I had to share this beautifully-written New York Times tribute to a superb copy editor.
Dorothy Gallagher writes, “Helene had no literary theories — she had literary values: clarity, transparency, the skillful use of style.”
What My Copy Editor Taught Me
An Elegy for Copy Editors: Is It Time?
There was a thought-provoking opinion piece (In a Changing World of News, an Elegy for Copy Editors) in the June 16, 2008 New York Times that commented on the changing role of copy editors. When writer Lawrence Downes visited the Newseum in Washington, D.C., he discovered that copy editing had been relegated to the “News History” floor. It was a surprise to him, and rather a shock to the NAIWE members who still work in the field!
Is it time to post an R.I.P. for the profession? Or will we adapt, as we have so many times before? Books have been declared dead, newspapers are shrinking as they scramble to retain a foothold in the news market, and yet, both endure. I’m not ready to write finis to the era of copy editing either! How about you?