Olives for certain. Even the juice, or the smell puts me off.
And sorry, I have to disagree: "that only comes from whipped cream" is exactly right; switching "only" and "comes" loses the flavor of the sentence, if I may put it that way.
All fine and upstanding from the front but all what looks like corrugated iron at the side. And please stop pretending to be more than two storeys tall.
I do quite like the sound of their cream puffs though.
Here's a copyediting nightmare (luckily caught before printing). I had written about modern-day Harlem being "ethnically diverse" but in the typeset ms., the neighborhood had become "ethically diverse."
But, now that the term "ethically diverse" has come to my attention, I want to use it on purpose as a sly joke about the members of a corporation, elected body, or other group.
I appreciate your insights into Ms Mansfield's writing craft and into the craft of copyediting. After about 10 years as a newspaper and magazine staff writer and editor, I'm going freelance now, and your tips are priceless.
If I already made this comment in slightly different wording somewhere, I'm sorry. I got distracted and may or may not have hit "post," but I don't see it now.
1. As I follow along, I'm realizing how easy it is to overlook things that are outside my sphere. For instance, if I get into freelance copyediting, I'm going to need to look up everything beginning with a capital letter.
Or when a "foreign-sounding" story contains something odd or possibly illogical, I don't question it as much as I should. I just think, "Oh, well, we've established that these people's porch is somewhere near the front door," and move on. I need to slow down.
2. Your tips on what not to do are just as valuable as the ones on what to do.
Yes to all, including, especially, the don’t-hurry part. (Presuming no one’s breathing down your neck or complaining about your invoices.)
And learning how and when not to do things is of course an acquired skill. I think that realizing you’re treading into “well, how I would have written this” territory is a thing to be mindful/wary of. (And of course anything that comes close to telling an author “I don’t think she would do that,” which I assure you’ve witnessed. Yikes.)
Katharine looks askance … Sallie looks inward.
Of course, copy editors are not expected “to know everything” … luckily writers, especially short form ones, DO know everything. Problem solved.
Aha. "Big ups". When more than a single kudo is required.
I first ran into "big up" as an expression for putting on muscle mass or getting well advanced in one's pregnancy.
So there was a period of confusion when people started using it in the sense of "praise".
Indeed, that “big ups” was for you.
Well, thank you. I'm glad now that I remarked upon it.
I really love your footnotes. ❤️
Indeed “That absorbed inward look that only comes from whipped cream.”
Thank you for showing the photograph . A very good visual for the time period .
Her family loves this as much as we do .
Your footnotes are so good. My favorite here is the one about the olives. I could not agree more. I was glad to see the whipped cream after that!
I will never pass up a chance to infuriate people over my absolute abhorrence of olives.
And capers and sun-dried tomatoes.
They’re all satanic.
Olives for certain. Even the juice, or the smell puts me off.
And sorry, I have to disagree: "that only comes from whipped cream" is exactly right; switching "only" and "comes" loses the flavor of the sentence, if I may put it that way.
🤢
Whipped cream (and indeed anyrhing containing that much fat) has a devastating effect on my gut.
But I assume that's not the kind of "absorbed inward look" mentioned here.
J. Godber's.
All fine and upstanding from the front but all what looks like corrugated iron at the side. And please stop pretending to be more than two storeys tall.
I do quite like the sound of their cream puffs though.
Here's a copyediting nightmare (luckily caught before printing). I had written about modern-day Harlem being "ethnically diverse" but in the typeset ms., the neighborhood had become "ethically diverse."
A bullet, as they say, was dodged.
YIKES.
AND PHEW.
But, now that the term "ethically diverse" has come to my attention, I want to use it on purpose as a sly joke about the members of a corporation, elected body, or other group.
Yes, “ethically diverse” covers a multitude of present-day situations
“Bring them in and put them on the table, my girl,” ordered cook.
Shouldn’t it be ‘Cook’? Or ‘the cook’?
KM’s made the same choice she made with “mother.”
I appreciate your insights into Ms Mansfield's writing craft and into the craft of copyediting. After about 10 years as a newspaper and magazine staff writer and editor, I'm going freelance now, and your tips are priceless.
If I already made this comment in slightly different wording somewhere, I'm sorry. I got distracted and may or may not have hit "post," but I don't see it now.
You may say this as many times as you like, Diana, in as many locations as please you.
Thank you!
OK, then I'll add some bits that I forgot:
1. As I follow along, I'm realizing how easy it is to overlook things that are outside my sphere. For instance, if I get into freelance copyediting, I'm going to need to look up everything beginning with a capital letter.
Or when a "foreign-sounding" story contains something odd or possibly illogical, I don't question it as much as I should. I just think, "Oh, well, we've established that these people's porch is somewhere near the front door," and move on. I need to slow down.
2. Your tips on what not to do are just as valuable as the ones on what to do.
Yes to all, including, especially, the don’t-hurry part. (Presuming no one’s breathing down your neck or complaining about your invoices.)
And learning how and when not to do things is of course an acquired skill. I think that realizing you’re treading into “well, how I would have written this” territory is a thing to be mindful/wary of. (And of course anything that comes close to telling an author “I don’t think she would do that,” which I assure you’ve witnessed. Yikes.)