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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.
>
Two options that come to mind:
1. Why not just reply to them as though to a writer sending you
manuscripts he/she thought were ready for copyedit? Offer some concrete,
constructive suggestions for how to improve the manuscripts so they are
_really_ ready for copyediting.
2. Perhaps the company's idea of copyediting differs from your
expectations. Maybe what they say is "copyediting" is what you would
consider "re-writing." Perhaps they are accustomed to receiving little
more than draft notes compiled by engineers and they expect
"copyeditors" to re-write those notes in publishable form.
>From your description, I'm willing to bet the situation within the
company is more like option 2 above. Since (IMO) that should at least
get one a co-author credit (and pay) and not just a copyedit credit I
can see your reluctance to bite their hook.
On the other hand, if you reply as in Option 1 above you might not get
the "gig" but you will a) get the satisfaction of telling them where
they can go if they send you manuscripts that poor in the future and/or
b) maybe show them value they have not previously considered and get an
offer for a better position with the company.
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