The Copy Editor’s Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communications, 3rd edition, is a comprehensive resource for both new and experienced editors. The preface acknowledges the author’s intent to help new copyeditors: “This handbook is addressed to new and aspiring copyeditors who will be working on nonfiction books, journal articles, newsletters, and corporate publications. . . [because style manuals] assume that their readers already understand what copyeditors do, why the rules matter, and how and when to apply, bend, or break the rules.”

I would argue, however, that even established editors would benefit from this text as an overview and reminder of our complex tasks and decisions. It was good to see an acknowledgment of the intricacies of editorial judgment and to watch a professional walk through the research that informs her judgments. Even after years of editing, I learned something in every chapter I read.

My other argument with Amy Einsohn, the author, is that she has based the book on The Chicago Manual of Style, whose explicit purpose is to set style for academic publishing (specifically at the University of Chicago), not necessarily for “book publishing and corporate communications” as Einsohn has specified. I also wonder why she fails to mention The Gregg Reference Manual, my favorite style manual for all things business because it addresses far more relevant issues than does Chicago.

Nevertheless, Einsohn redeems herself with 15 editing exercises sprinkled throughout the chapters (the answers alone take up 66 pages). The richness of this book almost makes me wish that I would experience a very minor injury or illness that would sideline me for just one day so that I could curl up, finish the book, and take the quizzes.

The Copy Editor’s Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communications, 3rd Edition
Amy Einsohn
University of California Press
2011
About $15

If you’d like a demonstration of democratic unproductivity, try settling writing style issues like the serial comma or the hyphenation of the word “e-mail”  in a group. Months later, you’ll still be arguing (and the national debate on health care will look tame by comparison).

That’s why I recommend that each work group, department, division, or company adopt a published style manual and mandate strict adherence to that particular style to increase the consistency of their written messages.  (To see a comprehensive matrix of 12 style manuals, visit www.textdoctor.com/stylemanuals.)

If necessary, each group can create a personalized style sheet to document where style choices differ from the adopted style manual. This process, however, can be costly and bloody.

Of course, everyone can play Frank Sinatra’s “I did it my way” at review meetings, but for those who want a coherent, consistent style, these steps outlined above will be helpful.

Read upcoming blog  entries for more information about each style manual, including my opinions on each .