up Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

This is the third December for Black Cat Editorial Services and the business continues to grow. That feels like a huge achievement given the horrible year we have all had, plus the bonus terribles that were allotted to me and my family: my mum was diagnosed with cancer, my sister had to cope with and recover from COVID-19 alone, and my dog died. As far as I am concerned, most of 2020 can get in the bin.

It’s not all bad, though. I checked my project-tracking spreadsheet, as is now traditional for these end-of-year blog posts, and it tells me that my 2020 projects have a combined word count of 3,355,011 – about 300,000 more than 2019, despite the COVID-related work slump mid-year. It was a real relief to see my publisher work return, and I am very grateful to my wonderful indie clients who kept me busy during the dark times.

Despite the circumstances, I still managed to get some good things out of this year. I wrote two book reviews for the CIEP (on Dennis Baron’s What’s Your Pronoun and Jacqueline D. Lipton’s Law and Authors: A legal handbook for writers); attended the CIEP’s online conference; completed two courses (Copyright for Editorial Professionals and How to Write the Perfect Editorial Report); and became a tutor for the CIEP’s Proofreading Headway and Progress courses.

I started working as a tutor in August and it has been a steep learning curve – I’m very grateful to have had the brilliant Annie Jackson to hold my hand through it. I can’t tell you how strange it feels to have my name in the CIEP’s tutor list alongside some of the people I have looked up to since I began my training and some of the people who tutored me. I can only hope that my students will get as much from my help and advice as I did from my tutors and my mentor, the wonderful Margaret Aherne.

What I’ve been working on

I scheduled in a Christmas break this year – I needed some downtime – but I still managed to complete three more projects before calling it for the year. I started December with the proofread of a dark and fantastical short-story collection and then moved on to the copy-edit of the second instalment of an epic fantasy series (I worked on the first instalment and I’m getting a bit attached to the characters already). My last project of the year was the copy-edit of a fantasy/horror novel with a unique premise and intriguing conclusion.

What I read for fun

I couldn’t stop myself – I had to read the rest of the available Murderbot books. I read the novella, Exit Strategy, and the full-length novel, Network Effect, in two sittings – and now I must wait until April for the next instalment. Having run out of Murderbot material, I turned to Dreadful Company by Vivian Shaw. Like the first book, Strange Practice, it is an enjoyable and monster-filled novel. I wrapped up the month with Genevieve Cogman’s The Masked City, another enjoyable adventure with familiar characters.

Looking ahead

I will be returning to work next week, so I will make the most of the next few days of doing very little. Usually I say something like ‘Here’s to a happy and successful new year for us all’ at this point – it feels like a lot to wish for, but I do hope it comes true.

Recommended books for writers and editors

October 18, 2019 By in Tools Tags: , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Recommended books for proofreaders and editors (and writers)At a recent meeting of the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP) West Surrey and North Hampshire local group, we spent a couple of hours talking about our favourite resources: those books and websites we turn to first when we are working. Here are some of the books I would recommend to proofreaders and editors, and to writers – and the good news is you may be able to try them all out before deciding to spend your hard-earned money.

New Hart’s Rules: The Oxford Style Guide (Oxford University Press, 2014)

New Hart’s is a handy little style guide, primarily for conventions within UK publishing. It’s thorough and straightforward, and it gives plenty of helpful examples. I used it a lot when I started out and I still have it within easy reach now. If you have a UK library card, you may be able to access New Hart’s for free (use this link and look for the PREMIUM tab).

The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed. (University of Chicago Press, 2017)

CMOS is probably one of the best-known style guides. It’s a treasure trove if you are working with US English and need to know US-publishing conventions. The print copy is a beast but, fortunately, you can access the same information – in a searchable format – online (a subscription is required but there is a free trial available).

The Penguin Guide to Punctuation, R.L. Trask (Penguin Reference Books, 1997)

Don’t be put off by the publication date on this one – it’s still the best book on punctuation I have come across. Trask provides clear, simple explanations, and does not assume prior knowledge. If you are worried about how to use semicolons, or don’t know a hyphen from a dash, this book is for you. You can access an online version of the guide for free via the University of Sussex (thank you to Etty of Elegant Words for that tip-off!).

