Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of illustrations
- Preface to the fourth edition
- Preface to the third edition
- Preface to the second edition
- Preface to the first edition
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Preliminary copy-editing, design and specimen pages
- 3 Preparing the text for the typesetter
- 4 Illustrations
- 5 Proofs
- 6 House style
- 7 Preliminary pages
- 8 Indexes
- 9 Other parts of a book
- 10 Bibliographical references
- 11 Literary material
- 12 Multi-author and multi-volume works
- 13 Science and mathematics books
- 14 Other special subjects
- 15 Reprints and new editions
- 16 On-screen editing
- Appendixes
- Glossary
- Select bibliography and other resources
- Index
Preface to the first edition
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 August 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of illustrations
- Preface to the fourth edition
- Preface to the third edition
- Preface to the second edition
- Preface to the first edition
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Preliminary copy-editing, design and specimen pages
- 3 Preparing the text for the typesetter
- 4 Illustrations
- 5 Proofs
- 6 House style
- 7 Preliminary pages
- 8 Indexes
- 9 Other parts of a book
- 10 Bibliographical references
- 11 Literary material
- 12 Multi-author and multi-volume works
- 13 Science and mathematics books
- 14 Other special subjects
- 15 Reprints and new editions
- 16 On-screen editing
- Appendixes
- Glossary
- Select bibliography and other resources
- Index
Summary
Copy-editing is largely a matter of common sense in deciding what to do and of thoroughness in doing it; but there are pitfalls an inexperienced copy-editor cannot foresee. Some years ago I wrote a handbook for use within the Cambridge University Press, so that new copy-editors could benefit from the accumulated experience of their predecessors rather than having to learn by making their own mistakes; and it has now been suggested that such a book might be of use in other firms.
It is impossible to write a handbook suitable for every publisher or every kind of typescript. This book is based on my experience at Penguin Books and the Cambridge University Press, where copy-editors work on the premises and see a book through from the estimate stage until the proofs are passed for press. Freelance copy-editors and others working to a more limited brief – or commissioning editors who wish to do their own copy-editing – will be able to make use of the parts relevant to their own job; the things to be done remain the same, although the same person may not do them all.
As I am not writing primarily for authors, I have not, for example, explained the reasons for choosing one system of bibliographical references rather than another. By the time the book reaches the copy-editor the system is chosen, and the copy-editor's job is to make sure that it works efficiently, by eliminating certain faults in it.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Butcher's Copy-editingThe Cambridge Handbook for Editors, Copy-editors and Proofreaders, pp. xii - xiiiPublisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2006