Comments on: Book Editing: Many Hats, One Paycheck http://tstcpublishing.wordpress.com/2007/08/17/book-editing-many-hats-one-paycheck/ a nuts & bolts view of the daily operations of a small college textbook publisher Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:40:46 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Stephen Tiano http://tstcpublishing.wordpress.com/2007/08/17/book-editing-many-hats-one-paycheck/#comment-3671 Stephen Tiano Sat, 18 Aug 2007 15:59:00 +0000 http://tstcpublishing.wordpress.com/2007/08/17/book-editing-many-hats-one-paycheck/#comment-3671 In my curmudgeonly eyes—partly because, in my first incarnation as someone working in publishing, I worked as a proofreader and copy editor—I just think it's proof that the world's going to hell if copy editing is considered an expendable part of the book-making process. But then it occurs to me that you're talking about textbooks, books that are used to educate, and it just seems like lunacy to not make copy editing a major part of quality assurance that should go into any book. I've written some lately, both privately and on <a href="http://www.tianodesign.com/blog" rel="nofollow">my own blog</a>, about how marketing books often takes precedence over actually writing good books <i>to</i> market. My intention wasn't to compliment those engaged in that ass-backwards scheme. I think I succeeded. But, again, when it comes back to textbooks, I don't see how publishers can possibly be rewarded with sales for such slipshod workmanship. In my curmudgeonly eyes—partly because, in my first incarnation as someone working in publishing, I worked as a proofreader and copy editor—I just think it’s proof that the world’s going to hell if copy editing is considered an expendable part of the book-making process. But then it occurs to me that you’re talking about textbooks, books that are used to educate, and it just seems like lunacy to not make copy editing a major part of quality assurance that should go into any book.

I’ve written some lately, both privately and on my own blog, about how marketing books often takes precedence over actually writing good books to market. My intention wasn’t to compliment those engaged in that ass-backwards scheme. I think I succeeded. But, again, when it comes back to textbooks, I don’t see how publishers can possibly be rewarded with sales for such slipshod workmanship.

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