This course provides a sound foundation for setting yourself up as a freelance editor, or for seeking work as a proof reader.
Good editors are always in demand and with greater access to the internet, todays editors can often work from virtually anywhere in the world.
Graduates of this course may well start with part time work editing web sites, newsletters or low circulation magazines; but over time (and perhaps with further study) can work up to full time employment as a proof reader, sub editor, book or magazine editor, copy editor, freelance editor, or even publishing assistant or publisher.
Editors work for publications both in house (eg. in a magazine, newspaper or web development office), or outside as contractors (eg. self employed from home).
Alone, this course does not make you a professional editor, but it can lead to valuable career opportunities when combined with other courses that develop your knowledge and skills in publishing and journalism.
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Very few people can write high quality pieces of work "right off the cuff". In most cases, at least some "polishing" is required before the final draft is ready.
It is the editor’s role to improve the quality of the writing, whether it is their own or another person's work.
The scope of editing ranges from self editing (where the writer examines their own writing and improves it as best they can), to professional editing - where an expert is employed by a publishing company to improve the quality of a piece of writing prior to publication.
There are many other facets of commercial publishing that require the skills of professional editors. These include: commissioning publications; reviewing manuscripts; overseeing manuscripts through the production process; liaising with writers, publishers, printers and agents; writing blurbs, captions and press releases; and researching and organising pictures. In smaller organisations the editor may also be responsible for the design and publication of documents, newsletters, reports, magazines and books using desktop publishing software and equipment.
Editing involves several stages, all of which will be examined in detail during this course. In summary, they are:
Style Errors - Below are errors in style due to inappropriate or poor choices of language which can lead to boring, imprecise and inaccurate writing. In some situations, they may be relevant and suitable, but they are usually best avoided:
Adobe
A software company that produces some of the most widely used software in the publishing industry, for editing and layout of both text and graphics. Adobe products include Adobe Pagemaker, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.
Agony Column
A regular feature containing items related to personal problems; such as readers’ letters and editorial advice.
Alignment
The ranging of type along its base line and the horizontal and vertical ranging of columns.
Ampersand
The sign “&” used to represent the word “and”.
Angle
The specific perspective from which an item is written.
Arm
The horizontal stroke or line of a capital letter (eg. P or F).
Artwork
Any type of illustration including a photograph, drawing, or computer generated graphic.
Ascender
The stroke of a lower case letter that extends higher than the height of an “x” (eg. the top half of the letter “b”).
Author’s corrections
Alterations made to text by the author, after the main editing has been finished, but before final printing.
Back bench
Senior editorial executives of a publication (usually refers to senior staff in a large newspaper).
Back margin (or Back)
The inside margin of a page (ie. where the two pages join together).
Banner
A major headline that extends across the top of a page.
Barcode
A printed barcode for the ISBN number of a publication.
Blanket
A rubbery sheet that is clamped around a cylinder, that contains an image used in offset printing to transfer that image to paper as it moves through the machine.
Bleed
An illustration is placed on the edge of a printed area, so that when the paper is trimmed, the illustration extends to the edge without any margin.
Block
This is commonly an engraved image on a flat metal plate, which is used to transfer an image when printing using a “letterpress” technique.
Blow up
An enlargement of a photograph or other type of illustration.
Blueprint
Same as dyeline.
Blurb
A description of a book, and perhaps an author profile, printed on the cover or inside sleeve and any publicity material for a book.
Book block
The bound pages of a book, before attaching to the cover.
Box
A section of text or an illustration (or both) ruled off on four sides to create a square or rectangular section within text. Tables, line drawings and “emphasised” statements, such as quotations, are often set in boxes.
Break Out
A second (or further) item on the same page as the main story (eg. you may have several items that are unrelated on the same page, though the page is dominated by one main item).
Breaker
Anything used to break up text in a page, such as a quote or crosshead.
Brevier
An old name used to refer to 8 point type.
Bromide
A print of a photograph, illustration or typeset material made on standard light-sensitive photographic paper; from which an image is taken for printing.
