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Regarding Heather's reply, "Online, once I fix it, there's no need for me
to look at it again.":
I'm the freelance editor at large for one of clients, for which I bill by
the hour. The company uses any number of internal and external content
writers, all with a W-I-D-E range of ability, and only a percentage of what
they write gets sent my way to edit. For this client I also have Track
Changes on in Word. If I'm sent a PDF, I'll mark it up in Acrobat DC Pro.
For items like a short email blast or webinar invitation, I'll only make a
single passâjust like Heather.
However, for longer pieces such as white papers and ebooks, I'll make a
second pass and often make additional changes when I do.
The only time I feel compelled to print anything is when I'm occasionally
asked to write original content. Then I'll print the piece using double
spacing so I can manually mark it up. I'll also read it out loud, which is
a tried and true way of not only catching errors that otherwise may easily
have been missed, but also a method of discerning how I might tighten up my
copy.
On Thu, Feb 4, 2016 at 12:51 PM, Anderson, Heather (Contingent Worker) <
HAnderson -at- comerica -dot- com> wrote:
> I absolutely still use hard copies. I have done the editing both ways
> (hard copy and online) and honestly? Hard copy is easier, and I catch more
> mistakes. There have been times in online editing that something is missed
> - and I often may have an idea I'll put on the hard copy only to realize
> later there's a better way. Online, once I fix it, there's no need for me
> to look at it again. (Unless I am doing a formatting check.)
>
> I do use track changes, and encourage my SMEs to use it as well. That way
> we have a record of what is changed.
>
> I don't ever use tablets for anything work-related.
>
>
> Heather Anderson
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+handerson=comerica -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:
> techwr-l-bounces+handerson=comerica -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of
> John G
> Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2016 11:55 AM
> To: David Artman
> Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Re: Need Feedback from Technical Editors
>
> I am not an editor, but as a writer I still have to edit.
>
> I do some hard copy editing, especially when I'm trying to figure out
> where to put things - in which article/file - and trying to structure and
> organize things. I often use scissors and tape too. and lots of colored
> markers. Once i get it ordered on paper, it's then a lot easier to do it in
> Word or Confluence or whatever.
>
> I wouldn't use a tablet to edit anything other than a shopping list.
>
>
> My two cents,
>
>
> JG
>
>
>
> On Thu, Feb 4, 2016 at 10:18 AM, David Artman <david -at- davidartman -dot- com>
> wrote:
>
> > Replies inline:
> >
> >
> > -------- Original Message --------
> > Subject: Need Feedback from Technical Editors
> > From: Shelley Thomas <sthomas -at- weber -dot- edu>
> > Date: Wed, February 03, 2016 3:46 pm
> >
> > ...
> >
> > Do technical editors still use hard copy for edits? (Is this a
> > personal preference or a department/company policy? For example,
> > personally, I like to see a hardcopy to edit, and then I make my edits
> > electronically.)
> >
> > > Almost never. Only for very high quality deliverables for print
> > > (e.g.,
> > marketing collateral, quick-reference sheets/cards).
> >
> > When editing electronically, do you use track changes (such as MS Word)?
> > Do you edit in Adobe products (such as Acrobat Pro)? Do you use iPad
> > applications (such as IAnnotate, Cabinet, or QuickEdit)?
> >
> > > Currently, use Adobe Shared Review, but have done track-change-like
> > techniques, too (Word, FrameMaker). Given how often I have to explain
> > how to use Reader's Comment tools, I think it's worth the time to teach
> that.
> > (*Programmers* can't figure out how to use the insert, delete, replace
> > tools!?! Everything ends up on sticky notes [which is better than
> > nothing, but damn!].)
> >
> > How do tablets figure in to your editing?
> >
> > > We VERY rarely get markup of PDFs via tablet users. But same issues
> > apply: not knowing how to use basic commenting tools effectively makes
> > their jobs harder (and makes it harder to interpret the change request
> > or correction!).
> >
> > I appreciate your time and feedback.
> >
> >
> > Shelley
> >
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