Shakespeare on editing

This time last year, I amused myself by seeing what Benjamin Franklin had to say about editing, if only he’d known it at the time. Now, it’s William Shakespeare’s turn. And, like Franklin, he has quite a lot of wisdom to share.

On the approach to a copyedit or proofread:

‘Thought is free’

Twelfth Night I.3.66 and The Tempest III.3.125

So true he wrote it twice. Yes, it is. Think first, do second. Don’t dive in and start changing things: explore, analyse and plan before starting the edit or proofread, before making a change, and before wording your author queries.

‘Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt’

Measure for Measure I.4.77

Yeah, this one’s annoying, when imposter syndrome raises its ugly head, or you’re convinced that perfectionism is the only way. (It’s not.) Or maybe you’ve just been staring at a sentence for too long.

On managing our time:

‘Wisely, and slow. They stumble that run fast’

Romeo and Juliet II.2.95

Particularly important in a good-quality proofread, but also vital for a good-quality copyedit. Take your time, plan the job, then go as slowly as you can afford to, given time and money budgets, so you see what’s on the page, not what you expect.

‘I wasted time, and now doth time waste me’

Richard II V.5.49

Well, that’s what happens. Procrastination is a real problem unless your client is happy to delay the deadline by the number of days you’ve not got started. Working long hours to catch up is not a good plan for any number of reasons.

On managing our editorial egos:

‘Modest doubt is called the beacon of the wise’

Troilus and Cressida II.2.14–15

You don’t know it all. Repeat after me: if you don’t know, look it up. If you (think you) do know, look it up anyway. You’ll surprise yourself.

I was recently challenged that I’d let a typo through, the word ‘corms’. Perfectly good word, easily found in the dictionary, and used properly in the context. But the publisher hadn’t come across it before and didn’t choose to look it up, so went to the trouble of screen-shotting the page, marking it up and emailing it to me.

‘What’s done cannot be undone’

Macbeth V.1.65

Shakespeare got this wrong – unless it’s print-only and has already gone to the distributor’s warehouse, when pulping is your last option… Whilst it’s on your computer, it can be undone. But do make sure you’re backing up earlier versions of the document or Lady M will prove prophetic.

On customer relations:

‘Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving’

Othello II.3.62–63

To avoid losing your reputation without deserving, pay attention to your customer relations – your business will stand or fall by them.

Equally, good customer relations will ensure your reputation is got with merit. It’s irritating when you see people from any walk of life with prominent public profiles who you know aren’t quite as good as they claim to be (what used to be called all mouth and no trousers), but if that’s the case, pay attention to your outreach and social media activity. Give prospective clients the chance to find you!

‘How poor are they that ha’ not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degrees?’

Othello III.1.361

Your patience or your client’s patience: you both need it. Editing and proofreading don’t lend themselves to ultra-fast turnaround (unless it’s an ultra-short piece of writing). Good writing takes time, and so does the editorial process that follows – if you want a decent outcome.

‘Better three hours too soon than a minute too late’

The Merry Wives of Windsor II.2.305

Oh, yeah. Deadlines. Deadlines are important. The client has plans for the work you’re returning – the typesetter is booked, or the author has cleared space in their diary to tackle their queries, or there’s a review meeting planned. Something will be happening next, and that something is probably scheduled. The copyeditor or proofreader is not at the end of the line of people who will be handling this piece of writing, but a cog in the machine.

Persistent failure to meet deadlines will mean no repeat work even from a client who is happy with the quality of what you do.

‘I am not bound to please thee with my answer’

The Merchant of Venice IV.1.64

As an editor or a proofreader, you are serving the text and its readership. If something reads badly, or otherwise needs fixing, either fix it or propose a solution to the client. Be polite https://aptwords.co.uk/7-golden-rules-author-queries/ but make, or propose, the edit. The author is not served well, either, by your being too diffident to tell the truth.

‘Brevity is the soul of wit’

Hamlet II.2.91

Well, as long as it doesn’t tip over into terseness. The endless advice to cut all excess words is often misplaced. It’s hard to take in densely packed facts (in my nonfiction world) – the reader needs time and space to appreciate how the facts fit together and a few graceful words between the meat can provide a breathing space for the new information to slot into place. On the other hand, I’m not a fan of bloviating verbiage, either. There are limits – in both directions!

On learning to stet:

‘Let me be that I am and seek not to alter me’

Much Ado About Nothing I.3.34

Not everything needs changing. If it’s good enough, leave it be. It’s the author’s name on the cover, not yours. Unless you’ve been hired to rewrite, do the copyedit or proofread, and know where the boundaries lie. Again, ask yourself: is it good enough? If it is, stet.

On continuous professional development:

‘The fool doth think himself to be wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool’

As You Like It V.1.30–31

There is always something to learn. If you think you know it all already, here’s a golden nugget of truth for you: you don’t. Technology moves on apace, language ditto. Best practice changes, accordingly; new tools become available, old tools fall by the wayside and are no longer supported, nor secure. And if you’ve been working in one small niche for a while, or with a tiny client base, or for the same employer, it’s time to refresh your skills. The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading’s curriculum may give you new ideas for things you can learn.

‘Be great in act, as you have been in thought’

King John V.1.45

It’s not enough to think about training, nor even just to buy the training course. You have to get on and actually do it, and then apply it to your editorial practice.