In most cases, the first pass consists of slowly, carefully scrubbing the text to enhance readability and to ensure correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, and style.
The second pass is usually done at a “reader’s pace” rather than an “editor’s pace,” and it consists of catching any snafus, typos, or awkwardnesses that were missed — or introduced — during the first pass.
Copyeditors skip the second pass at their own peril. Recently, for example, I discovered all the following typos during my second pass through a document.
- the spore place in my armpit [read: the sore place]
- They boy laughed delightedly. [read: the boy}
- If I had been told him about our courtship . . . [read: If I had told him . . .]
- In a careful and discrete way . . . [read: a careful and discreet way]
- You were brave girl. Well done. [read: You were brave, girl.]
- Seeing the dark visage portrayed on the canvass . . . [read: on the canvas]
- Drums beat, bells peeled, and men hurried to the green. [read: bells pealed]
Had I not performed the copyeditor’s customary second pass and caught these typos, my client would have been justified in gently (or not-so-gently) declining to use my services in the future.
This entry was posted on Friday, March 6th, 2009 at 6:08 am and is filed under Editorial process, Typos. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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[...] These are the kind of mistakes that send a chill up your spine because they’re so easy to miss. I remember spotting this one in my second pass through the book and catching my breath as I realized that I’d missed it on my first go-round. (Refer to the previous entry, “Don’t pass on the second pass.”) [...]