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A company (book packager who says its manuscripts are primarily from "a
well-known POD publisher") has sent me a copyediting test consisting of 2-3
page portions of three remarkably bad documents that I don't believe any
copyeditor would regard as ready for copyediting. Copyediting these would be
like putting a Band-Aid on a dislocated shoulder. I just cannot (read, "will
not") do it.
The company says it is "dedicated to the editorial quality of the end
product," but if these documents are ready for copyediting, I'm Mother
Teresa.
Therefore, I do not plan to take the test. I don't want to just tell the
company that I am not going to take the test, but I suppose I could say just
that. I'd like to tell them in a diplomatic way what I've written above. If
I don't tell them, who will?
I just finished another test this evening -- a proofreading test, and while
it wore me out, I am certain it is not affecting my judgment of these
documents and whether I want to apply Band-Aids to serious injuries. I do
not, and I will not change my view.
But I would like some help in deciding how to tell the company. Please offer
any ideas of any kind or sort.
I am sure the following opening lines are inappropriate:
- "You have *got* to be kidding!"
- "This is 'editorial quality'?"
- "Thanks for the humor -- now, where's the test?"
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Bonnie Granat | http://www.GranatEdit.com
bgranat -at- granatedit -dot- com
Cambridge, Massachusetts, US
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