Bullet point
A black mark (eg. A dot, triangle, dash) in front of text to create an effect or highlight – often used on tabulated lists, sometimes on headings.
Camera Ready Copy
An image which is ready for the printer to work from to print.
Cap line
An imaginary line, level with the top of the capital letters.
Caption
An explanation or title printed above, below, or beside a photo or drawing.
Caret
An insertion mark.
Cast off
An estimate of the number of printed pages needed to create a book, magazine, or other document, from a manuscript.
Centred
Text placed halfway between the left and right margins; usually used for major headings.
Circumlocutions
The use of too many words; roundabout way of speaking or writing.
Character
The letters, numbers, grammar marks, or other things (eg. &, *, #, %, ?, !, +, etc ) that together make up text.
Chapter Drop and headings
Distance between the heading and the first line of text. Uniformity and consistency should be maintained here.
Character Count
The number of characters rather than words. Each letter or digit is a separate character.
Eg. the word six has a character count of 3; the digit 6 has a character count of 1.
Clean up
Editing a manuscript to improve the overall tone, or improve the relevance of the material.
Cliché
A stereotyped trite expression or idea.
Copy
Editorial material (words and illustrations) prepared for setting by a printer.
Copy edit
Correct, style and mark up copy, ready for printing.
CRC
Same as Camera Ready Copy.
Crop
Trim or mask off unwanted sections of a photo to select only that part of an image required for printing.
Crosshead
One or several lines of type used to break the text between paragraphs.
Crit
An abbreviation for criticism.
Cut in Illustration
An illustration that is shorter than the width of a page; hence both the illustration and at least one column of text is required to fill the page width.
Cut out box
See box.
Data base
A collection of information (text or graphic) held on a computer.
Deck
One unit of headline.
Descender
The part of a lower case letter that extends below the line on which the letters are written (eg. the lower part of a “p”).
Desktop Publishing
Using computer software to produce completed camera ready copy which can be printed from.
Drawn on cover
A flexible cover glued to a book block to make a paperback book.
Drop
Distance from the top of a page to the point at which printed type starts.
Dummy
A set of unprinted pages made up to represent the physical appearance of the final publication (showing paper thickness, height and width, type of cover, and number of pages.
Dust jacket
A wrapper (usually paper, sometimes plastic) to encase and protect the cover. Usually the title and other information about the book would be printed on the dust jacket.
Dyeline
A one-colour proof made from the printers imposed film. Dyelines are often sent to the publisher for a final proofing before printing.
Edition
A new publication or substantially revised old publication.
Ellipsis
Three dots spaced apart. This indicates an omission.
Em
A space which is the same width as the depth of the point size (eg. where 12 point text is being used, and is 0.0138 inches tall, then an em space is 0.0138 inches wide and x 0.0138 inches tall; if 8 point text is used, then the cm is 8 point tall and 8 point wide).
Em rule or Em dash
A single long dash — equivalent to one em space. Used in place of parentheses (brackets) or commas which expand a point within a sentence, or to express an abrupt change in the structure of a sentence, eg. I sailed many days – at least ten days, maybe eleven or twelve – before sighting land.
En
Half the width of an em space.
En rule or En dash
A single dash – equivalent to one en space. Used in spans of figures or to express an association between words (eg. April–May).
End matter
All material that is found at the back of a document, after the main text, such as appendixes, bibliography and index.
End papers
Blank sheets at the beginning and end of a book.
Epigraph
A quotation appearing at the start of a book or a chapter, within a book.
Extent
The number of pages in a book.
Fixed space
The control key on a keyboard will, if hit, insert a predetermined space. This is the fixed space.
Flash
A short message of usually only a few words. Sometimes printed in a box.
Flush paragraph
A paragraph set without any indentation.
Folio
A single leaf of a manuscript.
Font
The type of image used to represent letters and numbers (eg. Courier, Arial, Times New Roman).
Fount
Same as font.
Foot
The space between the bottom of the page and the first text or illustration.
Fore edge
The outside margin of a page.
