By Luke Richey
Emmett Christolear is the current Executive Editor of the Kaleidoscope; UAB’s own student newspaper. Emmett is being interviewed due to his expertise and to get a more in-depth look at the profession of copy editing and how it works and relates to a real world format. Emmett’s interview shares some of the highlights of the copy editing field: what it is, what goes into it and what one can get out of it. His insights show some of the basic essentials of the field, and how someone interested in starting a career in copy editing might be able to do it.
Before being given his current job as Executive Editor of the Kaleidoscope, Emmett was a copy editor for the Kaleidoscope in the 2013-2014 school year. Even with his new duties, he still maintains a close relationship with the other editors in the newsroom. “I still spend a lot of my time copy editing and working with the staff of copy editors to make sure the articles are at their best,” he said. Copy editing requires patience, painstaking deliberation and good interpersonal skills. This field can be quite demanding and require meticulous effort; however, the connections and expertise one gains makes for quite the reward.
Copy editing is a process — a process that turns words on a page into something that can be published and distributed. Copy editing not only looks for errors in spelling, grammar, and facts, but it also deals with the structure of the paragraph. Copy editors, such as Emmett and his team at the Kaleidoscope, “move around paragraphs to make the flow smoother.” Copy editors look at the overall appearance of the page and how to make it more visually and spatially appealing. This profession involves visual literacy, or one’s ability to read an image, and getting people to see and understand the information they see on the page.
Emmett, with his staff at the Kaleidoscope, copy edits online and from the comfort of a computer. In the past, editing was a long and arduous process that required a great deal of “hands-on” work. Nowadays, computers handle much of these tasks and make the job a lot less laborious. Copy editing still requires refinement; however, processes such as spell-check make it easier for the editor to get content out to the public. The Kaleidoscope’s “magic day” for churning out content is Sunday. Sunday is when the pieces come together and print hits the presses. “It’s when most of the action happens,” says Emmett.
When asked whether or not he enjoys his work and the field of copy editing Emmett said, “being able to read articles and get dirty gives me an outlet for creating that isn’t just poetry. It gives me the challenge and chance to get in and basically rebuild the story. Of course, it’s still the original author’s words, but I’m able to put my own twist on the story by deciding how and when information is revealed.” Copy editors are able to put a “twist” on the original work while still maintaining the message that that author initially was trying to convey. This profession allows an individual to leave his/her mark on every work that passes through his/her hand, and give information that reaches the public and highlights the public’s interests. Words, and the display of those words, are very important to the professional writing discipline and copy editing is an essential part of the writing world.
The field of copy editing is not without its challenges. Someone working in this field has to be current with all of the different rules and references that his/her particular company is using. Following a specific style, such as AP style, and knowing the tricks of the trade of that particular style is very important. Being meticulous and paying close attention to detail is a must for the field. Style books can be used as a reference; however, they can become overwhelming and dense. Being willing to ask questions and memorizing important rules are great ways to strengthen one’s copy editing skills and become marketable within the profession.
Experience is practically a must for the modern professional writer. But how does one get noticed in today’s fast-paced climate? Emmett’s advice: just get involved. “Some options may seem small, but even small things are a foot in the door and may lead to something bigger.” Getting out in the field, branding oneself, and taking initiative is the first step in becoming noticed in the professional writing job market. Copy editing is one way to go. It is a field that has a constant demand; it is a constant profession.
