I'm the project manager in my Advanced Editing class and our semester project is the design and layout of a textbook to be printed in later semesters. I never knew that such work went into the text following the normal editing process; I assumed it was simpler. How wrong I was...
Really, it shouldn't be that difficult, but my group hasn't followed the style guide very closely. So, as manager, before this goes to press I am fixing each mistake I find will meticulously going through each page. Here are a few things I've learned...
- Know the program you need to use
- Set a style guide and stick to it
- Delegate work when needed
- Double-check each page before moving on, it saves time later.
- Keep in good contact with the author
- Make sure the group understands due dates.
Some of these seem very simple and obvious, but for some reason (at least for college students) they seem near impossible at times. My biggest concern now is finding all the errors before the due date and making it look as professional as possible while finishing all the other finals that are coming up.
For any up-coming English majors who might read this blog: take this class (and the one on InDesign). Without them, you will be lost to half the editing world. Understand that these projects take much more time than they first appear to need. Plan for it.