Foreign Words
Words or phrases from another language. Usually, but not always, set in italics unless it is regarded as an accepted anglicised word or phrase.
Format
The final page size and the way images and text are laid out (ie. Margins, type style, font etc).
Formatting
Pre set command codes for computer layout.
Four colour printing
Printing in colour is achieved by running the paper through a printer four times, each time printing in a different colour. When the four colours are overlaid they combine to give a full colour image. The four colours printed are cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.
Frontispiece
An illustration facing the title page in a book.
Full out
Type set flush to the right or left margin; and not indented.
Full point
A full stop.
Galley proof
A proof taken before the final work has been done to make up and print a page.
Ghost writer
A person who writes for someone else who takes the credit for the work.
Gutter
The space between two columns on a page.
Half tone
An image created as a series of dots. Note: a photographic image is made up of sweeps of colour (or black and white) called tones; rather than dots. For an image to be printed though, it needs to be made up of dots not tones. By converting tones to dots, the image becomes what we call a digital image or half tone; and is suitable for printing.
Hard copy
Copy produced as a print out, typed or hand-written words. It is something you can physically touch: distinct from something which is stored on a computer.
Harassment
Persistent verbal, psychological or physical attacks on another person.
Head
Space from the top of a page to the top of the type.
Hickeys
Imperfections such as ink spots on a page; often relatively unnoticeable.
House style
A publishing firm’s recommended style of copy editing (treatment of headings, spelling, abbreviations, etc).
Imprint
Name and contact details for publisher and/or printer, printed in the front of a publication.
Indent
An indication of a paragraph opening by beginning the first line two “ems” into the column.
Italic
Type that is sloping; like the word italic above.
Justify
Adding appropriate spacing between words in order to finish the right side of a line on the edge of the right hand column.
Kerning
Changing the gap between two characters to ensure they fit closely.
Keying in
The process of indicating where illustrations are to be located on pages; including break out boxes, tables or any other non text components.
Kicker
Story that stands out from everything else because of a different appearance (eg. different colour, boldness or type).
Landscape
A page that is wider than deep (ie. a rectangle on the side).
Layout
i) The way in which the text and illustrations on a page are to be printed.
ii) The set of instructions given by the editor to the printer to specify how the contents of each page should be arranged.
Leading
Space between two lines of type.
Lining figures
Numerals all the same height as capital letters of a particular font.
Literal
Same as typo.
Lower case
Small letters, as distinct from capitals which are also known as upper-case letters.
Make up
Putting all the elements together onto a page to create the desired image.
Mark up
To write instructions to the printer on a manuscript. This is done by either an editor or layout artist.
Masking
Covering up part of a photo (eg. blanking out a name, face or genitalia on a published photograph).
Measure
Length of a line of type, expressed as a multiple of 12 point ems.
Misrepresentation
Incorrect, improper or false representation.
m.f.
Abbreviation for “more follows”.
Mock up
A sample of the finished publication, prepared to show how it will appear when printed.
MS
Same as manuscript.
MSS
Same as manuscript.
Modern figures
Same as lining figures.
Must
An editor’s instruction of a correction that must be made; often by order of management; often for legal reasons.
n.f.
Printers term for “no fly” which means, cancel an instruction.
New Edition
A new print run with significant changes and/or additions to the original publication.
Non-lining figures
Numbers with ascenders or descenders.
Offprint
A single article or section of a publication printed separate, or in addition to, the printing of the full publication.
Offset printing
A very common, inexpensive method of printing medium quality publishing. Printing from a rubbery plate attached to a rotating drum.
Old Style Figures
Same as non-lining figures
Overrunning
Rearranging lines of text when layout has been upset through deletions earlier in text.
Ozalid
Same as dyeline.
Page make up
Same as make up.
Parentheses
Round brackets (as distinct from square brackets).
Paste up
Preparing copy by pasting the components (text and graphics) onto a page before photographing or printing.
Photoshop
A common computer program from the software company “Adobe”, used for processing photographs and illustrations. Photoshop allows parts of an image to be eliminated or changed in appearance, in order to make it more appropriate for publication. Unwanted parts of an image can be removed. Poorly coloured sections can have their colour changed, etc.
