This week I started the two editing classes I'm taking this semester at NYU. I'm taking "Disk and Online Editing," which so far is completely disappointing because the instructor obviously has never taught before and really has no idea how to. That's the problem with these professional classes--the instructors aren't full-time teachers. They may be very competent and efficient in their editing jobs, but a lot of them can't teach for shit. But I've only had one class, so I'm keeping an open mind. The company I work for, like almost all trade publishers, still edits completely on paper. I am actually happy about this because I would much prefer staring at paper for hours on end than destroying my eyesight trying to edit on a computer. But computers are obviously the future--they have tools that are very helpful in editing and the ease of transmitting electronic files is certainly a plus. A lot of scholarly and textbook publishers already edit on computer, and I imagine trade publishers will follow suit soon.
My second class is "Grammar for Publishing Professionals" and I will admit that I'm a total dork and super excited about this class. For one thing, the instructor has been teaching the class for 10 years and is fantastic. We're going to learn about the subjunctive and restrictive clauses and dangling participles and other fun things. Who wouldn't be excited about that?? I've just been to B&N to pick up the books I'll need:
And of course I couldn't leave the bookstore without buying something fun, so I picked up
The Smoke Theif by Shana Abe. I'm a sucker for romantic fantasy and the pretty gold-foiled cover caught my eye.
4 comments:
you have to teach me everything you learn. ESPECIALLY if you diagram sentences.
Maybe we should diagram some sentences just for fun. yeah.
Okay, the Handbook of Good English? Shouldn't that be the Handbook of English Well? ;)
I'm an anti-grammar person. Mainly because I can't keep a single thought in my head let alone all the rules I need to know where to put the stinkin' apostrophe when putting an 's' on a word. "But if it belongs to the person it's an apostrophe uh, before or after the s - I'd say before. If the persons name ends in an s then the apostrophe goes after the s. Yeah!
Okay, I suck at grammar.
Have fun in your courses. I hope the editing one gets better!
CindyS
Hey Jennie :)
I just read this post (blush)... so I guess you want to become an editor? That is just soo awesome. and yes, there are a lots of incompetent teachers... but you'll have to tough it out :P
Good luck for both courses.
Julie--I don't think anyone diagrams sentences anymore. But I can give you some homework if you like. :)
Cindy--I know, it's a lot of rules to remember. And some of the rules are really stupid. But I like sorting out the good rules from the stupid ones. Like the word "whom." I hate that word. It should be taken out of the English language. ;p
Nath--I don't think I actually want to be an editor, for many reasons which I may blog about one day. I'm just giving myself options. :)
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