Why Writers Drink, Take Whatever...

[lagilman]

Copyedit in email for me to go over. Hrm. *opens file, sets to work.*


Okay, fine, I understand you have to change things to house style, but you don't have to patronize me with your explanation every time you do it: your house style is not Gods' Own English style, and I'm not going to relearn just to have my next publisher do it differently. You people also choose gray over grey*, so pffft.

...works works..... mutter a little, works, works....oh for...

"does the author intent to invent this word?"

No, the author is using a word that appears commonly in the English language, and is (gasp) even in dictionaries, with a first cited use in 1814!


Page 10 and I'm already rolling my eyes. This may not go well.


(I am informed that the CE actually quite liked the book. I am pleased. I'm still rolling my eyes.)





*Publisher's stance: we don't use "grey" here in the States.  Writer's stance: There's a 'grey" in my mailbox address, but you seem able to use that without a problem... Publisher:  ....shut up, Gilman.

Comments

[ex-fashioni.livejournal.com]

Is it bad that I'm laughing and groaning simultaneously? (And reminded of the CE who dinged me for the use of "gooey" to describe the aftereffects of a crying jag by saying it was "icky.")

[shana.livejournal.com]

I have always thought of grey and gray as different shades.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

I was about to say that. To me, "gray" is the "warm gray" of Magic Markers, while "grey" is the "cool gray."

[lagilman]

no more than honour is more honorable than honor...

(but I understand what you mean)

[etcet.livejournal.com]

I echo this, and also always choose the e-flavored variant (editing a Canadian, we're in agreement... though I have taken a mallet to her profligate use of the extra letter "u". ;-) )

[anghara.livejournal.com]

Snap. To me, "Gray" is the solid dull stuff, like steel, for instance. "Grey" is softer - like clouds, or eyes. there is - in my mind at least - a distinction...

[graygirl.livejournal.com]

The glamour!

[camille-is-here.livejournal.com]

Oh dear.

[jesskastar.livejournal.com]

I'm curious as to what the supposed invented word was. ^^ (Even if it was invented in 1814. :P)

[lagilman]

"slosh."

[anghara.livejournal.com]

??

You're kidding. Your copy editor does not know that the word "Slosh" exists?

[etcet.livejournal.com]

I got this baffled note on an excerpt regarding the sentence, "She couldn’t be trusted with the environmental controls, or we’d always be working in the dark, to the strains of Bach played backwards":

Do you mean to say strain? The pressure of Bach? Perhaps you meant to say that it strained them to listen to it? If so, rewording would be needed. Right now strains should be describing Bach… if you want strains to be describing how the bot or the manager feel about the music then we need a different sentence to say that.

[joycemocha.livejournal.com]

OMG.

[damiana-swan.livejournal.com]

Quoth my partner, the writer: "Fire the editor! Kill it with fire!"

[mtlawson.livejournal.com]

Um, really? The CE never had seen 'slosh' before?

[brickhousewench.livejournal.com]

I thought all editors got sloshed once in a while. I know my old editor did!

[mtlawson.livejournal.com]

Here's where that port comes in handy...

[wyld-dandelyon.livejournal.com]

Well, _I_ am in the States and _I_ use "grey" more than "gray".

Of course, I use gray for things like i-beams and grey for things like sparrows...