Thursday, April 19, 2007

TOSC Salutes Jonathan Gold

Congrats on the Pulitzer win, Mr. Gold. But we have one quibble: Your copy is too damn squeaky clean. I mean, every once in a while I have to look up a phrase to determine if it should be italicized or romanized. You call that fun? Big whoop! Sometimes it's so bad I sit for a minute considering whether to insert a serial comma just to make myself feel useful as an editor.

Honestly, this is torture. When a copy editor can't give a writer a complex about his messy copy, the editor is the one who ends up with the complex. There is nothing more maddening than looking at a galley you've just proofed and seeing maybe three edits. First you worry that you've missed something. Then you're just disappointed by the experience. It's like expecting to see Grindhouse but accidentally entering the theater where the latest Disney movie is playing. Where's the gore?!?!

So, congrats on the Pulitzer and all, but in the future, please keep us copy editors in mind.

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But let's be honest. Why is Mr. G's copy so airtight? Because he started at the Weekly as a proofreader! His last quote in our story on his win should make everyone in TOSC Land proud.

Thursday, April 05, 2007

Will the real copy editor please stand up?


LEF, Court Dog, Gaines, Gendy.