Editing and Publishing Lingo You Should Know
If it’s your first time taking a workshop or working with an editor, here are some terms you might come across.
It can feel frustrating that editors use esoteric symbols and misspelled words rather than simply writing out what they want to say. However, having a common and abbreviated terminology keeps editors’ annotations from being confused with the text under review. Once you know this shared shorthand, it means less possibility for confusion and, of course, saves both editors and writers a lot of time.
MS
Editorial memo:
Hed
Dek
Lede
*
Graf:
Nut graf
Proof
Galley proof
Blurb:
Dele
Dele comes from the Latin word “delere.”
*
Stet: An editor’s previous marks should be ignored, and the text should be restored to its original form
TK
On spec
R&R
Eliza Harris is an editorial assistant for Catapult, Social Media Manager + Assistant Poetry Editor for DIAGRAM, and Director of Communications for The Speakeasy Project. She grew up in Durham, North Carolina, and is now based in Seattle, Washington. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @elizaeharris.
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