Photo library
Collection of photos available for commercial reproduction.
Pixel
Smallest element of a graphic image which can be reproduced in a VDU.
Point
This is the measurement used to indicate the size of type being printed.
Prelims
Preliminary pages; all pages preceding the main text, containing such things as title, copyright statement, author and publisher details, index, dedication, acknowledgements, and perhaps preface.
Primary colours
There are two types of primary colours: the light primaries and the pigment primaries
Light primaries are red, green and blue. Pigment primaries are yellow, magenta (ie. process red) and Cyan (process blue).
Print run
The number of copies printed.
Proof
A copy printed for checking and correcting before the final printing is done.
Qualifier
An adjective or noun that qualifies (modifies or defines) another word; eg. the red car, the large white house.
Range
To “range” is to align the vertical elements of a page such as the left and right endings of a line of text, or the vertical edge of a photograph or boxed illustration.
Recto
A right-hand page.
Rejig
Rewriting of existing editorial text.
Register marks
Marks applied to original art work to indicate positioning of something in printing (eg. negatives).
Reprint
A new print run with no significant changes to editorial. Sometimes considered the same as an off print.
Retouching
Correct or improve a negative or print.
Rough
A preliminary layout, drawing, or design.
Rule
A printed line.
Run
The period of printing an edition.
Run on
Making sentences follow each other without a paragraph break.
Saddle stitching
Method of attaching pages by punching either wire staples or thread through the spine fold.
Sanserif
Type face style without serifs. Examples are Helvetica and Arial.
Section
Same as signature.
Section sewing
Way of joining books to a page by sewing thread through the fold in the spine.
Serif
Short cross line at the end of a stroke of a letter. Serifs occur with some font types, but not others. Examples are Times New Roman and Palatino.
Set down
Changing the size of type to a smaller point size.
Set flush
Aligning the ends of each line of type so they either start or finish directly below the start or finish of the lines above.
Strap
A minor headline placed over a major headline.
Side stitching
Inexpensive method of binding pages using staples (stitching) through the first sheet, to the last.
Side wiring
Same as side stitching.
Signature
A term to describe each printed sheet after folding. This may give 4, 8, 16 or 32 pages.
Solidus
A slash dividing alternatives or ratios (eg. ¾; strap/belt).
Sort
An individual character (eg letter or number) in a font of type.
Special sort
A character which the printer does not have available, and has to make special arrangements to acquire.
Spine
The binding edge of a book cover or jacket. The part you can still see when the book is stored on a bookshelf.
Split infinitive
An infinitive – a verb starting with the word ‘to’ (eg. to read) – which has a word inserted between ‘to’ and the verb; eg. to slowly read.
Strip in
Adding in illustrations or corrections to camera ready copy or film.
Sub editor
A person who edits and corrects material by written by others; a title more commonly used in newspaper and magazine publishing. The person who carries out these duties in book publishing is referred to as a copy editor.
Transpose
Exchange the position of one letter, word, phrase (or other content) with another. Swapping content from one position to another.
Turnovers
Second and subsequent lines of a text (eg. paragraph, index or bibliography).
Typography
The design of the characters that make up text and display type (headlines, subheads, captions etc).
Typo
Typographical error; An unintentional mistake made in the post editing stages, such as leaving something intended by the editor, or adding in something unintended by the editor (eg. a letter, numeral or something else).
Unjustified
An end of successive lines are not directly above or below each other.
Upper case
Capital letters.
Verso
A left hand page.
Vet
Examine a piece of writing for possible legal, ethical or other dangerous content.
Vogue words
Popularly used, fashionable words or phrases.
Widow
A short, last line of a paragraph; flowing over onto a new page.
Word break
Splitting a word at the end of a line (eg. “trans-“ at the end of one line
“pose” at the start of the next : instead of transpose on the one line).
x-height
Height of a lower case letter without ascender or descender (eg. a, e, x)
