Deciphering Copy Editing Marks: An Aspiring Copy Editor’s Guide

Copy editors have a script of their own it seems, until you learn to appreciate the value they bring to the written word and see that those doodle-like marks mean everything in the world to a printer. The language of love that these two groups share actually rules the world of print, and if you hope to one day become a copy editor, you will need to master this strange script.

The key to learning the marks is in the understanding of where to use them, and in order to do that you need to have a firm grasp on grammar as well as acceptable writing styles.

copy editors The marks of a copy editor and a proofreader are similar but there are minor differences. It can be compared to the difference between a ram and a male sheep, for lack of better imagery.

Step 1

The first step is to be a good grammarian. For this you need to have a sound knowledge of the usage of punctuations, devices, indents, structure and vocabulary, apart from a hundred other things. A copy editor is only as good as his knowledge of the standards of the written language. Buy a good set of basic and advanced grammar books. You will be surprised by the number of times you consult the basic editions even if you are an expert. Also, look for established publishers who have a reputation for only putting out quality publications.

Step 2

The next step to take is to get a printout of the marks. Carry this wherever you go and try your hand at editing any piece of text that you come across. You’ll often find blunders even in reputed newspapers. Practice is the key to being thorough with the marks. It’s almost like learning shorthand – undecipherable at first, but clearer with constant use. Constant and continuous practice will help internalize the marks and soon you’ll be actively looking for errors to correct in everything you read – probably the biggest bane of being a copy editor.

Step 3

The other half of practice is reading the marks and re-writing corrected text. As an editor, you want to know the other side of the story as well. You’ll be faced with angry writers who swear that their copy is impeccable, and you’ll need some ammunition to defend yourself without offending them. You can do this effectively if and only if you know what pains they take to put their thoughts into words. In a lot of ways, you are a critic of their art, and handling them will be a big part of your job as copy editor.

Try to find method in the madness, a system where chaos seems to reign, and very soon you will begin to see a pattern in the haze of squiggly lines and circles. You will start getting familiar with a few marks that occur most often, like the mark for ‘delete’ or ‘insert space’. As your learning progresses, your memory will come to your aid, like trusty Pegasus on magical silver-white wings. Ok, maybe that’s taking it too far but you get the general idea.