Advice from the Prof.

Well. My opinion piece turned out O.K., but the other article I wrote was full of bizarre grammar errors that weren’t present– to the best of my knowledge– when I sent my work to the editors.

I called and asked Mr. Editor-in-Chief– someone I like and respect, someone who has helped me (repeatedly) find other writing work, someone nice enough to write reference letters on my behalf– if the copy editors were screwing with my work on purpose. Not that it would make sense if they were; granted it’s my name on the article but we’re all responsible for the end result.

Sigh. It’s a school paper, it’s not the big cheese’s fault the copy editors are dingle heads. And, if you put too much pressure on them they’ll quit. But, is having shitty copy editors better than not having a copy editor; making writers responsible for their own work? Oh, pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease! Let me edit my own work!

Neither one of us know what to do other than nininininininininin in their ears and stomp our feet, which won’t help.

So, I asked my Independent Study professor, Mr. 25-years-of-workin’-for-the-AP. Here’s his response:

My best suggestion would be to have some readers send emails or call them and ask why they allow so many editing mistakes to go through. The old “customer is always right” strategy. The buck stops with the editor, who should be concerned. If you can’t spell someone’s name right or get a number wrong time after time, why should the readers trust the editorial judgment of the paper? That’s the way I feel. Don’t get me wrong, we all make mistakes. But the percentage should be low.

Damn. I agree. I’ll ask folks to write and call in but I can’t make them. So, now what?

Nininininininin.

Stomp.

I’m so happy I’ve got other, good editors to work for now because these punks are gettin’ close to ruining my image of the respectible, and highly paid mind you, field of copy editing.