#2: The Editor’s Toolbox
It's fair to say you learn most of your craft as an editor – certainly in children's publishing – on the job (And 'editor' here entails all aspects of project managing, which may include copyediting and proofreading.) You'll no doubt have a good grasp of the English language, spelling and grammar when you first start, but you'll soon come across all kinds of linguistic and stylistic items you've never had to think about or make editorial decisions on before. You may take a copyediting course with the likes of the SfEP or Publishing Training Centre off your own back (which are recognised by all good publishers) or be lucky enough to be provided with this opportunity by your employer, but with or without those these are my must-have books for Being an Editor:
Editorial Project Management (HEB, Barbara Horn, 2006)
Ideal for newbies. The clearest overview I've read of the main parts and principles of editorial project management, split into chapters including scheduling, budgeting and briefing. Informative text with anecdotal commentary makes a quick and easy read, and with exercises and model answers, the information can be put into practise straight away. (Anyone who has worked with me will know I'm a super massive stickler for scheduling, as is Barbara: "There are some people who say plotting the schedules of their projects like this is too time-consuming. Don't listen to them for even a minute. They are the same people running around trying to deal with scheduling crises". Word.)
Judith Butcher's Copyediting (CUP, first published in 1975)
The nitty-gritty authority on copyediting and working with manuscripts. When I began my career at Miles Kelly, this was the reference book of choice, and, since first publication in 1975 and several revised editions later, this hefty hardback has stood the test of time. From proofreading marks, house style and specialised text in STEM to markup for typesetting, copyright law, reprints and how to check an index, if you've thunk it, this book's answered it. (I have the 3rd Edition, but the 4th Edition is out now).
New Hart's Rules (OUP, 1893)
A century-old pocket-sized, quick reference oracle of grammar. This one is indispensable. Most-thumbed pages are on use of commas (because these tricksy tadpoles of terror are my nemesis), but the 20 chapters go into broad range of topics including publishing terms, layout and headings and the basics of UK and US punctuation – you need to know your en dash from your em dash!
The Chicago Manual of Style
A definitive tome also possessing 100 years' endurance, a cornerstone on any editorial office bookshelf (or browser bookmark bar) and the most widely used style guide. At 1,184 pages, it's as comprehensive as it gets. (It's American English, so the punctuation rules differ from UK English.) The latest edition, seven years since the last, has been revised to acknowledge the changing ways written information is shared, accessed and consumed, as likely from a pocket device as from a bookshelf. Noteworthy updates most relevant to me: guidelines on effective use of metadata and keywords for discoverability, an updated grammar chapter with expanded glossary of problematic words and phrases, a new section on syntax and updated guidance on gender-neutral and bias-free language. The online CMOS Q&A is free to access, or full access can be subscribed to for £30 a year (with a free trial for first-time users), or check out a reference copy for free at your local library.
And a dictionary and a thesaurus go without saying. I recommend the Collins English Dictionary online.