COPYEDITOR'S HANDBOOK, Beyond Grammar: February 23, 2015

In the chapter, “Beyond Grammar,” our book analyzes the four primary areas with which copyeditors struggle including, organization, expository style, bias-free language, and publishing law. First, we learn the regulations regarding organization and the means by which material is segmented in order to accentuate a certain kind of structure. There of course are countless forms of organizations. Different techniques such as, alphabetical organization, chronological order, numerical order, and others have separate guidelines. Second, we learn of the importance of expository style and how it is imperative that a copyeditor not influence or several impress their own style upon the piece with which they’re reviewing. Judgments about a writer’s style are often extremely difficult for a copyeditor and certainly a sensitive subject. The copyeditor commonly has to pause and reflect on whether their motivation to correct something in a manuscript stems from the unavoidable fact that the writer has made an error or if their motivation is propelled by their own certain sense of style.

Then, we learn about bias-free language, which is especially significant seeing as it negates any outlet for stereotyping certain classes, religions, orientations within the text of a document. The purpose is certainly not to discourage an author’s point-of-view, but rather prevent them from offending, sidelining, or ignoring an entire group of people. Finally, the chapter explores the importance publishing law. The chapter asserts that it’s commonly the book copyeditor’s responsibility to alert the editorial coordinator whether or not there is material within a manuscript that might prompt a lawsuit. This is an especially significant aspect of not only the copyediting process, but the publishing process in general as legal issues are a very common threat to any newly published material.