Blog
Starting a dialogue at Diversity and Sensitivity Around Racial Language
By Kaitlyn Klein For three consecutive years I have attended the ACES Conference to learn to be a better editor and writer, but today I had my best ACES experience when I attended the Diversity and Sensitivity Around Racial Language session, a session I hope grows and continues at future ACES conferences. It was discussion-based…
Read MoreA key part of the career switch process — networking, networking, networking
By Kaitlyn Klein Journalists and copy editors have felt the fear and stress of a shrinking job market since the recession, but the ACES session “Switching Seats: Transitioning to a New Career or Medium” reminds us that though copy editing can be an unstable career field, there are options beyond your current job. Laura Browning,…
Read MoreThe words we use have to change — making LGBTQ language inclusive
By Hannah Barling “The people who have the power to move the language forward are here at this conference,” said Sarah Grey, editor and owner of Grey Editing LLC and leader of today’s LGBTQ Language session. The session was dialogue focused, which correlates perfectly with the belief that the current LGBTQ language is marginalized and…
Read MoreTaking away editing lessons from research
By Gerri Berendzen How do you quantify the value of the work that copy editors do? ACES-sponsored research by Fred Vultee conducted in 2011 showed that readers notice errors in news stories and find them distracting. That study showed the value of copy editing, and Vultee urged a gathering of editors at ACES’ 2015 conference Thursday…
Read MoreUse your BS detector when verifying social media content
By Hannah Barling Just a tip. That’s how Lauren Klinger of Poynter Institute NewsU says you should view content on social media as — as if someone was calling the newsroom in 1975 and giving a news tip. Social media verification is a process, but not a difficult one. Klinger said perpetuating rumors and spreading…
Read MoreApostrophes, building relationships and the top corrections of 2014
By Gerri Berendzen ACES members have a lot of knowledge to share — and this week a couple shared information useful to the industry and beyond. Because, after all, copy editors know a little bit about everything. For most copy editors, at the top of all that knowledge is a keen understanding of grammar and…
Read MoreOn Sept. 24, celebrating the marks that punctuate our prose
By Paul Chevannes Sept. 24 is National Punctuation Day. The idea behind the celebration is to promote the correct usage of punctuation. At ACES, we’re all about proper punctuation (although we don’t claim to be perfect). But we also think National Punctuation Day is a good opportunity to learn some of the history of the…
Read MoreICYMI: Three lists about copy editing that are worth reading
By Gerri Berendzen Lists can make your life easier. Lists also can be thought provoking. Last week, three editing bloggers put together lists that are worth reading and thinking about. So in case you missed it, here are three blogs about copy editing to bookmark and discuss. TERESA SCHMEDDING On her personal blog, Teresa Schmedding,…
Read MoreSo, you think you can copy edit?
By Samantha Enslen Many folks reach out to ACES to share their interest in learning to be a copy editor. We’re happy to help by answering burning questions, sharing resources, offering training, and more. But the reality is that a career in copy editing isn’t right for everyone — any more than one spent performing…
Read MoreHow fast can you edit? Consensus is about six pages an hour
By Samantha Enslen Here at ACES central, we field questions from editors around the world. Recently, a member wrote in with an issue that nearly all editors have faced. “We are constantly criticized for taking too long on projects,” she told us. “Are there statistics for how long industry pros spend per page editing? I…
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