New Oxford Dictionary for Writers & Editors: The Essential A–Z Guide to the Written Word (Oxford University Press, 2014)

This isn’t your standard dictionary – it focuses on those words and names that may cause an editor or writer difficulty. NODWE is designed with us in mind. Not sure about a spelling variation? Wondering if that term should be hyphenated? NODWE is the book you need. As with New Hart’s, it is available free online to many UK library-card holders.

Fowler’s Dictionary of Modern English Usage, ed. J. Butterfield (Oxford University Press, 2015)

I love Fowler’s. It is eminently sensible – there’s no nonsensical pedantry here. Its advice is easy to understand and international in scope. This respected authority on English usage is a bit of a tome, so if you’d like to get a sense of the book, a ‘pocket’ version is available alongside New Hart’s and NODWE.

For a slightly different take on some of my favourite work-related books and websites, check out my blog post on the resources I use as guides to style and usage.

The Black Cat monthly round-up: June 2019

July 1, 2019 By in Monthly round-up Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Black Cat Editorial Services_ June round-upI almost can’t believe we are halfway through the year already – where does the time go? I’m pleased that my workload has remained steady, and that I managed to find some time to enjoy the much-improved weather at the end of the month.

One of my June highlights was being asked to approve the typeset version of the review I wrote of On Editing – I’m not ashamed to say I was quite excited to see my words nearly ready for print! I think the review will feature in the July/August edition of Editing Matters.

What I’ve been working on

I finished off the fantasy-romance edit I started in May. The author was delightful to work with and I hope she finds great success with her novel. I also completed the second part of the short-story collection I began in May – it was great to see the themes coming together and the realisation of the direction of the piece as a whole.

I was then on to two fiction proofreads. One a modern-day revenge thriller and the other an action thriller set during the Second World War. I followed these with the proofread of a long and complex non-fiction book on how our brains absorb visual information. It’s good to do something different every now and then, but this project reminded me how much I prefer to work on fiction.

What I read for fun

I managed one book this month: The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman. It has a great concept and the story rolls along nicely. It did make me think, however, about the art of using punctuation. The correct use of punctuation is, of course, important, but I think those little marks need to be wielded with style and sensitivity. For example, if the reader has to stop and re-read the sentence to make sense of what the dashes are doing, that’s a problem. If the reader (I admit this may be specific to me) is thinking about how ugly the punctuation combinations are, they aren’t absorbed in the story anymore. The punctuation should help the words flow by, should clarify and reinforce meaning, and all while being unobtrusive.

Looking ahead

Early July sees another SfEP local group meeting. We’ll be talking about our favourite books and other resources when we are working or training. I have a few go-tos (hello, newly re-branded Lexico) and it will be interesting to find out what other editors recommend.

The Black Cat monthly round-up: May 2019

June 3, 2019 By in Monthly round-up Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

20190516_082827

Mini and Ella having a snooze after a walk.

Welcome to the May round-up. I had another full-on month – I’m starting to think this is the standard now and I should get used to it. I’m getting on well with Toggl, and I have found it has significantly increased my productive time.

We had a good time at Black Cat HQ, with Mini visiting for a week or so mid-May. Her dad had swanned off on holiday, again (this time to Spain). Mins is an absolute sweetheart, and Ella always loves having her here.

One of the other highlights of the month was the SfEP local group lunch meeting. It’s always an enjoyable few hours, but this was a particularly lovely meeting. We had a couple of new faces, but the atmosphere was still warm, friendly and unguarded.

What I’ve been working on

May started with the proofread of the memoir of an economist and former banker, which was straightforward enough. Alongside that, I copy-edited the first part of a varied and thoughtful collection of short stories. My second proofread of the month was a crime novel set in London and dealing with issues of sexuality and gender. And then I got stuck into the edit of an epic (in length as well as content) fantasy-romance novel. I don’t usually work on romance titles but the quality of the writing and the strength of the fantasy elements enticed me to make an exception.

