Publish Web Pages Wear Two Hats

Editing and Proof Reading.

True, or false:
Professional authors never make mistakes. No, never, they’re professionals, so I need not worry. Well maybe sometimes they make mistakes, but it’s inadvertently. Have you met this scenario? What skill do I need to point out the inadvertent mistakes? The answer is:
Diplomacy—be nice, because sometimes authors dealing with desktop publishers think too much of their ability. I know it’s bad for business to offend a customer, so here comes one who wants a web page designed.

I see errors, and changes need to be made. Should I make these changes? NO, NO, NO, never do that unless the client sees the need and approves it, but do not forget diplomacy.

“Hey—that’s my document do not change a word—no not a letter!”

A Hard Copy To Handle.

Don’t let this subheading scare you. It doesn’t mean a copy is hard to handle, but it’s easier to spot little, inconsistencies, and errors in a hard copy. It is to let you see what you will get. Its there in print for you to examine just how it looks on paper.

A cycle starts, and it continues until you and the client agree that the document in cycle meets all specifications. Who set the specifications? That’s part of the cycle; it goes first from client to editor, then back to client for approval.
Need a D J? Click here.

What decisions need to be made? Client and editor discuss how do I fit illustrations—text—copy, and animation into a limited amount of space? Are there bells and whistles that may have to be deleted? Here are the decisions that need to be made between you, and a client before any work is started.

Yeah, But, he wants an eye-catching, graphic grabbing attention getting web page. What if the text is dull, and boring? Illustrations will not enhance millions of words to improve the document as a whole. His picture may be worth millions, but his text is worthless. So, here’s your problem, how to fix it diplomatically, and to please the client. That’s your next job as a web page designer. So get your two hats ready to don.

I Work Alone.
A client sends me a brochure for me to design and publish I’ve got my two hats ready to don. From start to finish there’s a cycle it goes from editing to proofreading, then back to editor. During this document creation cycle a self-employed desktop publisher is with a client who has requested a web page design to end up as a brochure. I work alone therefore I wear the two hats editor and proofreader. As editor I examine the brochure for consistency, clarity, and overall is it error free?

A web page is not like the page I am reading from a magazine, or brochure a web page is unlimited in size but there’s a specific amount of information that you may need to scroll down to view. What’s on a web page? Text, text, and more text while it may be illustrated at intervals. As a group it’s known as a website.

I decide what I’m going to use to develop it so I:

1. Plan my work.
2. Work my plan.

Where does inspection begin? The answer is it’s ongoing from start to finished product. It’s the first, and the last thing to do to check for technical accuracy, consistency, interest, spelling, no errors in grammar, and punctuation. Why worry about technical accuracy? It depends on the subject, but it depends more on:

1. Precision in following the files’ overall design plan. The overall design plan is what the client has given to you through the rough draft, pictures, and notes.
2. Correctness of facts, figures, and names within the text. You are wearing your editor’s hat, while you check for:

• Technical Accuracy
• Consistency
• Clarity
• Correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Appearance, and content?
Consistency should be the same throughout the book, brochure, web page, or hub. What’s consistency, the reader is the first to notice that if the author switches names, or he or she goes from 1^st person to 3d person, or he goes from 1^st person to narrate. You as the editor needs to explain why the switch. Back to the author to discuss what we can do through the use of synonyms to explain the switch. That is so important, because my name as editor is at stake, plus the author’s name. Hopefully he, or she will appreciate what you detect, because no one wants his or her name associated with a document, book, or brochure that contains errors, inconsistencies, or inaccurate dates or figures.

Who performs these operations?

The answer is the editor; he dons one of the hats. It’s the editor’s job to confirm that the document is consistent in its style, and clarity. The editor’s main goal is to work with authors, proofreaders, and publishers. An editor’s responsibility, and a proofreader’s responsibility is different, that’s why the need of two hats.

After you the editor makes these changes where does a document go next. Answer: proofreader, remove your hat, don another your proofreader hat. These steps from editor, to proofreader may overlap, but how much rope is an editor allowed to take? Editor, when you wear your number one hat you have the greatest responsibility. A proofreaders responsibilities differs from that of the editor, because an editor is there to resolve problems within the document.

How much freedom to revise does the editor have? That depends, some are given considerable freedom to revise, and polish. Editors request changes that that a proofreader suggests, and then its back to the editor to confirm that these changes have been made, and the document is error free—no problems exist.

Hidden Skills.

Why is editing and proofreading described as hidden skills? Your job is to work closely with the editor, and proofreader to make the corrections they suggest. It’s being called hidden skills because when done well readers never see the errors that have been caught, and corrected. Now what you see is text error free that reads smoothly—ideas are presented clearly, and the design is easy to understand.

How long did that take, no one knows the hours of writing, rewriting, proofreading hours shared between client, editor, and proofreader, but their work is invisible, the pages behind the page but the one you read is the flawless document that stands out.

What costs the most, not to edit, not to proofread, what if I do let a document go the length all the way to the publisher, and then they find errors? The third hat I failed to mention will cost you. I didn’t mention it because I thought you had your two hats and that you’d be wearing them. How did your document get this far? Now what happens? Cost is inflated, because you let that happen. Editing and proofreading are a must—vital to the perfect finished document

Then it’s back to the desktop publisher whose responsibility enables him to wear the two hats. The client should have given you the O K before the final version. If he does give the O K then the final responsibility leaves you’re desktop. From now on the sole end product is in the clients hand. Gehen-2011 ©