Who needs copy editors?

deskslave · Dec 12, 2011

Versatile said:

imjustagirl said:

I capitalized "he" in relation to God in a story I wrote. Oops.
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I've never taken issue with a writer who doesn't know every minor style or even some major style. It's sloppy, sure, but it's the reason I have a job. I don't mind the occasional typo or misspelled name or statistical error because I'm paid to check those things. And writers with spotless grammar are don't exist. That's not to say I won't get frustrated with an awful story riddled with errors, particularly on deadline. Still, who would need copy editors if writers were perfect?

But I have no tolerance at all for someone who knowingly ignores rules, even if the rule is something as small as RBI/RBIs.
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Also, this fail from the AP: "Our strong presence in the Middle East endures," Obama said. "And the United States will never waiver in the defense of our allies, our partners and our interests."

Versatile · Dec 12, 2011

deskslave said:

Versatile said:

imjustagirl said:

I capitalized "he" in relation to God in a story I wrote. Oops.
Click to expand...

I've never taken issue with a writer who doesn't know every minor style or even some major style. It's sloppy, sure, but it's the reason I have a job. I don't mind the occasional typo or misspelled name or statistical error because I'm paid to check those things. And writers with spotless grammar are don't exist. That's not to say I won't get frustrated with an awful story riddled with errors, particularly on deadline. Still, who would need copy editors if writers were perfect?

But I have no tolerance at all for someone who knowingly ignores rules, even if the rule is something as small as RBI/RBIs.
Click to expand...

Also, this fail from the AP: "Our strong presence in the Middle East endures," Obama said. "And the United States will never waiver in the defense of our allies, our partners and our interests."
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Maybe he means we're avoiding an NBA-like amnesty clause in defense of allies, partners and interests.

Moderator1 · Dec 12, 2011

he's going on wavers in November anyway.

lone star scribe · Dec 12, 2011

Frank_Ridgeway said:

I don't mind the NHL writer not knowing the style on baseball if he gets called to sub on it for a game, although a five-minute refresher would solve the problem. What I don't get is a veteran BB writer, for example, writing centerfielder, lefthander, RBIs, minor leaguer when your style is the opposite.

We have our own sports style guide, bunch of exceptions to AP. Kind of senseless to go to all that trouble if the desk has the only people who use it.

You can learn the entire newsroom stylebook in about a month, taking two or three alphabetical chapters a day. Learning the style for one sport takes five minutes.
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Newspapers that maintain excessive exceptions to AP style "because we've always done it that way" drive me crazy. With copy desks already stretched to the breaking point, it's a ridiculous waste of time to re-edit AP stories for minor style points. The readers don't give a shit. And the time could be put to much better use. When we finally convinced our bosses to adopt generic AP style in sports, it was a huge time-saver.

Versatile · Dec 13, 2011

lone star scribe said:

Frank_Ridgeway said:

I don't mind the NHL writer not knowing the style on baseball if he gets called to sub on it for a game, although a five-minute refresher would solve the problem. What I don't get is a veteran BB writer, for example, writing centerfielder, lefthander, RBIs, minor leaguer when your style is the opposite.

We have our own sports style guide, bunch of exceptions to AP. Kind of senseless to go to all that trouble if the desk has the only people who use it.

You can learn the entire newsroom stylebook in about a month, taking two or three alphabetical chapters a day. Learning the style for one sport takes five minutes.
Click to expand...

Newspapers that maintain excessive exceptions to AP style "because we've always done it that way" drive me crazy. With copy desks already stretched to the breaking point, it's a ridiculous waste of time to re-edit AP stories for minor style points. The readers don't give a shit. And the time could be put to much better use. When we finally convinced our bosses to adopt generic AP style in sports, it was a huge time-saver.
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I don't mind this philosophy if you're at a small shop or rely on wires heavily. But I think, at bigger papers, it's easier to continue having your writers and copy editors doing things as they always have unless you have a good reason to change.

1HPGrad · Dec 17, 2011

ESPN.com needs one. Wonder how long this typo on homepage will remain?
Thomspson, 16, youngest to win on Ladies Euro

Ben_Hecht · Dec 17, 2011

MacDaddy said:

We have a writer who consistently misspells names, or even makes up names — combining the first name of one player with the last name of another, for example. That's bad enough, but what's infuriating is he laughs it off whenever it's brought up.
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He's employed, why?

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Who needs copy editors?

deskslave Active Member

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