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I recently completed my first contractual requirements for a small company
(who now employs me) and I submitted the documents to the person we are
using as our copyeditor. She returned my first document (235 pages or so)
with redlines for consistency, word usage, capitalization and such. I agreed
with most of her redlines and incorporated them.
Because we are a smaller company, and I work pretty closely with all
involved in the product, she understands how we document the product and
conventions used pretty well. In passing conversation, she mentioned that
she likes doing the redlines because it helps to make the document "a little
closer to perfect." I suggested that since I agreed with most of her
redlines, on previous documents, and she was not rewording/restructuring
sentences, that she incorporate the redlines.
I loathe implementing redlines. I hate it, and she jumped at the chance to
implement on softcopy (after redlining the hardcopy), saving both time and
money. I ask that she make a note of any major changes so that I could
review them. If there are changes that I do not approve of, I will change
them back. I do not think this will be the case, so I don't think there will
be much rework.
She knows better than to modify the styles in use or restructure the
document. She understands Word pretty well and can manipulate bad page
breaks, header/footer, numbering, any misc. problems within the document if
need be. In short, I trust her abilities with Word and her judgment in
making changes.
Does anyone else release the softcopy document to a copyeditor for redline
implementation, or do you insist on approving most/all the changes to your
document?
justin
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