What I read for fun

I mentioned in the April round-up that I would be writing my first review for the SfEP’s Editing Matters magazine. Well, I read the book and I wrote the review. The book I tackled was On Editing by Helen Corner-Bryant and Kathryn Price. I won’t spoil my review but I loved the book and I’d highly recommend it for fiction authors and editors.

The Princess Bride Black Cat Editorial Services_ May round-up(1)by William Goldman was my only fiction read this month – yet another classic I really should have read already (I have recently bought a whole load of classics to try to address this failing of mine). It is, of course, brilliant, and if you love the film you will love the book. Perhaps the most striking thing, for me, is the framing device of Goldman editing the work of the fictional author S. Morgenstern. It took me a while grasp the complexity of the whole thing – Goldman narrates as a fictionalised version of himself, weaving a story within a story. If you are thinking about using a framing device in your work, you should check out Goldman’s stunning, intricate example.

Looking ahead

I have a couple of projects to finish off for the beginning of June. I’m hoping to put aside a few days to start working through the SfEP’s Introduction to Fiction Editing course. I aim to do at least one training course each year to support my continuing professional development. I love working on fiction, I have heard good things about the SfEP’s course, and I had a discount voucher to use up – it seemed the obvious choice.

Five reasons NOT to choose Black Cat Editorial Services

October 8, 2018 By in Services Tags: , , , , , 1 Comment

Black Cat Editorial Services_why I'm NOT the editor for youThere are lots of proofreaders and copy-editors out there, all trying to make themselves visible and entice you to use their services. It can be hard to choose the right one for you. Will they do a good job? Will they understand what you want to achieve? Will you like them? Well, I’m going to make your life a bit easier and tell you why you should cross me off your list of editors to contact.

I’m totally laissez-faire

You’re using serial commas? Cool. You aren’t using serial commas? Also cool (unless they are needed for sense). We are using single quote marks for concepts but double quote marks for speech? No problem, as long as it’s consistent. You want to spell verbs with the -ize ending? Super, I’ll make sure they’re all like that. It’s your writing and they are your style choices, not mine.

I’ll encourage your ‘rule’ breaking

Rules, legitimate or otherwise, shouldn’t come between you and great writing. Split your infinitives for effect. Put a preposition at the end of the sentence because it reads more naturally. Use comma splices in that section of dialogue to convey your character’s anxiousness. I’ve got your back.

I’ll ask you some hard questions

Is this word appropriate in this context? Could we make this language more inclusive? Have you got permission to use these song lyrics? I’ll admit it right now: I might be a tiny bit annoying. But that’s better than alienating your audience or getting in trouble because you forgot to seek copyright permissions.

My services aren’t cheap

I’m a highly trained professional. I edit for a living. I invest in continuing professional development. I belong to one of the most respected editing organisations in the world. My time and services are in constant demand. And I have a cat who will eat only Felix As Good as it Looks.

You might have to wait a while

It’s really, really unlikely I’ll be able to start work on your 100,000-word manuscript immediately, and I definitely won’t get it back to you within a couple of days. I’m usually booked up at least two weeks in advance, so the best thing to do is get in contact as early as you can. And your project deserves time and attention – I won’t rush through it or assume it’s all fine. I’ll take my time on an edit, and I’ll do it properly.

In summary

If you want an editor to take the ‘rules’ and their favourite style guide and stamp them all over your writing, you’ll find me very disappointing. If you’d like thoughtful guidance and support, you’ve come to the right place.

If you’re searching for someone who won’t flag up anything dubious buried in your manuscript, I’m not for you. If you want to work with an editor who will advocate for your potential readers and support your long-term interests, you’ve found her.

If you need editorial services that are cheap and quick, you’d best look elsewhere. If you want high-quality editing, giving your writing the time and respect it deserves, Black Cat Editorial Services is for you.